Can you freeze spaghetti squash? We have already covered freezing mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes.
Like so many times before, you may notice a theme here, we found a fantastic sale on organic spaghetti squash at our local market. So, as per usual, we loaded our cart with enough spaghetti squash to garner the standard “What are you going to do with ALL of that spaghetti squash?” from curious onlookers.
“I’m going to freeze it and eat it for a year.” I let them know.
“Can you freeze spaghetti squash?” they ask.
“Well…”
Can you freeze spaghetti squash? Yes, but we have to prep first.
If you are using organic or pesticide free spaghetti squash you don’t really need to wash the outside husk since it’s so thick and you won’t be eating it. So you really just need you have plenty of space to work with since they are so large.
(what do you do with the husks once you finish? Here are some ideas)
Things you will need:
– spaghetti squash (duh)
– Sharpie
Optional:
– deep freezer (in case you decide to go food preservation crazy)
Let’s get started
Once your preparation area is ready, you will need to start cutting your squash. Please, be super careful when doing this part. The husks are really thick and take a good deal of effort to break through.
As you can see in the picture, I use the biggest and sharpest knife we have. Sometimes, I can cut straight through the squash with no problems. However, most times, I end up sticking the knife in the middle of the spaghetti squash all the way through, holding the blade in place, and then slamming the bottom of the spaghetti squash down.
Again, please be EXTREMELY careful during this part. Slamming a blade down through a spaghetti squash is a great way to injure yourself if you’re not paying close enough attention.
At any rate, however you end up cutting your spaghetti squash, you should end up with to equal halves.
Now you will want to start cleaning the seeds from your spaghetti squash. Don’t throw them away. You can roast them yourself for a nice snack, use them in your own garden, or feed them to any animals you may have around your farm. They are a great natural parasite detterent.
You can use a fork or a spoon for this part. Gently, scrape the seed from inside of the spaghetti squash. You don’t have to be too careful, you just don’t want to scrape out too much of the actual squash.
Time to cook!
Once your spaghetti squash are cut and clean, you will want to start cooking them. Place each half of spaghetti squash cut side down on the oven rack. We can fit about 3-4 full spaghetti squash or 6-8 halves per batch. Cook at 400 degrees for around 45 minutes, give or take a few depending on the oven.
When the timer is up, carefully pull your spaghetti squash out of the oven and place open side up on a clean surface. You may want to wait a few minutes for the outside husk to cool before handling.
When you are ready, pick up the squash or put it on a plate and begin to scrape the “spaghetti” from inside the squash. It should come out pretty easily. If the noodles do not come out easily, you may need to cook for a little bit longer.
You will now have yourself a nice big bowl of noodles.
You can either eat this fresh (throw some spaghetti sauce on it) or you can save it for later.
So, can you freeze spaghetti squash?
You sure can! We will take a measuring cup and put 2 cups of noodles in a freezer safe ziplock bag. 2 cups will make about 1 full meal serving or 2 side servings.
To freeze spaghetti squash, just put them into a ziplock bag, squeeze out the air, flatten (to save space), and toss them into your freezer!
It’s super easy to do and, best of all, now you have a super tasty and healthy meal for any occasion! Make sure you date and label the ziplock bags. Your spaghetti squash will stay good for up to a year.
When your ready to eat it, all you have to do is thaw it out. You can do this by sticking it in the fridge over night, reheat it in the oven (if your patient), in the microwave (if your are less patient), or in your Instant Pot.
Want an idea to get you started down the spaghetti squash recipe path? Here is one of our favorites!
Do you have any Spaghetti squash recipes you love? Share them with us in the comments below.
For more great recipes and food preservation tips…
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