It was a hearty meal indeed, but there’s lots of spaghetti squash remaining! How can it all be stored so that you can eat it later? You think about using the freezer, but is it a good idea?
So, the question is: can you freeze cooked spaghetti squash?
More...
What Is Spaghetti Squash?
Spaghetti squash looks pretty much the same as other kinds of squash when it is opened. But it looks different when it is cooked, as the flesh shreds into thin strands that look similar to spaghetti noodles. I guess that is where it got its name.
Other people call it noodles, veggie style. It does not really taste like pasta, but when you mix the ingredients like you are making spaghetti, you will find it is the best healthy alternative to your favorite pasta.
What Are The Health Benefits Of Spaghetti Squash?
Spaghetti squash is rich in vitamins and minerals that encourage excellent cellular performance in our bodies.
Below are a few of the many benefits it can give you:
- Its high level of folate helps the body to create and grow brand new cells. It is highly recommended as a dietary supplement for pregnant women as it helps to prevent birth defects and heart failure.
- It provides Potassium for good muscle and nerve function.
- The vegetable contains omega-3 and omega-6 that prevent inflammation and certain types of cancer.
- Read more: Vegan Red Borscht Recipe
What Is Freezing?
Freezing is a fast and convenient technique that preserves cooked and uncooked food, especially at home. It is, therefore, a practical way of saving time and money, as you can use the frozen food in the days to come, and also cut the cooking time.
- So, if you want to know if you can freeze cooked spaghetti squash, the answer is a big YES!
How Do You Freeze Cooked Spaghetti Squash?
Freezing it really is quite easy. You just put the food in a proper container and stuff it inside the freezer. For cooked spaghetti squash, all you need is a fork and some airtight containers.
Here are a few things that you need to do:
- Take out the cooked spaghetti squash from the shelling.
- Use the fork to run through the flesh, starting from the top and sliding down to the bottom. This will help to separate the squash thread, making it more look like spaghetti.
- Spoon out all of the flesh out and put it inside the airtight containers you have prepared. Let the air out as much as possible.
- Now put the packed containers into the freezer. You can store it there for an average of 7 months.
Tips
Image Credit to LEAFtv
- Using freezer bags is much better since it's very easy to take out air from them, compared to airtight containers.
- Label your containers or bags by putting the date on them, writing details of when you froze them, so that you can easily track down the expiry date.
- Remember not to freeze cooked food while its hot. Let it cool first at room temp before putting it in the freezer.
- If you have a lot of leftovers, pack them into small portions so that you can easily take them when need a portion. The rest can be saved for later.
- Do not stuff the freezer with too much food. Give space for the air to flow, as this will help to maintain the right temperature.
- Chill the food first before freezing it.
- Freezing does not destroy bacteria, so it is better to consume your cooked spaghetti squash if it is close to going off, or throw it out. Always freeze cooked food as soon as possible while it is fresh or newly cooked to prevent bacteria from thriving in it.
- Schedule your defrosting as your freezer will no longer be effective if there is ice all over it.
- When you reheat your food, make sure it reaches 165 degrees F.
Are Cooked Food Still Nutritious After Freezing?
Freezing can help you to preserve the food's nutritional value, as well as its composition and flavor. If the food is properly stored when it is newly cooked, a lot of the nutrients will be retained.
When it is frozen, it cannot spoil. So do not worry that you will lose all of the vitamins and minerals that are mentioned above. Some vitamin C will be destroyed in the thawing process, however.
- Keep it frozen at -18 C degrees for the best quality frozen food.
Have you found this article useful and did you learn enough about freezing spaghetti squash? Freezing cooked food is one of the most asked questions and your cooked spaghetti squash is just one of the foods that you can put in your freezer.
Here is a perfect video tutorial that will show you how to freeze cooked food:
So c’mon, freeze them all now and make sure that you follow the tips. Please share these techniques and spread the word about them. If you have any follow-up questions for me or more tips to add, feel free to comment here. Enjoy your freezing!