Spaghetti
Squash

SPAGHETTI SQUASH (Cucurbita pepo)

Spaghetti squash is a type of winter squash often used as a substitute for pasta. When cooked, the meat of the fruit falls away from the flesh in ribbons or strands that look like spaghetti. It has a mild, slightly sweet flavor that’s perfect with olive oil and tomato-based sauces. It can also be added to various dishes, such as soups and stews.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Spaghetti squash is a vegetable loaded with lots of beneficial components. It is rich in the B vitamins riboflavin, niacin, and thiamin, which promote optimal cellular function. Folate is also found in this bright-colored vegetable. Folate supports the formation and development of new cells and may help prevent birth defects, making this squash an ideal food for pregnant women.

SHORT STORY

Spaghetti squash was first discovered in China and was a popular vegetable in the countryside of northern Manchuria, China in the 1920’s. It was a well-known food source for villages.

VARIETIES

Spaghetti squash is available in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colours, including ivory, yellow and orange, with orange having the highest amount of carotene.

FUN FACT

Spaghetti squash doesn’t taste like spaghetti. It gets its name from the fact that, when it’s cooked, its flesh separates into strands that look remarkably like spaghetti.