If you cook spaghetti squash at home regularly, your life is about to change. Over at BuzzFeed, food editor Christine Byrne has just discovered a ridiculously clever way to make spaghetti squash taste better: Cut the squash into rings before baking it.
To get long strands of spaghetti squash that are delicious and not mushy, cut the squash into rings and roast it in a 400ºF oven for 40 minutes. Cutting the winter squash into rings before baking means the strands actually stay long and look more like spaghetti.
If you take a close look at spaghetti squash, you'll notice the strands actually run crosswise. So when you cut the squash in half before roasting it — the traditional method most people use — you're actually losing the integrity of those long, spaghetti-like strands. This method also tends to steam the squash too much, so it can wind up too soft and watery.
One thing to note: spaghetti squash rind can be notoriously hard to cut into, and this method requires more knife work. So either buy a squash on the small side to make the prep easier, or make sure you have your sturdiest knife (or even cleaver) at the ready for a larger gourd.
File this tip under "why didn't anyone think of this before?"
Here's an Easy, Low-Carb Dinner For Busy Weeknights | BuzzFeed Life
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