How to prepare spaghetti squash?

 How to prepare spaghetti squash?

 Spaghetti squash is the perfect ingredient for variety in  your week-long meals. Once topped with a tomato or meat  sauce , the flesh of this squash really looks like pasta.  What we like here is to be able to leave aside starchy food  for a moment and eat more vegetables! In this article, we  offer you 6 different ways to cook it, simple recipes and  tips from our expert chef Hugo Saint-Jacques .

                                 How to prepare spaghetti squash?

 There are several ways to cook a spaghetti squash: in the  oven, microwave, slow cooker or in a saucepan. Chef Hugo  Saint-Jacques' favorite is undoubtedly baking! Follow these  steps step by step and you will see, it's really easy!

 Cooking a spaghetti squash baked in 6 points

• Cut spaghetti squash in half, lengthwise.
• With a spoon, remove the seeds and filaments that are in  the center.
• Brush both halves with olive oil, then season with salt  and pepper. Add fresh or dried herbs to taste (optional).
• Chef's tip: "What I like is rubbing the flesh of the squash  with garlic and adding a touch of sugar before salt and  pepper! "
• Bake for 45 minutes at 375 ° F on a parchment paper lined  plate. It is important to place the squash upside down  (cavity down) to make it easier to cook.
• Once cooked, scrape the inside of the squash with a fork  to pull out the flesh that comes off in filaments, like  spaghetti. If the flesh does not come off easily, it means  that the squash is not cooked enough. Put back in the oven  for a few more minutes.
• Once the flesh is removed completely, do not hesitate to  add a little olive oil, salt and pepper.

 Cooking a spaghetti squash in the microwave

 For microwave cooking, there are several possible variants  to cook it well. As for baking, you must cut the squash in  half lengthwise and remove the seeds with a spoon.

 WITH WATER

 Place your squash halves upside down, cavity down, in a  microwave-safe dish. Make sure you have a container big  enough to prevent the squash from overlapping. Pour some  water into the bottom of the dish and cook for about 12  minutes.

 WITHOUT WATER

 Use the same type of dish as for cooking with water. Place  the squash halves upside down and cover with plastic wrap.  Leave a small opening in one of the corners to let the steam  escape and cook for about 7 minutes.

 FULLY

 It is also possible to cook your whole squash in the   microwave by drilling small holes with a knife. Following  this method will require cooking for 10 minutes. Let it  cool, cut it in half, then remove the seeds that are in the  center.

 Boil your spaghetti squash, in a saucepan or slow cooker

 You can also cook your whole squash by boiling it in a  saucepan for 20 to 30 minutes. Do not forget to sting it in  a few places. The disadvantage is that you must have a pan  large enough to submerge the squash entirely. In the slow  cooker , allow about 6 hours on low heat for satisfactory  cooking. Once cooked, let cool, cut in half and empty the  inside. On the other hand, as the foodlavie expert Hugo  Saint-Jacques reminds you, cooking in water will make you  lose the essential nutrients of the squash. To avoid then.

 How to choose a squash at the grocery store?

 You arrive in front of the squash at the grocery store and  do not know which one to choose? What we are looking for  above all is the firmness of the squash. The harder it is,  the more delicious it will be!

To inspire you, here's a selection of recipes featuring  spaghetti squash. Because know that it is not only as a  substitute for pasta that you can eat this squash.

 SMOKED BBQ 

 Barbecuing on charcoal and cream sauce are on the menu in  this recipe by chef Étienne Régimbal . With shrimp and  pieces of fresh tomato, it's a pure delight!

 See the recipe: Smoked spaghetti squash