Spaghetti squash is another cheap, healthy meal. Fall is a squash season so you can buy squash for under $0.70 a pound, which is usually cheaper than store bought spaghetti noodles. Squash is really good for you too. It is low in saturated fat, and cholesterol. It is also a good source of Niacin, Vitamin B6, Potassium, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber and Vitamin C.
Squash is also naturally gluten free. You can find more gluten free meals at The Gluten Free Homemaker.
But squash can be overwhelming, they look fun and are inexpensive, but if you buy them and they rot in the fridge you have wasted your money. Preparing squash, especially spaghetti squash, is very simple and even beginning cooks can add this delicious and inexpensive dish into their meal plan.
There are several ways to cook a spaghetti squash. You can boil the entire squash for 30 to 40 minutes, or bake the squash. To bake the squash either cut it in half or poke holes all over the squash with a fork. I would recommend the poking it with a fork method because cutting a spaghetti squash is very difficult. It cut mine in half tonight because it takes less time to cook, and I was in a hurry.
Cut the spaghetti squash in half and scrape out all the seeds before baking.
Save the seeds.
Fill the pan with about 1/4 inch of water and place the squash, rind side up in the pan.
Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes, or until the squash is tender.
Once the squash has cooked take a fork and scrape out the inside of the squash.
It should look just like spaghetti.
You can scrape out the squash all the way to the rind.
Serve with your favorite spaghetti sauce.
Cost breakdown:
- Spaghetti Squash $1.40 (2 lbs @ $.69 per lb)
- Spaghetti Sauce $1.59
- Mixed Greens $1
- Homemade Bread $1
Total cost for six servings $4.99
Don’t throw away those seeds! Rinse the seeds and remove all squash.
Dry off the seeds and then lightly coat with olive oil. Add a dash of salt.
Bake for about 15 minutes on a pan lined with parchment paper in a 275 degree oven.
Let cool and eat!
This post is linking to 5 Dollar Dinners Bargain Meal of the Week, Tasty Tuesday and Tempt My Tummy Tuesday.
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{ 33 comments… read them below or add one }
Oooh, I love spaghetti squash! I had no idea you could roast the seeds like pumpkin seeds! Make sense, they are so similar! Can I link to this in a round up of great fall posts?
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I love to use spaghetti squash. Come join me for Crock Pot Wednesday. I would love to see your favorite slow cooker recipes posted there. Thanks. Debbie
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Yum! That looks great! We usually do that with our pumpkin seeds, never thought about spag. squash seeds. Thanks for sharing!
~Liz
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I totally have a spaghetti squash sitting on my counter. I tried growing it in the garden, got one (small) fruit and then the whole plant turned yellow and died overnight.
I haven’t done this with spaghetti squash, but other squashes I have cooked up in the microwave in a similar method. Yum!
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I am really pleased that you are promoting squash. It is so cheap, nutritious and bountiful.
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This is one of my mom’s absolute favorites. Do you know I haven’t made it….I must!
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I’m going to have to try this recipe. Looks healthy! Thanks for showing the pictures. I never would have imagined squash would look like that.
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Hmm..Yum! My kids will love it. They love to eat spaghetti. But this time it will be better to use squash, it’s good for the eyes and skin.
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ok… Why have I never thought to save the seeds and roast them? I pumpkin seeds, but I’ve never thought about squash seeds being the same thing. Thanks for enlightening me. (I feel a little foolish now.)
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Yummy! I’ve never thought to roast the seeds.
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My husband cannot stand squash, but I think I will give this a try. Surely with it covered in spaghetti sauce he’ll eat it just fine.
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Hi there! I just found your blog and have to say that I just spent an hour of my morning reading your blog and the How I became The Happy Housewife posts. What a great blog! I will be posting a link on my blog about you!
Can’t wait to read more
Jillienne
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Wow. I didn’t know you could do that with squash. I will have to try that!
