Spaghetti Squash with Parmesan and Herbs Recipe - Rachel Cooks® (2024)

FAQs

How do you keep spaghetti squash from getting watery? ›

Give the slices a touch of salt, but not too much! Adding too much salt can cause the squash to get too watery as it cooks. And then you'll be left with mushy strands. You're only seasoning to cook the squash here, and you can add more salt once it has cooked to actually season it to your taste.

Spaghetti squash is a nutritious, low carb, low-calorie alternative to pasta. It's high in fiber and is also a great source of beta carotene, vitamin C, pantothenic acid, as well as a variety of other vitamins and minerals.

Since moisture is key when growing spaghetti squash, Enfield recommends providing them with an inch or two of water every week. "Whether from rain or watering, the soil should be kept consistently moist throughout the growing season," she says.

Salt and drain zucchini

Salting and draining ensures the zucchini doesn't turn into a soggy mess while frying. This method also works for roasted zucchini, grilled zucchini, or baked zucchini if you're looking to remove as much water as possible.

Yes. One of the biggest benefits spaghetti squash has over other vegetables is its unusual noodle-like insides, which makes it a low calorie substitution for a variety of dishes. Depending on your health goals, this squash could be more beneficial to some, such as people with diabetes, than others.

Cutting a spaghetti squash can be hazardous because the shell is so hard. For that reason, some people roast them whole in the oven. You can also cook a whole spaghetti squash in a pressure cooker or a slow cooker with a little water.

If the rind is soft or has punctures, the squash could be rotten inside. Upon cutting, if the flesh is discolored or has a sour smell, it's likely spoiled.

Spaghetti squash can be tough to cut raw. The outside is hard and the raw flesh can be a bit of a challenge to work through. To safely cut into a squash (spaghetti or another kind), you need to make sure you have a nice sharp knife and a flat, stable work surface to cut on.

Press a fingernail against the rind. If this does not leave an indentation in the skin, the squash is ready to pick. Use a sharp pruner to cut the stem leaving 3 to 4 inches attached to the squash. Handle the squash by supporting the body and avoid picking it up by the stem.

Red pepper flakes, dehydrated or fresh garlic, dried oregano, parsley, or basil, or an Italian seasoning blend are all good options. Dried herbs and spices should be added at the beginning of the cook time so that they have time to bloom.

What makes spaghetti taste better? ›

Simply melt butter and sprinkle in some garlic powder. Toss your spaghetti or favorite type of pasta in this delightful mixture to create a filling and appetizing meal. This is a great way to enjoy pasta on hot days, when a heavy pasta sauce is just too filling.

To prevent your squash casserole from being too watery, it's important to get as much liquid out of the squash during the initial cooking process as possible. Straining the squash helps to remove excess water that leaches out of the cooked squash, and it cools the squash before it is added to the casserole.

First, mix one tablespoon of cornstarch with one tablespoon of water to make a cornstarch slurry. Add the slurry directly to the spaghetti sauce as it's cooking on low heat. Stir continuously until the sauce reaches the desired consistency, and you'll be good to go.

Adding too much pasta water to the spaghetti sauce is often the root cause of a watery sauce.

You can mash the butternut squash with a fork, potato masher, or a blender. If your mash is too runny, you can push the mash in a fine mesh strainer and push out the excess liquid to thicken the mash.