These 22 Spaghetti Squash Recipes Seriously Taste Better Than Pasta (2024)

FAQs

Is spaghetti squash better for you than pasta? ›

Overall, if you're trying to reduce calories or carbs, spaghetti squash is the better choice. And it's richer in many nutrients, too, like B vitamins and vitamin C. Spaghetti squash is a nutritious, low carb alternative to pasta. It's also much lower in calories than pasta.

But spaghetti squash doesn't taste anything like noodles: It tastes like mush. Healthy, slightly sweet mush, to be sure, but mush all the same. And when you top it with pasta sauce, it becomes all the mushier.

Use a knife to cut the seeds and pulp from the center of the rings. Place the rings on a wire rack set inside a sheet pan and salt the cut side on both sides of each ring. Let sit for about 20 minutes. Once 20 minutes have passed, remove the excess moisture from the squash with a paper towel.

Winter squash is high in potassium with ranges from 250-445 mg, 17-46 mg phosphorus and 0-14 mg sodium for 1/2 cup cooked squash. The exception is spaghetti squash, the only low potassium winter squash with only 91 mg potassium and 11 mg phosphorus for 1/2 cup cooked.

Colon Health

Because of the appearance of spaghetti squash, you might assume that it is rich in fiber. It has over 2 grams per serving, which is more than regular pasta but not as much as many other vegetables. Fiber in the diet contributes to colon health by increasing the regularity of bowel movements.

“The most important thing to remember is that you have to cook it thoroughly,” Czerwony says. “It's heavy and thick, so you'll have to roast or steam it for a while to really soften it up.” Because the edible part of the spaghetti squash is inside that hard exterior, you'll need to cut the squash in half eventually.

Spaghetti squash has a sweet, slightly nutty flavor. You often see this squash prepared with fresh herbs and spices like basil, pepper, oregano, or even cayenne pepper, if you are about that spicy life.

Of course, as far as texture goes, spaghetti squash is more rubbery, and has a little crunch when you bite it.

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.

Why is my spaghetti squash mushy after cooking? ›

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.

Don't Overcook! You know spaghetti squash is done when the flesh of the squash is fork-tender inside, the outsides are turning golden, and when you press on the outside of the squash, it gives a little. If you overcook the squash, it will be mushy.

Squash is fine for earlier stages of CKD and kidney transplant when potassium is well-managed without dietary restriction.

Peanut butter also gives you some fiber, some vitamins and minerals (including 200 milligrams of potassium), and other nutrients. Unsalted peanut butter, with 5 milligrams of sodium, has a terrific potassium-to-sodium ratio. Salted peanut butter still has about twice as much potassium as sodium.

Kidney-friendly squashes include yellow crookneck, scallop, and spaghetti. Some that should be enjoyed on occasion in half serving sizes (due to their potassium content) include pumpkin, butternut, acorn, hubbard and zucchini.

Potential health benefits

Spaghetti squash is high in fiber as well as potassium and folic acid. Antioxidants vitamin C and beta carotene are important for immune function and disease prevention.

Spaghetti squash is a low-carb pasta substitute

While it may not have the same texture as the noodles you're used to, spaghetti squash is a delicious low-carb option for pasta lovers with diabetes.

One cup of spaghetti squash has 40 calories, 10 grams of carbohydrates, and 4 grams of sugar. Spaghetti squash is fat free and one cup provides 2 grams of fiber making it a great alternative to noodles and rice.

It is also a lower calorie food than rice. One cup of cooked spaghetti squash contains about 42 calories versus 242 calories in cooked white rice. One cup of cooked spaghetti squash has 10g of carbohydrates whereas one cup of cooked white rice has about 53g of carbohydrates! That's more carbs than in regular pasta!