As a beginner in cooking, have you ever wondered how to prepare perfect spaghetti just by following a recipe on the internet? Well, yes. You can.

We have two easy recipes for cooking spaghetti  (with some inside tips no one would tell). Undoubtedly, you won’t have to get confused by searching the entire internet anymore.

A secret tip: If you are cooking spaghetti for the first time, follow the measurements as per the recipe. As you gain confidence and some experience, make changes to the recipe as per your preferences.

1. Cooking Method of Spaghetti

• Serving: 4
• Cooking time: 30 minutes

1.1 Ingredients

• Spaghetti Pasta – 250gm
• Water
• Salt, as per taste
• Olive Oil or Vegetable Oil

1.2 For The Spaghetti Squash: Vegetarian Recipe

• Tomatoes – 500gm
• Garlic – 6 cloves, finely chopped
• 1 Onion, finely chopped
• 1 Carrot, thinly sliced
• 1 Capsicum, thinly sliced
• Basil Leaves – 4, roughly torn
• Spaghetti Squash – small
• Olive Oil or Vegetable Oil – 1 tablespoon
• Fresh Cream – 1/4th cup
• Salt and Black Pepper, as per taste
• Dried Oregano for flavor

1.3 For Seasoning

• Dried Oregano
• Red Chilli Flakes

1.4 Instructions

1. Firstly, Fill a pan with water and leave it on the stove to boil. The heat is to be set at medium. When the water starts to boil, add salt and stir. (You can also follow the package instructions)
2. Drop the spaghetti Pasta in the boiling water and cook till it becomes firm to eat, which is al dente. (Cooking pasta doesn’t take much time if you put the pasta in boiling water.)
3. Strain all the pasta water from the pan and rinse the cooked pasta with cold water. It prevents the pasta from getting soggy. Transfer it to a different utensil.
4. Finally, drizzle the spaghetti Pasta with Olive oil or Vegetable oil and put it aside.
5. (Drizzling the pasta with Olive oil prevents the noodles from sticking and makes it more delicious to eat.)

1.5. Cooking Spaghetti Squash: Vegan

1. To cook Spaghetti Squash, cut it into long pieces and remove all the seeds. Put it in the microwave and heat it at 375°C for 10 minutes. Check if it has become tender by poking it with a fork. Put it aside when cooked.
2. Take the tender tomatoes out and allow them to cool for some time.
3. The first step in making the sauce is filling the pressure cooker with water. Allow the water to boil at high pressure.
4. Then, take the tomatoes and slit them into quarters. Put them into the pressure cooker and cook them until a whistle blows from the oven.
5. (If you cut the tomatoes in half and then put them into the pressure cooker, peeling off their skin will be hard, and everything will become mushy.)
6. Once cooled, peel off their skin and grind them into a smooth sauce-like puree in the mixer. (Canned tomato puree can also be used to save time.)
7. Heat some olive oil in a saucepan. Add the chopped garlic and onion to the pan and cook until golden brown. You have to now add the carrots and capsicum into the pan and roast all the veggies together on medium heat for some time.
8. Add the tomato puree, spaghetti squash, basil leaves, salt, and Black Pepper to the pan. Add the dried Oregano and red chili flakes for more taste, and wait until the sauce is cooked.
9. Add the al dente pasta into the freshly cooked spaghetti squash sauce and stir for 2-3 minutes until the spaghetti Pasta is fully coated.
10. After you finish cooking, your spaghetti is ready to serve. Put it on a plate and top it with some fresh Cream. If you don’t have fresh Cream, feel free to use a lot of cheese. Dried Oregano and red chili flakes season the pasta well. (The fresh Cream can also be cooked with the sauce if you don’t want to use it separately. It enhances the pasta taste.)

2. Chef’s Expert Tips on Making Spaghetti Confidently

Jessica Randhawa, the head chef, recipe creator, photographer, and writer behind The Forked Spoon, advises assisting first-time spaghetti makers:

“Embarking on the journey of teaching a novice cook how to make spaghetti can be [both] exciting and fulfilling. The key is [to] approach the process with patience and encouragement, ensuring the new cook gains confidence and experience.

Here are some tips to help guide them through their first spaghetti adventure.

