The Facts About Spaghetti Squash

It’s fall which of course means sweater weather. Fall also means winter squash season - and this article is all about the fabulous spaghetti squash! With a mild and a hint of sweet flavor, spaghetti squash is a nutrition-dense food (high in the good stuff, without all the carbs and calories), whose baked innards resemble spaghetti - hence the name. Personally, I think it looks like angel hair pasta.

Healthy dishes with spaghetti squash

I’m a big fan of a bowl of spaghetti squash with my favorite marina sauce with extra veggies. I also enjoy it as a side dish with EVOO, garlic, and spices - and it makes me feel like I'm eating comfort food! Some people make spaghetti squash hashbrowns. Others swear by serving it with turkey and bean ragu - both of which I'm looking forward to making!

Spaghetti squash nutrition facts

The nutritional breakdown for one cup of baked spaghetti squash is:

• Calories: 42
• Carbs: 10g
• Fat: 0.4g — slightly more if squash had been coated with extra virgin olive oil
• Fiber: 2.2g
• Protein: 1g

Spaghetti squash is also an excellent source of carotenoids — which our bodies convert into vitamin A, as well as loaded with vitamins B, C, and E. This fantastic squash is also loaded with and antioxidants, and because it's rich in both Omega-3 and Omega-6, it's anti-inflammatory! Sidebar: The seeds are rich in magnesium.

How to prepare spaghetti squash

This is important: A spaghetti squash is incredibly difficult to slice in half when raw. It’s worth the extra few dollars to have your grocer slice it in half and wrap it up for you.

If you do decide on the do-it-yourself method:
1. Seriously watch your fingers.
2. Take a fork and poke the uncut squash with holes, place in the microwave on medium to high for 3 to 4 minutes and let cool. Then carefully slice in half and proceed with your recipe.
Sidebar: If you have an electric knife, use it.

If you don’t have a microwave, not a problem. Preheat your oven to 400 F, poke the entire squash with holes via a fork and bake for 15 minutes, then remove the squash from the oven (with oven mits), let cool, and then CAREFULLY slice the squash in half.

Scoop out the seeds and coat the squash 1/2 with a teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil, line a lipped baking sheet with parchment paper, and put the 1/2 a squash on it, face down, and bake for another 25 minutes. Depending on your recipe and how many you're cooking for, you can wrap up the other half that’s precooked and store in the fridge to make the next day.