DINNER FOR 2ISH: Spaghetti squash

Emma Rogers and Tyson Bird are junior journalism majors who write "Dinner for 2ish" for the Daily News. Their views do not necessarily agree with those of the paper.

We started cooking together in the summer of 2015 and have planned and cooked a dinner every week since. Our recipes are often inspired by the New York Times’ cooking website but are adapted to fit Muncie availability and a college budget. This week's simple recipe focuses heavily on technique, but is delicious and healthier than pasta.


Spaghetti Squash 

Estimated cost per serving: $1.50

Ingredients bought for this recipe Ingredients we had on-hand 
  • Spaghetti squash ($1.25/lb, Meijer)
  • Parmesan cheese ($3.50, Meijer)
  • Olive oil
  • Plastic wrap
  • Garlic
Equipment used:

Microwave, baking dish, large knife, bowl


Directions

1. Using the largest knife you have, carefully slice the spaghetti squash into two halves. We found it helpful to cut starting in the middle and work your way toward the back.

2. Use a spoon to scoop the seeds and innards out of the squash. You may discard this, or roast the seeds.

3. Place the squash halves face-down in a baking dish. Depending on the size of your dish and squash, you may be able to cook both halves at once. Our dish was pretty small, so we microwaved the halves one at a time.

4. Cover the baking sheet with plastic wrap. Don't seal the edges tight — just cover the pan enough to trap the steam while cooking. Place the baking dish in the microwave and cook for about 10 minutes.

5. Carefully remove the baking dish from the microwave and check the squash for doneness. The goal is for it to be firm, but not hard (much like the consistency of spaghetti). We poked it with a knife.

6. Use a fork to scrape the flesh away from the sides and bottom. It should look a lot like spaghetti. As you remove the squash, transfer it to a separate bowl.

7. The squash is ready to be topped with whatever you like. We went with olive oil, parmesan and garlic, but it's not uncommon to top spaghetti squash with marinara, meat or pesto.

Comments

More from The Daily






This Week's Digital Issue


Loading Recent Classifieds...