• Start by explaining the importance of choosing quality ingredients. Simple dishes like spaghetti can shine with the right components, such as good-quality pasta, fresh herbs, and a robust tomato sauce.
• Please encourage them to read the recipe thoroughly before beginning and to gather all the necessary ingredients and utensils. This preparation step is crucial in cooking and helps in avoiding mid-cooking surprises.
• In the cooking process, demonstrate each step clearly and explain why it’s done that way. For instance, show them how to properly boil water for the pasta and the importance of salting it to flavor [the] pasta.
• When it’s time to cook the spaghetti, teach them [how] to check for doneness – the pasta should be ‘al dente’ or firm to the bite.
• Also, guide them on how to drain the pasta properly and why it’s important not to rinse it after cooking, as this helps the sauce cling to the pasta.
• Another critical aspect is the sauce. Whether using a store-bought sauce or making one from scratch, teach them how to simmer it properly to bring out the flavors.
• If adding meat or vegetables, show them how to sauté these ingredients correctly before incorporating them into the sauce. Emphasize the joy of cooking and the satisfaction of creating a meal from scratch.
• Please encourage them to taste as they go and adjust seasonings according to their preference. Remind them that cooking is a skill that improves with practice, and every effort is a step towards becoming proficient.

Celebrate their first attempt regardless of the outcome, and encourage them to keep experimenting in the kitchen.

The experience of cooking their first spaghetti dish should be fun, engaging, and full of learning, setting the foundation for their culinary journey.”

3. How To Cook Spaghetti Squash With Meat

• Serving: 4-5
• Cook time: 35 minutes

3.1 Ingredients:

• Spaghetti squash – Medium
• Water
• Ground Beef – 1 pound, cut into half (fresh chicken can also be used)
• One onion, chopped
• 1 Bell pepper, chopped
• Starch: 1/2 tablespoon
• Basil leaves – 4-5
• Dried Oregano
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• chili powder – 1/3rd tablespoon
• Tomato puree, made with three tomatoes
• Parmesan cheese, grated
• Butter

3.2 Instructions:

1. Firstly, cut the spaghetti squash shell into half lengthwise. Remove the seeds from the shell and cut them into big pieces. Make a few holes in each of them with a fork.
2. In a baking pot, add water and put the pieces of spaghetti squash in it. Cover it with a baking sheet and a lid. Microwave until it becomes easy to shred.
3. Then, take a large pot and add some butter to it. As the butter melts, put the ground beef into the pot and cook until it changes color from pink to brown. As the beef cooks, add the vegetables to the pot and cook them well.
4. You must add one tablespoon of salt (add more salt later) and other seasonings (red chili powder, dried oregano, and pepper) and mix them well with the beef and vegetables. It gives them a great flavor.
5. Add the tomato puree and basil leaves into the pot and stir them until they boil slightly. (Some sugar can be added to make the sauce sweet.)
6. Get the spaghetti squash and tear the strands of it. They’ll look like noodles.
7. Toss the noodles into the pot and mix it with the meat sauce. Cook time – 3-4 minutes.
8. Serve hot with parmesan cheese and some seasoning.

This is a delicious dish to serve for dinner with some oil-based sauces and salad. The fun fact is that it is easier to cook than lasagna or fried chicken.

The leftover sauce can become an excellent match for rice or noodles. If you try any of these recipes as a beginner, your cooking journey will be easier. We’ll surely give you more recipe shares the next time.

4. Expert Tips on Crafting Nutritious and Delicious Spaghetti

Robert Iafelice, MS, RDN, and Nutrition Expert at SETFORSET, shares valuable tips for balancing health and taste in spaghetti:

“Spaghetti can be seen as comfort food, but for those mindful of their health and fitness, are there any alternative ingredients or preparation methods you would recommend without compromising [on] taste?

[A very] important tenet regarding the effects of foods on our health is maintaining healthy blood sugar levels. Due to their high glycemic index, starches such as pasta can spike blood sugar and increase systemic inflammation.

However, the preparation method can make a difference.

Spaghetti should be cooked Al dente (to the tooth), which results in a firmer texture rather than soft and mushy.

Al dente spaghetti has a lower glycemic index (its effect on blood sugar is blunted) [compared with] spaghetti that is not cooked Al dente. This [is a] healthier option, though some people may not like al dente.

To make pasta Al dente: Once boiling, taste the pasta a couple minutes before the recommended cooking time per the instructions on the package label.

When biting a piece of spaghetti, look for a tiny white dot in the center or a white ring if the spaghetti is tube-shaped. This indicates that the spaghetti is nearly cooked through.

Drain the spaghetti once it is tender and chewy but no longer crunchy.

Additional Tip: Always include a high-quality animal protein with the pasta, whether [it be] meat or cheese. This will further buffer the blood sugar rise from the spaghetti.

Never eat naked spaghetti. For example, if you eat aglio e olio (garlic and olive oil) spaghetti, add protein food [with it].

I hope our recipes helped!

Guest Author: Saket Kumar

Last Updated on March 18, 2024 by Sathi Chakraborty, MSc Biology