If you are trying to eat less carbs, or up your intake of veggies, you need to try spaghetti squash. The flesh of this squash has a firm and stringy consistency so it holds up nicely when mixed with tomatoes, roasted veggies and pesto. Plus a cup of spaghetti contains only 10 grams of carbs, compared to 43 grams of carbs found in regular old spaghetti. It is also a low calorie food; one cup contains only 42 calories, where as the spaghetti pasta has 221 calories per cup.
Have I piqued your interest?
To learn how to cook spaghetti squash, just read more.
Baking spaghetti squash takes a little longer than boiling real spaghetti, but it's really easy.
- Cut a whole squash in half and remove all the seeds. Preheat the oven to 350°F and place the halves cut side down, in a dish with half an inch of water. Bake for about 45 minutes, or until it's tender. If you're pressed for time, you can also microwave it. Place the cut sides down on a damp paper towel in a microwavable dish and cook for about 15 minutes.
- Take a fork and scrape the stringy squash out onto individual plates. Add a little salt and pepper if you want.
- Top with your favorite pasta sauce and enjoy.
Karen Walker
Agent Provocateur
IRO
LOVE LOVE LOVE spaghetti squash ever since my best friend introduced me to this vegetable a few years back.
in fact, i have one sitting at home & this might become dinner tonight/lunch tomorrow. and i have pesto & tons of veggies, so good call on that!
1OMG I am eating some RIGHT NOW! It's my fave pasta substitute - even my husband likes it and he's Italian!
I made Mustard Braised Pork chops and a side of spaghetti squash the other night, so it's leftovers for lunch today. I just tosssed the squash with some olive oil, italian herbs, and pepper for a simple side. And unlike real spaghetti, it's great leftover because it doesn't get mushy, and reheats well.
I find that 10 minutes in the microwave often does the trick for a smaller squash. Haven't tried baking - I'm too impatient!
2I pierce one several times and microwave. Once split and separated I set aside. Then I saute some yellow onion in a bit of olive oil or cooking spray to just tender and toss in some zucchini. Add in the squash and a can of diced tomato. YUM!
3YUM!
4Wow!
5I iddn't even know this squash was so good! I need to try it!
Not so much...
6I like this stuff, but have found it to be kind of watery.
7I love spaghetti squash!
8I love spaghetti squash. Like jspeed, it's my favorite pasta alternative, so much so that I don't even think about using regular pasta when I want spaghetti.
A tasty variation is to use salsa instead of pasta sauce. I usually do a super simple meal of ground beef, spaghetti squash, and salsa.
9It looks really good! Great idea for cutting down on carbs
10I love this! Even my boyfriend likes it, and he's a pasta addict.
11I don't actually like it as a replacement for spaghetti but I do love it as a side dish and I like to make pudding with it -yum
12I'll check this out. I doubt my boyfriend will like it, but I'll try!!! The trick is to not tell him it's something new or healthy haha
13Spaghetti squash is awesome!
14This sounds interesting, never thought of this! Def have to try it soon...
15I'm making this for dinner tonight, with some spaghetti sauce and veggies. Also some grilled chicken breast for added protein.
16I eat this as a substitute for regular pasta all the time. It's so yummy!! I usually toss it with some tomato sauce and fresh veggies and it's pretty tasty.
17Never had it but it sounds good an healthy. I'll check it out. If I like, then I'll add it to the list of seeds to plant in the garden
18I love this.
19I had this for dinner tonight for the first time (making it myself) and it was so good and so filling! I could eat a huge bowl with tomato sauce and not feel a little guilty like I do with pasta. Yay
20I need to try this. I love pasta and I could certainly use a healthier substitute!
21Must try.... Will go fabulously with my new diet!
22I've got 2 large ones on my kitchen counter waiting for me to EAT THEM! I can't wait! Yum!!!!
23Can't eat it, as spaghetti, or even as a side dish. It's just gross! I do like other squashes, though, like butternut, acorn, yellow...
24I was just thinking the same thing, Renees3! I won't be able to tell myn boyfriend what it is, but I'm going to try it.
25I've tried it as a substitute for spaghetti pasta and I just can't get into it. The consistency is very different.
26I'm eating it right now too!~ It's great:)and good for you. Do yourself a favour, cut it in half, add a couple of tablespoons of water to each half, place in dish and microwave (about 6-10 minutes per squash) depending on your microwave and size of squash.
I miss my pasta pasta, but this does this trick.
27So I'd love to know what the topping is for that spaghetti squash!! and yes, I am eating it as I type!
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