Spaghetti Squash

There are so many reasons I love spaghetti squash, take a look at how easy it is to prepare plus 3 additional recipes.      

I truly am a pasta lover, but since I started eating low carb, I knew my one BIG vice of eating pasta was going to have to change.

While looking at my options. I decided to incorporate lots of zucchini noodles into my eating and spaghetti squash. 

(by the way, it totally works great for cutting carbs. I lost over 30 lbs and have maintained my goal weight for over 8 months now)

The texture is similar to pasta and the flavor is like squash, and I love squash.

Check out my favorite squash dish here.

I didn’t just want to add some tomato sauce to the spaghetti squash for each meal, I knew I wanted some really flavorful dishes I could enjoy without getting tired of the flavor.

So I could eat spaghetti squash more often, take a look at the three recipes I enjoyed:

• Pepperoni pizza version with olives, YUM!
• Cheddar jalapeno and bacon version with avocado… yummy
• Sausage, peppers, and onions version which reminds me of my eating a sausage sandwich while walking along the boardwalk!

I’m happy to say are all those recipes are low carb.

See low carb can be fun, flavorful and simple!

Whether you’re eating low carb or not these recipes are worth you giving them a try for a lower calorie full flavor meal that is full of fiber to keep you fuller longer.

Cook at 400° for 40-50 minutes. While the squash bakes, you can prepare the other items if you want it to be a complete meal.

• Pepperoni Pizza Squash: Add a cup grated mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup tomato sauce, 1/4 cup pepperoni and 1/4 cup sliced black olives.
• Jalapeno Bacon and Avocado Squash: 1/2 cup cooked bacon pieces, 1 cup grated cheddar cheese, 1 avocado, 1/4 cup diced onion.
• Sausage Peppers and Onions Squash: 4 links sausage, 1 pepper diced and 1/4 cup onion diced cooked completely then slice sausage. (add 1/2 cup tomato sauce if you prefer)

Add the items above to the squash and if you add cheese to any of the squashes place it under the broiler to melt it for a minute or two. 

Perfect for easy weeknight meals.

Any size spaghetti squash will work, mine was over 4 lbs if you use a 2 lb squash test cooking time after 30 minutes.

Pressure Cooker: cut widthwise instead of lengthwise so it will fit better in a pressure cooker on the rack with 1 cup water for 10 minutes. 

A 2 lb spaghetti squash will cook in the pressure cooker for 6 minutes.

Microwave: Just like the oven instructions slice lengthwise place squash upside down in a dish with 1 inch of water and microwave at 10 minutes intervals until it’s soft when pierced with a knife.

I cut the spaghetti squash before putting cooking it in all 3 methods (oven, instant pot, microwave) Alternatively you can cook it whole, then cut it, but I find even though it’s tough to cut before cooking, manouvering it piping hot is also difficult to cut. Use a sharp chefs knife and cut it as if you would a watermelon, be careful and you can also put it on a silocone pot holder to keep it steady so it doesn’t move.

Print Recipe

Spaghetti Squash

Author: Diane Schmidt - createdbydiane.com

Ingredients

• 1 spaghetti squash
• 1-2 teaspoon olive oil
• *salt optional

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400°
• Wash and dry spaghetti squash
• Slice squash lengthwise, scrape out the seeds and pulp.
• Drizzle oil over the cut edges, salt if desired.
• Place cut side down on a baking sheet.
• Bake for 40-50 minutes (4lb squash, shorter time for smaller squash) until easily pierced with a knife.
• Remove baking sheet from oven, turn squash over and allow to cool 5 minutes.
• Then scrape with a fork to pull the "spaghetti" threads away from the sides of the outer shell of the squash.
• Serve as a side dish, or add some items to make it a complete meal.

Notes

Pepperoni Pizza Squash: Add a cup grated mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup tomato sauce, 1/4 cup pepperoni and 1/4 cup sliced black olives.
Jalapeno Bacon and Avocado Squash: 1/2 cup cooked bacon pieces, 1 cup grated cheddar cheese, 1 avocado, 1/4 cup diced onion.
Sausage Peppers and Onions Squash: 4 links sausage, 1 pepper diced and 1/4 cup onion diced cooked completely then slice sausage. (add 1/2 cup tomato sauce if you prefer)Add the items above to the squash and if you add cheese to any of the squashes place it under the broiler to melt it for a minute or two.