Spaghetti Squash
Inventory, 35 lbs : 7.00
This item was last sold on : 10/31/24
Description/Taste
Spaghetti squash is small to medium in size, averaging thirty centimeters in length, fifteen centimeters in diameter, and 4-8 pounds. It has an oblong and cylindrical shape, similar to a melon, and is connected to a small, rough, light brown stem. The rind is firm, smooth, and depending on the variety, transforms from green to a vibrant canary yellow or pale-yellow when mature. The flesh is thick, dense, moist, and pale-yellow housing a large cavity filled with stringy pulp and flat, cream-colored seeds. Spaghetti squash is best known for its unique flesh that separates into long, translucent strings that resemble angel hair pasta. When cooked, the texture of the squash is tender with a slight crunch and offers a very mild flavor.
Seasons/Availability
Spaghetti squash is available year-round.
Current Facts
Spaghetti squash, botanically classified as Cucurbita pepo, is a unique winter variety that is a member of the Cucurbitaceae family along with pumpkins, zucchini, and gourds. Also known as Vegetable spaghetti, Noodle squash, Mandarin squash, and Vegetable marrow, Spaghetti squash is favored for its unusual noodle-like texture, which is attributed to the presence of a recessive gene. First recorded in China in the early 1800s, Spaghetti squash has become popular around the world as a healthy, low-carb alternative. It is used in a variety of culinary applications and has a mild taste that will absorb any accompanying flavors.
Nutritional Value
Spaghetti squash contains vitamin A, folate, folic acid, beta-carotene, and potassium, and is also an excellent source of fiber.
Applications
Spaghetti squash is best suited for cooked applications such as roasting, steaming, and baking. The rind is very hard and tough, so the squash can be cooked whole or sliced in half for faster cooking. Once cooked, the flesh can be shredded with a fork to make the stringy noodles that the squash is known for. Cooked Spaghetti squash can also be sautéed with complimentary ingredients to make stir-fries and simple side dishes, or added to casseroles, gratins, and bakes. Used as a pasta substitute, it can be topped or tossed with red and cream-based sauces, vegetables, meats, cheeses, and herbs. Its flavor is so mild that it easily absorbs the flavors of that which it is prepared with. Spaghetti squash pairs well with tomato, onions, garlic, greens, fresh herbs such as thyme, basil, and oregano, parsley, and mint, cucumbers, zucchini, mushrooms, bell pepper, red pepper, snap peas, soy sauce, fish sauce, tamari, pine nuts, cream, parmesan, ricotta, mozzarella and feta cheese, shrimp, chicken, ground beef, Italian sausage, and pancetta. It will keep 3-6 months when stored whole in a cool and dry place. Once cut, Spaghetti squash should be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated up to two days.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Spaghetti squash was first discovered in China and was a popular vegetable in the countryside of northern Manchuria, China in the 1920’s. Images of the Manchuria area have been found that depict a woman with her child cutting spirals of Spaghetti squash using a rod on a sawhorse. The flesh was commonly collected from the squashes in this fashion and then hung up and left to dry out in the sunshine. The dried squash provided a nutritious food source that would last during the cold winter months.
Geography/History
Squash is native to Central America and was introduced to the rest of the world via explorers and trade routes by land and sea. Spaghetti squash was first recorded in Manchuria, China in 1850, and while the exact origins of how the squash arrived in China is unknown, it was a well-known food source for villages and was first introduced to Japan in 1921 by the Aichi Prefectural Agricultural Research Station. In 1934, the Sakata Seed Company in Japan developed an improved variety and was the first to market the Spaghetti squash under the name Somen Nankin commercially. W. Atlee Burpee and Co. then brought the squash to North America in 1936 and sold seeds in their catalog under the name Vegetable spaghetti. The squash was not immediately popular, and it took several years to gain in notoriety, especially during World War II when it was used as a substitute for pasta at a time when processed foods were harder to obtain. Today Spaghetti squash is widely available at farmers markets, grocers, and through online seed catalogs in North America, Central America, South Africa, Europe, Asia, and Australia.
Featured Restaurants
Restaurants currently purchasing this product as an ingredient for their menu.
| Pacific Regent La Jolla | San Diego CA | 858-597-8008 |
| Primal Balance Nutrition LLC | Vista CA | 818-259-0995 |
| Pete's Premade Paleo | San Diego CA | 770-359-8274 |
| Mille Fleurs | Rancho Santa Fe CA | 858-756-3085 |
| Jake's Del Mar | Del Mar CA | 858-755-2002 |
| Glenbrook Health Center | Carlsbad CA | 760-704-1000 |
| insideOUT | San Diego CA | 619-888-8623 |
| Saint Mark Golf and Resort, LLC | San Marcos CA | 508-320-6644 |
| Viewpoint Brewing Co. | Del Mar CA | 858-205-9835 |
| Pure Meal Prep SD | San Diego CA | 209-485-4861 |
| Farm Fresh Meals | Vista CA | 760-707-2383 |
| Toast Catering | San Diego CA | 619-795-9135 |
| Olive Tree Marketplace | San Diego CA | 619-224-0443 |
| The Shores | La Jolla CA | 858-459-8271 |
| Green Dragon Tavern & Museum | Carlsbad CA | 760-797-5579 |
| Shoreside Support Boat | San Diego CA | 704-277-7929 |
| Madison | San Diego CA | 619-822-3465 |
| Lodge at Torrey Pines Grill | San Diego CA | 858-453-4420 |
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Spaghetti Squash. One
is easiest, three is harder.
