Unknown or too old school, the Spaghetti Squash might not be as favoured as pumpkins are in Australia, but it can undoubtedly grow successfully in a veggie garden!
I have been looking for the lovely spaghetti squash since I moved to Australia. I was used to finding those in any supermarket when living in Montreal, but then I could not find them anywhere in the Snowy Valleys and Riverina region. My research only led me to some farmer's markets in big cities. Interesting…! While getting into gardening, I found some seeds online and gave that a go. They successfully invaded the whole patch! My Aussie family were quite amazed by this discovery, so I’ve started to grow more each year for us and share. It was pretty fun to bring curiosity when selling them at our market stall and to know that it was considered a very old school for some older people: sort of a forgotten squash that their grandparents used to cultivate. Some younger people seemed to know what they were because they had seen it in American recipe books or blogs but had never tasted it. And some folks never heard of it at all!
GROWING & COOKING TIPS
This yellow oval-shaped winter squash measures around 20 cm and is native to the Americas, like the whole cucurbits family. It is commonly called a Spaghetti Squash as the flesh, once cooked, can be prepared just like noodles. This can substitute pasta, which gives it a great low-carb and gluten-free medal. We love these vegetable noodles with a Bolognese sauce or as a side dish with garlic, herbs and parmesan cheese. They also do well in fritters, salads, risotto, stir fry, etc. You might not get them all the same size if you grow your own. Thus, the noodles will vary in thickness (a smaller squash makes some vermicelli-looking noodles). They grow and can be stored all winter like any pumpkin. Producing five fruits per plant that can be trained to climb is perfect for a little backyard.
Cooking with homegrown Spag Squash and tomatoes • Photography © Bottle and Brush Studio 2019-22
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