An Easy Hack for Getting Longer Strands of Spaghetti Squash

Yes, spaghetti squash has the power to make an amazing dinner (I’m looking at you, spaghetti squash pad Thai), but if we’re really being honest, the truly amazing thing about this vegetable is its likeness to long, thin pasta.

But here’s the thing: No one likes short, broken strands of spaghetti, so why settle for short strands of spaghetti squash? Are you getting the longest, twirliest strands you can from your squash?

Getting the longest strands possible is all about how you cut the spaghetti squash, and the best way to do that is by slicing it across the waist. Crosswise, right across the middle of the squash — instead of from end to end.

If you take a minute to look at the inside of a spaghetti squash, it totally makes sense! The strands of the squash don’t run from one end of the squash to the other; they’re actually arranged in a circular formation around the interior, like lines of latitude around a globe. Cutting the squash across the waist keeps the whole strand intact, while slicing from end to end halves the strands.

Spaghetti squash strands are brittle and delicate. Keeping these super-long strands intact requires a small degree of care. Avoid raking your fork across the squash to release the spaghetti strands. Instead, the best method for keeping these lengthy strands in one piece is by running a fork around the perimeter of the squash to release the strands, rather than through it.

And no matter how you plan to cook your squash, whether in the oven or the microwave, there’s no change to the cooking method. The only difference is just the way you cut the squash. So go ahead and cook as you normally would.

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• Lasagna-Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
• Spaghetti Squash with Ricotta, Sage, and Pine Nuts