The Best Way to Make and Use Spaghetti Squash Noodles
Ever struggle with mushy or soggy spaghetti squash? Here are some of my tips and tricks that yield long, al dente strands ready for hearty noodle soups, pasta dishes, and stir fries at a moment’s notice. It’s a fabulous noodle substitute (although let’s be honest - nothing really beats the real thing!) that is low-carb, gluten-free and nutrient dense. It’s a fun vegetable that makes it a little easier to incorporate into your favorite everyday meals and squeeze in a serving of vegetables.
There are lots of different ways to enjoy spaghetti squash besides marinara sauce and meatballs! We’ve enjoyed them as a noodle replacement in Vietnamese Chicken Pho, in Japanese-inspired Ramen noodle soup, Chicken Noodle Soup, Shrimp Noodle Soup, Pasta bakes, and even Chinese Lo Mein and Chow Mein. The list goes on, but hopefully that gives you an idea of the possibilities out there and you’ll find one that you like. The recipe is below - enjoy!
Roasted Spaghetti Squash for Long and al dente Noodle Strands
Ingredients (4-6 servings):
1 large spaghetti squash
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 Tbsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
Method:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Cut the spaghetti squash in half, the short way, so you have two circular rounds to work with. If you cut the long way, you’ll end up with shorter strands. Scoop out the seeds out of both ends then discard the seeds.
Place the two halves of the spaghetti squash on the baking sheet and rub both halves on the interior flesh of the squash with olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
Roast cut side down for 20 minutes, then flip onto the other side for another 20 minutes to finish cooking. This step is crucial to prevent soggy squash and give it some nice roasted flavor and color - please do not skip this step.
After 40 minutes, check if the spaghetti squash is tender using a fork - it may need more time to roast if it is a larger squash.
Remove the roasted squash from the oven and let it cool completely, cut side up to allow ventilation and avoid overcooking - again, do not skip this step to prevent soggy noodle strands.
Once cooled, peel the squash skin away from the flesh and gently unravel long, beautiful strands of spaghetti squash with a fork. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days to throw into your noodle soups, pasta dishes, stir-fries all week. You can freeze leftovers as well and they seem to maintain their shape relatively well upon defrosting if using in soups and stews.