Healthy Twice Baked Spaghetti Squash Marinara recipe « Running in a Skirt (2024)

FAQs

Why is my baked spaghetti squash watery? ›

I find that adding too much oil and too much salt at this stage makes the squash a bit watery, so a light drizzle and a light sprinkle will do. Then, poke a few holes in the skin of the squash with a fork and place it cut side down on a baking sheet. Pop it in a pre-heated 400°F oven.

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.

You need to cut your spaghetti squash in half before cooking it. Don't let spaghetti squash's hard shell scare you! I've got the trick for cutting spaghetti squash safely (watch our video to see me do it).

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.

Squash contains a lot of water, so you need to do a little prep work to mitigate for that. After slicing the squash, salt the slices and place them on a paper-towel lined baking sheet. Let it sit for 30 minutes so that the salt can draw out some of its water.

Adding too much pasta water to the spaghetti sauce is often the root cause of a watery sauce. Other causes include excess water from the noodles themselves or inadequately cooking down the sauce.

The squash is ready when you can easily pierce a fork through the flesh all the way to the peel. The flesh will also separate easily into spaghetti-like strands. You can also taste it right now — if the noodles are still a bit crunchy for your taste, put the squash back in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes more.

Roasting the wrong way up

Water is released when the squash cooks and it just sits in the little boat, making the spaghetti squash strands too moist and mushy, instead of being like separate noodles. This is an easy fix — just roast your spaghetti squash cut side down.

Here's the essence of David's tried-and-true, time-honed method for not overcooking summer squash: cut it into larger pieces. I got to work, slicing each medium-sized squash in half lengthwise, and then pulled out the ruler.

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.

Is spaghetti squash OK for dogs? ›

Dogs can eat spaghetti squash in moderation. The vitamins in spaghetti squash support your dog's immune system, and the fiber can contribute to a healthy gut. However, the rind can be a choking hazard, and the seeds can lead to digestive system issues.

Wash and completely dry the squash. Then, just set them in a warm, sunny area to ripen with the green side up to the sunlight. Turn them every few days to allow the sun to ripen all the sides of the squash. Allow the fruit to ripen to a yellow hue and then eat it or store it in a cool, dry place.

Don't overcook them – This is the #1 reason that noodles become a mushy, watery mess! Stick to the times noted above and don't allow the squash to become soft to the touch. It will still feel hard when it's cooked.

What you do here is take two tablespoons of flour for every cup of water that you're thinking about adding. Whisk it together really well, until everything is completely combined. Then, once it's combined, add it directly to the sauce. Stir it around for a bit, making sure to add some more seasoning as needed.

Squashes behave very differently when cooked in the oven or on the stovetop. Generally, a squash that is roasted in the oven is going to have a much softer texture, one that can get mushy if mixed with other ingredients, but making it ideal for a purée, soup, or being mashed.

Unlike other squash varieties, spaghetti squash has a stringy, pasta-like texture once cooked. Baking a spaghetti squash best brings out the flavor but takes double the time of microwaving it. Spaghetti squash isn't just a noodle substitute — it can be used in a wide range of recipes.