Have you tried spaghetti squash?
This gluten free noodle replacement is super easy to prepare and tasty too, but with so many variations of cooking methods (steam, bake whole, microwave, etc), if you don’t get it right, it can yield a mooshy, soggy noodle. No one likes soggy food and especially not when it then dilutes any recipe or sauce with it, leaving you with nothing close to a noodle mouthfeel.
Alas, I have tried many methods to prepare this noodle-y veggie, and have quite happily arrived at my favorite for yielding non-watery, non-mooshy strands of squash for all your gluten free pasta needs!
Now, it is called ‘spaghetti’ squash, which sets pretty high expectations if you ask me. While this winter squash has a great texture and adds an element of fun to your veggie dishes, don’t expect it to perform exactly like a pasta noodle. It contains fiber and water, therefore it is going to be a tad different to a traditional starch-based noodle. But with this cooking method, it will hold up to it’s name.
So go ahead, get yourself one of these noodle-y veggies and pay close attention…..
Emily’s Dietary Scorecard
| Gluten Free | Dairy Free | Tree Nut Free | No Sugar (added) |
| Grain Free | Delicious | Vegetarian | Low Sugars (all forms) |
| Paleo | Nightshade Free | Egg Free | Low FODMAP |
Ingredients
- 1 spaghetti squash
Instructions
- Cut your spaghetti squash in half, lengthwise and scoop out the seeds.
- Place the de-seed halves face up on a baking sheet and into the oven.
- Now, turn your oven on to 235ºC (455ºF) and bake for ~30 minutes, until flesh can be easily punctured with a fork.*
- Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
- Shred the flesh with a fork into spaghetti-like strands and viola! Non-watery noodles.
Notes
*Cooking time will vary dependant on the size of your squash. Small squash will take around 30 minutes whereas larger squash may take around 40-45 minutes.
(This post was originally published on my food blog in November 2009)
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