Right or wrong, perfect sense or nonsense, I often do things a certain way simply because that’s the way I’ve always done them. A prime example is my method for tying shoes. I remember attempting to learn the whole bunny goes round the tree and jumps in the hole spiel on a wooden practice shoe back in elementary school. I’d memorized the story line, but my bunny wanted nothing to do with that stinkin’ tree and my index finger kept messing up the loop-around (I blame it on my big hands). Honestly, I didn’t see what the big deal was. For weeks I’d been using my own method (the make-two-bunny-ears-then-crisscross-then-fold-one-under-and-pull-to-tighten approach) and my shoes were staying on just fine.
I have a lot of these little quirks, especially in the kitchen, where it’s well established that my knife skills border on horrifying (trust me, you’d shudder if you saw me chop an onion), but hey, I get the job done. Even though I’ve nearly severed several fingers over the years, not to mention the time I impaled my pinky with a steak knife while slicing a bagel, I’d never really given much thought to the dangerous method I employed to halve a spaghetti squash. I always proceeded in cutting a spaghetti squash as if it were a giant rock-hard avocado—with a knife painstakingly seesawing around the perimeter of the squash. I’m not sure what events occurred that caused my subconscious to one day realize this was a horrible HORRIBLE idea. I’m just thankful it did before I’d involuntarily amputated something.
Spaghetti Squash
First, carefully slice off the stem end of the squash:
Stand the squash upright on the newly created flat end. Carefully use your knife to vertically slice the squash in half.
Double high-five if all ten fingers are still intact!
Use a spoon to scoop out seeds, season with S&P, then place the squash halves cut-side down on a cooking sheet coated with cooking spray.
Bake at 375 for 25 minutes (5-10 minutes longer for a large squash). Using an oven mitt, hold one half of squash in your hand while using a fork to scrape the squash innards onto a plate. If the squash does not easily break apart into noodle-like strands when you scrape it with the fork, put the halves back into the oven for another 5 minutes before trying again.
You can always cook the squash longer—but once it turns mushy, you might as well scrap the whole meal and order some pizza.
Then simply top with toppings of your choice!
Clearly, this means meatballs.
Got any random kitchen tips? Share them in the comments section below!
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My mom like to cook these in the microwave (the spaghetti squash is placed in a glass bowl with some water at the bottom and covered in plastic wrap; it acts like a steamer). I'll have to get me a spaghetti squash and try it in the oven! :)
You are so SMART! How many years have I been halving spaghetti squash without ever thinking of doing this?
BTW, I typed that with nine fingers.
You are lucky you've managed to hang on to nine of 'em.
uhhhh marrryyyy! amazing demonstration, my friend! lol.....who would-a-thunk this could actually be so easy with one little step! i, too, have almost lost a finger......or two....and a toe, when the knife goes flying and lands withing millimeters of the piggies....thanks for sharing. this makes eating spaghetti squash more appealing, as the hardest part was cutting it! happy tuesday! xo
I'm glad I'm not the only one who was risking fingers to cut these thing open!
I love spaghetti squash, and I'm way overdue in making one. I actually cook mine in the microwave- 12 min on high after you puncture it a few times, and that baby is good to go and super easy to cut after!
I usually just stick the knife into the squash and rock it back and forth until it splits apart. This never fails to result in some type of injury!
Thank you for being fervent! I cooked and enjoyed my first spaghetti squash...loved it! And it was certainly easy (ok...easier) to cut in half by following your directions. I found your site this week by googling for spaghetti squash recipes...timing is everything, isn't it. I'll certainly keep reading your blog...thanks!
Thanks Angie! Glad to hear you liked the spaghetti squash! Cutting those things in half is certainly not an easy task, I TOTALLY understand.
Awesome recipe!!! Always wanted to replace pasta with something else. Thanks for the idea! :]
You've never tried spaghetti squash?! Go to the store and grab one, STAT!
Tonight was my first time ever ``halving a spaghetti squash``!! I had know idea how to properly do this, so I went to google, which brought me here:) Thanks so much for teaching me such an easy and safe technique;)
Yay! I'm glad to help! I hope you enjoyed the squash :)
Thank You,Thank You,Thank You! cutting spaghetti squash this way is so much easier! I never thought to cut it this way!
Awww I'm glad to help :)