How to Make Slow Cooker Spaghetti Squash

Every year I get requests to make spaghetti squash dishes, but it is never possible because spaghetti squash is so expensive here. I found a spaghetti squash deal for $0.99/lb the other day. (organic, too! It was so tempting that I grabbed it. A slow cooker is very helpful when spaghetti squash is large and difficult to cut. Slow cooker spaghetti squash is the answer for those who have had difficulty with spaghetti squash. It’s easy to set it and forget about it!

What the HECK IS SPAGHETTI SQUASH?!?

Have you ever heard of spaghetti squash before? You’re in for a treat. The flesh of this amazing vegetable can be separated into spaghetti-like strands after it is cooked. The vegetable looks like a yellow football or a round blimp and has seeds in its center that look very similar to a pumpkin. It is said that the seeds can be cleaned and roasted just like pumpkin seeds. However, I didn’t get any seeds, so it wasn’t worth the effort.

Many people cook noodles-like strands in the same way as regular spaghetti. This low-carb option will help you increase your vegetable intake and provide lots of fiber.

Spaghetti squash comes in many sizes. Each one will require a different cooking time and yield different servings. They come in various sizes, from small, round squashes weighing around 2 lbs. to large, weighing 5 lbs. The big squash was cooked in my slow cooker for 5 hours. It yielded 6 cups of mock spaghetti, which cost $0.89 for a single cup.

BUYING SPAGHETTI SQUASH ON a BUDGET

Spaghetti squash can be expensive. Even though it is a low-cost product, the cost per pound can quickly add up. Please pay attention to whether they’re priced per pound or item. You should always choose the smallest possible spaghetti squash if they are priced per pound. If they are priced per item, then go for the largest available.

WHY SPAGHETTI SQUASH WITH SLOW COOKER SPAGHETTI?

There are many ways to cook spaghetti squash. Each method has its pros and cons. My squash was huge, and I didn’t want to try cutting it open raw, so I used my slow cooker. It’s nice to make slow cooker spaghetti squash.

It doesn’t heat your entire house.

B) You don’t need to cut it first. Because of their hard skin, cutting large squash raw can be dangerous and scary.

C) It doesn’t need to be cared for. Although it may be a little bit, slow cooking is gentler than ovens, so you can move around while the spaghetti squash cooks.

STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE:

First, clean the spaghetti squash’s exterior. The next step is to use a paring blade to puncture the squash’s skin with a knife. This will allow steam to escape during cooking. Poor squash. It must have been damaged on the way home. I discovered a small crack around the outside when I took it out today. It’s all okay; the crack was just another steam vent.

Then, place the squash into your slow cooker. This 5 lb. squash will fit in a slow cooker that is either 5 or 6 cups (I’m not sure as I have had it for years). The squash was barely big enough to fit from end to end. It was also within millimeters from the lid. It was close.

Turn the cooker on high by putting the lid on. Then, please turn it off and walk away. The size of the squash will determine how long it takes to cook. The size of the squash will determine how long it takes to cook on high. I recommend cooking for at least 3 hours and 6 hours on low. For every additional pound above 3 pounds, add one hour. The slow cooker’s thick ceramic walls act as a mini oven and slow bake the squash.

Cook time is not an exact science. Here’s how to tell when it’s done. Use your finger to press into the skin. It will be hot so you should do this quickly. It’s done if the skin is firmly in place. It will take more time if the exterior remains hard and doesn’t respond to pressure. It won’t be soft per se, but it will dent as a bumper for a car.

It should be possible to detect the distinctive sweetened cooked squash smell. It doesn’t matter if you don’t know what that smell is. It will help you. But for those who do, this may be a clue. After it is done, lift it carefully from the slow cooker onto an aluminum cutting board. Because the ceramic retains a lot of heat, it won’t cool down if left in the slow cooker.

Cut it in half lengthwise along the equator when it is cool enough to handle. Because the strands of squash run horizontally around it, you should cut it along its midline. You’ll end up cutting it in half, which will result in very short segments. The long strands will remain intact if you cut around the equator. This gives you a more spaghetti-like effect. Scrape out the seeds using a spoon. It’s possible to get some seeds in the strands, but that’s normal.

After removing the seeds, you can use a fork or a spoon to remove the strands from the hard skin. This is where the fun begins.

Now the spaghetti squash can be boiled! Although it doesn’t have much flavor, you can make many things with it. It tastes just like real pasta. I love it with butter, herbs, Parmesan, and a little Parmesan. Marinara is another classic option.