Baked Spaghetti Squash with Garlic and Basil

I had never heard of spaghetti squash until this year. This recipe caught my interest and now that I am more familiar with this form of squash I am interested to learn more ways to prepare it!

Ingredients:

1 small spaghetti squash (about 3-4 pounds)
2 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/4 cup finely chopped fesh basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake spaghetti squash for 60 minutes (it’s easy – just wash it and put it on a cookie sheet). Let squash cool for 10 minutes.

Cut squash in half, lengthwise (I also cut off the ends as I found it helps).

Use a spoon to remove and discard the seeds.

Use a fork to scrape the squash to get long, lovely strands. I was surprised to find how easily it falls from the skin into nice strands that resemble spaghetti noodles). If the squash seem difficult to scrape, return the squash to bake for an additional 10 minutes.

Heat a large sauté pan with the butter and the garlic over medium-low heat. When garlic becomes fragrant, add basil, salt and spaghetti squash strands. Toss well, sprinkle in the Parmesan cheese and taste to see if you need additional salt. The spaghetti squash should have a slight crunch (not mushy) - but if you like it softer, cover the pan and cook 2 more minutes.

I found that you can bake the squash ahead of time and store the spaghetti like strands in the refrigerator until you are ready to make the dish. You will just have to increase your cook time a little since you will be starting with cold squash.