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every fall I make this at least once for my children
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I LOVE spaghetti sauce… especially with pesto sauce on it. I don’t know why I’ve never roasted the seeds though… I do cinnamon sugar or garlic pumpkin seeds but have never tried it with squash… thanks for the idea!
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What does spaghetti squash taste like? I always buy acorn squash.
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TheHappyHousewife Reply:
September 29th, 2009 at 2:43 pm
It doesn’t really have a strong taste, ours had spaghetti sauce on it, so it tasted like spaghetti, lol.
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Molly Reply:
October 3rd, 2009 at 8:03 pm
Oh, man, today I tried this, and it is delicious! Thank you for posting about it. It will go into our winter meals rotation. Yum!
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Last night we pulled in 2 wheelbarrows full of spaghetti squash. They were going to be frosted out there, so they will have to ripen in the house.
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Thanks for this! I love butternut squash but haven’t tried a spaghetti squash yet.
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Thanks for the “how to” of spaghetti squash!! Also love the seed recipe. Happy TMTT.
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I’m so glad you posted this! I saw “Spaghetti Squash Spaghetti” on your meal plan for this week, and then saw Spag. Sq. on sale at my grocery store, so I bought some in anticipation
Neither my hubby nor I are big squash fans (though we’ve never tried Spag. Sq.), but like others have said, I trust that if it’s covered in tomato sauce we’ll get it down okay – and it’s healthy!
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I’ve been wanting to know how to do this…I enjoyed your site today!
I think I looked at every single page!
Blessings to you…my heart goes out to you with 7 kids…I have 5 and they are not always the easiest to deal with….
Lana @ ilovemy5kids
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Oh I would love to try this! Hopefully the kids will like it. I’d better not tell them it’s healthy though, lol!
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We cook ours in the microwave with butter and garlic salt and it turns out really well that way. But it is hard to cook.
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Oh that looks so yummy! I love that you roasted the seeds too! I did that with a pumpkin I bought last week and my kids went crazy over the roasted seeds!
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I never would have thought of using the seeds. I’ll definitely try that. I have my spaghetti squash ready to go. I’ll be making it this week. Thanks for linking up.
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We love spaghetti squash – I used to cook it the way you did but now I just put it in my CrockPot on low for 4 -6 hours with a little water in the bottom and it’s so much more flavorful. The only thing is that the squash has to fit in your CrockPot.
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Love the photo instructions! Great visual! I can’t wait to try the seeds! I Love that you’re not wasting anything!!!
Jes
http://findingtrueserenity.wordpress.com/2009/09/27/homemade-pineapple-zucchini-bread/
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so if you poke holes in it and cook it whole would you double the amount of time to bake it to an hour? This looks great and I will have to give it a try.
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TheHappyHousewife Reply:
October 1st, 2009 at 12:21 pm
I think it would take about 45 to 50 minutes if you poked holes but did not slice in half.
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Domestic Extraordinaire Reply:
October 1st, 2009 at 6:43 pm
thanks! I try not to cut anything hard like a squash because I have a tendency to accidentally get myself in the process & with hubs working nites and far away from home…
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I’m going to have to try spaghetti squash. I’ve seen a couple different posts for it recently. Great idea to use in place of noodles. BTW, I read your background story. Wow! It sounds like you’ve come a long way to say the least. Congratulations on hanging in there.
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We tried the spaghetti squash with tomato sauce once and noone liked it, it just didn’t compete with pasta. BUT, we tried it again tonight and I melted shredded chedder cheese on it and it was AWESOME! Thanks for instructions on how to cook it.
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I used to make a wonderful Alfredo Spaghetti Squash bake. I think I am going to have to dig out the recipe and try it again. Yum Yum!
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Can anyone give me the number of carbs in one serving?
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I make all the time! Good with Butter & herbs! Best not to overcook. I poke holes all over with a paring knife; and put in glass dish in mico. I turn every 5 minutes. You know it is done when it feels soft. My step mom said it could explode in micro, but I have never had that happen!
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