Slow Cooker Spaghetti Squash

While it may still feel like July in your neck of the woods, your endless summer is no longer a reality. Fall has arrived. While you’re waiting for the temps and leaves to fall, prepare your kitchen for a seasonal transition. Say goodbye to summer squash and put spaghetti, acorn, and butternut varieties on the menu.

Spaghetti squash is one of my favorite fall ingredients. The pale yellow, ovular squash gets its names from the inside’s (when cooked) resemblance to pasta. It’s a tasty, low-carb base for vegetarian recipes, Italian pastas, and Asian noodle dishes like pad thai and pho.

You can bake or microwave spaghetti squash, but we experimented cooking it in the slow cooker and were impressed with the results. All you need is one spaghetti squash and one cup of water. It doesn’t get much easier than that.

Add water to the bottom of the slow cooker crock then prepare the squash. You’ll want to cut it in half and remove the pulp and seeds before adding it to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH for 2 ½ to 3 hours or LOW for 5 to 6 hours.

When the squash is fully cooked, remove it from the crock. Then use a fork to pull the flesh away from the sides, creating stringy “spaghetti.” That’s right. There’s no spiralizer needed to enjoy these veggie noodles.

We cut the bottoms off the squash once it cooled and used the squash as a serving bowl. Not only does that save you (or the kids) from doing dishes, it’s a beautiful presentation your guests or family will love.

We topped our spaghetti squash bowls with meat sauce, parmesan, and fresh basil. But you could substitute marinara or alfredo for a vegetarian meal. You could even smother the “noodles” with your favorite chili.

Whether you’re serving this versatile ingredient as side dish or the main attraction, you’ll surely find yourself experimenting with flavor combinations throughout the season.

Beginning in September, the Pioneer Woman 6-Quart Slow Cooker will be available in Ree’s signature Flea Market design exclusively at Wal-Mart. Fans of the collection will also find three additional patterns including Vintage Floral, Country Garden and Rose Shadow, part of a limited-time offering this holiday season.

Slow Cooker Spaghetti Squash

Author: Hamilton Beach Test Kitchen

Ingredients

1 (3 ½ to 4 pounds) spaghetti squash
1 cup water

Instructions

Cut spaghetti squash in half. Remove and discard pulp and seeds.
Add water and spaghetti squash halves to a slow cooker crock.
Cover slow cooker and cook on HIGH for 2 ½ to 3 hours or LOW for 5 to 6 hours.
Carefully remove spaghetti squash halves. Serve each half with your favorite chili or meat sauce, if desired.