Spaghetti Squash is our Summertime Pasta!

Spaghetti Squash cooked in the Oven

What You Need

Ingredients
1 medium spaghetti squash (2 to 3 pounds)

Equipment
Sharp knife
Cutting board
Soup spoon
Medium-sized roasting pan or baking dish
Fork

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F: Preheat the oven while you prep the squash.
2. Slice the squash in half: Use a chef's knife to cut the spaghetti squash lengthwise from the stem side. Spaghetti squash are really tough and hard, so be careful as you cut and work slowly. 
3. Scoop out the seeds: Use a soup spoon to scrape out the seeds and stringy bits of flesh from inside the squash. Be careful that you keep all that tasty squash flesh as the inside should look clean and fairly smooth. Discard the seeds or roast them like pumpkin seeds! 
4. Place the squash in a roasting pan: Place the squash halves cut-side down in a roasting pan.
5. Pour in a little water : Pour a little water in the pan, enough to cover the bottom. Your squash will roast just fine without it, but I find that the water helps the squash steam and become more tender. You can also cover the pan with aluminum foil, if you prefer.
6. Cook the squash for 30 to 45 minutes: Transfer the squash to the oven and cook for 30 to 45 minutes. Smaller squash will cook more quickly than larger squash. Check the squash after 30 minutes for your preferred tenderness.
7. The squash is done when tender: The squash is ready when you can easily pierce a fork through the flesh all the way to the peel. The flesh will also separate easily into spaghetti-like strands. Now is the time for a taste test,if the "noodles" are too crunchy for your liking, put the squash back in the oven for another 10 to 20 minutes.
8. Scrape out the squash: Use a fork to gently pull the squash flesh from the peel the full length of the squash to separate the flesh into strands.  Rake your fork in the same direction as the strands to make the longest "noodles."
9. Serve the squash: Serve the squash immediately, tossed with a little butter or olive oil. Seasoned ground turkey in red sauce is our family favorite. Spaghetti squash will  keep refrigerated for up to a week, or frozen for up to 3 months. I find it's a great way to food prep ahead of time with already made spaghetti squash bowls.