When I first started growing, and therefore, cooking, spaghetti squash I went with the conventional wisdom and cut the squash in half, lengthwise.
Spaghetti squash are hard and challenging to cut, especially as my cleaver is not long enough to cut the big ones in one stroke.
It occurred to me that cutting them in rings would be much easier.
I had a careful look at the cut, cooked squash and I realized that the strands do not go lengthwise but are circular. By cutting the squash in half the long way one is cutting all of the strands in half…. twice. Cutting the squash in rings results in longer strands.
I just googled the problem to see if the rest of the world has actually looked at the inside of a cooked spaghetti squash. Apparently not, as almost every recipe / site I looked at still said to cut it lengthwise.
They are wrong.
Depending on the size of my squash I cut it into 3rds or 4ths widthwise, although for faster cooking one could cut it into 2″ (5cm) rings. It’s also much easier to scoop the seeds out of rings.
I cooked mine in my Instant Pot but directions are also given for standard oven roasting. Times will vary accordingly.
Click here to pin Spaghetti Squash with Mushroom Sauce
PrintSpaghetti Squash with Mushroom Sauce
I made this as a first course. It would also work as a side dish. You could double it for a meatless main course (or add meat). I used brown, cremini mushrooms.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
- Category: First Courses
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked spaghetti squash, about half of a medium size (3lb, 1500gr) squash
- 4oz (125gr) mushrooms, roughly chopped
- 2 shallots, finely chopped
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 1/2 cup (4oz, 125ml) beef stock
- 1 tbs Dijon-style mustard
- 1/2 cup (5oz, 150gr) Greek yogurt
Instructions
- Cut squash in half or thirds, widthwise, and remove seeds.
- To cook squash in Instant pot:
- Cook on high pressure for 7 minutes. Release pressure and remove squash.
- To cook in oven:
- Place in a baking dish. cover, and bake for 45 minutes at 400F, until the flesh is fork tender.
- When cool enough to handle scrape out the squash strands. Refrigerate the unused portion for another day.
- Mushroom sauce:
- Sauté mushrooms and shallots in oil over medium heat until well browned.
- Add stock and bring to a simmer. Simmer, uncovered until reduced by half.
- Add mustard, yogurt and heat through.
- To serve – reheat squash in microwave for 30 seconds if needed.
- Divide onto 2 plates, top with mushroom sauce and serve.
Notes
You can cook the squash ahead of time, allow it to cool before scraping out the strands, and then reheat in a skillet or microwave just before serving.
Keywords: spaghetti squash, mushroom sauce
We were riding along the canal this week, as we do every week, when I heard voices. It’s not at all unusual to hear people talking and laughing in August, when everyone is on holiday, but this was the end of September. Besides, I couldn’t see anyone. There was no one in front of us or behind us on the trail.
Suddenly, a kayak came into view on the canal. Two guys were paddling and talking. Mystery solved.
About 10 minutes later another kayak with 2 guys went by.
Well, I thought, it’s a lovely, warm, sunny day…. nice to be out.
Then mon mari came up beside me and asked if I noticed that the both kayaks had a bike on them.
Huh?
By that time we had seen several more kayaks and, yes, each kayak had a bicycle lying across the middle, between the 2 people paddling.
We decided it must be a sporting event of some sort.
A little further along we passed a guy running next to a guy riding a bike.
Hmmmm…..
We came to a little park / picnic area and stopped for a break.
Two more guys went by, one walking and one riding. All of a sudden they ran off the trail. When they came back, one was pushing the bike and they were carrying a kayak over their heads.
Closer inspection showed where there had been about 15 kayaks, with markers. There were 2 left. The guys carried the kayak, pushing the bike, across the road to the canal.
On our return trip we saw another pair running / riding. This time we almost ran into them – the guy running was carrying a map and both were trying to navigate and keep a pace at the same time.
About 15 minutes (by bike) later we saw a military transport vehicle parked a bit off the canal. Our conclusion was that it was an exercise of some sort for the military. They were given 1 bike for 2 people, and 1 map. They had to follow the map to find the kayak, then take the kayak (and the bike) to the canal and paddle to the finish line and a ride back to camp.
It all made for a very entertaining ride for us!
That sounds like fun to watch! When we were looking for a house this last time, we had a friend selling one that was on a small pond that fed into an almost statewide river system (I still regret not buying that house!) Apparently, every year there is a kayaking event where they paddle up that river but at the west side of the road by that house, they have to get out of the kayak, carry it up a steep, 20 foot incline to the road, across the road, down a steep, 20 foot incline to the pond, around the pond almost to the far side where they can put the kayak back in, and then continue up the river. I understand there’s over 100 entrants every year. I could have sat in my backyard and watched it all 😉 There are many more areas like that along the river and it takes most of the day. If you’re into kayaking, I imagine it’s a lot of fun. I’m a watcher, not a kayaker.
I love using my instant pot for spaghetti squash but I cook it whole just poke it a few times to allow steam to escape. Makes it much easier to cut. I have one I need to cook think I’m going to use this recipe.
Mine are too big to put in whole,,,, the last one was big enough I had to do in 2 batches. lol
I’ve never been in a kayak. I was in a canoe a few times as a kid but I’m really not that much of a water person. Now a big, comfortable cruiser with a G & T in hand is another story,
Squash cutting mystery solved! Brilliant.
Bike Kayak mystery solved! Brilliant.
It was very strange – the kayak, not the squash
Weird though this may be I have never seen a spaghetti squash in Australia or tasted one!!
They are not my favorite – but this year 1 plant produced 9 of them!!!