Spaghetti squash - cultivation, reviews and description of the variety

Today it is difficult to imagine a vegetable garden without zucchini - a light green vegetable with a pleasant, delicate taste. The first thing that characterizes a zucchini is the pumpkin family to which it belongs. The vegetable is a prominent representative of this plant crop, surpassing the pumpkin itself in popularity. What varieties have not been bred by breeders while working with zucchini? Cooks have made a lot of things out of it, using the fruits of zucchini even for making desserts, and the flowers for gourmet main courses.

Description and characteristics of the spaghetti squash variety

The vegetable is rich in minerals and vitamins . Zucchini fruits have a beneficial effect on hematopoiesis, fight cholesterol, and have a diuretic effect. They are used for obesity and diabetes.

Few people are familiar with this vegetable, but vegetable growers who have tried this zucchini appreciate it.

The popularization of the variety is justified by a number of advantages:

• excellent drought resistance;
• long shelf life;
• unusual appearance;
• rich taste.

The vegetable resembles an Asian melon or an oblong pumpkin; when ripe, it acquires a yellow color.

Spaghetti squash resembles a melon or oblong squash

If you cut it in half, you can see the seeds inside; you need to select them and scrape them through the pulp of the zucchini. The pulp will begin to separate, looking like vegetable shavings. It may look like the insides of the zucchini were grated for Korean carrots.

Nature has given us an unusual-looking vegetable that looks like spaghetti. The peculiarity of this variety is that its taste is revealed when it is fully ripe . After heat treatment, it acquires an extraordinary taste. Raw vegetable spaghetti is added to salads. Thanks to its excellent lightness, the crop is ideally preserved until spring.

Medium late variety - ripening occurs after 95-130 days . Their length reaches 30 cm . As it ripens, it changes color from green to yellow. There are varieties of whitish ripeness. The peel is thick, like a pumpkin. Weight from 0.7 to 1.2 kg. Vegetable growers note good transportability. They are grown by seeds, less often by seedlings.

Spaghetti squash. He's different.

Dear seven-dacha residents, exhale if you are ready to flog me for the “not very heavenly view of the site” on my part and my artist neighbor on the other side of the fence. Well, I didn’t find a photo that could please everyone. I’m surprised that this one exists, I don’t know who took the photo. 5 years later. Spaghetti was planted as a seed in the ground right next to the fence, just for fun. But the photo reflects the main properties of this type of “Spaghetti” - a powerful thirst for growth and fertility, because there are also fruits on the ground... These fruits can be removed as they grow, 15-20 cm long, as you want, and used in the same way as the rest types of ordinary zucchini. But as they grow older, “Spaghetti” acquires a feature that only they possess. You can make vegetable noodles from them, and they will be bright, with a yellow tint. I prefer not to boil the whole zucchini, but, after washing it, cut it crosswise into large rings, then simmer, being careful not to overcook it on the stove. You can then add whatever you want, from butter to complex sauces. This is a good side dish that goes with any food, meat, fish, cheese. It is because of this that we began to grow spaghetti squash for a long time, although I plant a little regular ones, so that we have them, just in case. Moreover, we have one of our granddaughters who suddenly fell in love with summer zucchini dishes, contrary to the assurances of his parents. After all, the parents, leaving their child in our care, twice announced a list of foods that this child does not eat. Several years have passed and we often remember this curiosity. A photo taken as a keepsake was taken the day after my parents left.

I tried many different varieties, somehow they seemed similar to each other. Perhaps only “Kveta” and “Lubimchik” were remembered. But the first one is of Czech selection, bush, barren. Good taste. “Lubimchik” is prolific, it also grows as a bush, the taste is good, but it can be stored for 2 months. I first heard about spaghetti squash from a friend back in 2004. She has a plot - a piece of land in Pushchino near Moscow, where in Soviet times scientists from this science town were given plots of land, so she, a single woman, a biochemist by profession, became a farmer. Someone found the seeds, the seeds were dispersed throughout the areas. “Spaghetti” fell in love with everyone and began its march through the dachas. The seeds that I received give rise to the plant in the top photo. Zucchini must ripen for storage; they do not need to be removed from the vine for a long time. This species is white-fruited, the rind remains white until November. Then it turns yellow and becomes very hard. And it keeps for a long time. In 2010, in a regular hardware store, I saw Spaghetti squash seeds in cheap white bags without a picture. That’s exactly how “Zucchini Spaghetti” was written. Of course, I bought it, planted it, and it turned out to be exactly the same white as I had. The next year, there was an influx of Raviolo zucchini seeds in all stores. It was also purchased and raised. Exactly the same whip, a lot of fruit, perfectly stored. On the street it is green with small, barely noticeable white spots. During storage it changes beyond recognition. Turns yellow... And where does the drawing come from?! I severely pruned these two today, but it’s all in, in the EM bucket, everything will be useful for raspberries and strawberries.

Last year, the zucchini lasted until March 13... There were also packages of other spaghetti in the seed stores, I tried that too. “Vegetable spaghetti” and “Portioned”. They stand next to each other, size 20 cm in length, they don’t quite match the picture, but the inside tastes good. “Portion” has a vanilla aroma, not intrusive. The dimensions allow you to bake portioned pieces, for example, halves. Disadvantage: both are stored for 2 months.

So it turns out that the best spaghetti squash are white and Raviolo. In the photo of the bush “Lubimchik” on the left, this is exactly what grows on the “Raviolo” vine; I didn’t keep the packet of seeds. During storage, the flesh of spaghetti squash turns yellow and there is very little moisture, although they are not watery even in the summer. They are very convenient to use for drying in an electric dryer. You can make dried pieces simply for further use in soups, vegetable stews, with meat and fish. You can soak it in absolutely any syrup for 10-15 minutes, then dry it and get candied fruits for tea. Or you can just eat. The pieces must be cut to arbitrary lengths, but their thickness should not exceed 0.5 mm.

The top photo clearly shows that the cut was made across the grain. And below is the top row with a cut along. When cooked, the pieces swell and fall apart into noodles. I finished drying these on the stove...

Stored in an IKEA bag, just like tomatoes.

If you salt the pieces, separate them from the liquid (and spaghetti has very little of it!/, then sprinkle with red sweet paprika and stir, and then put it in the dryer, you get delicious salted chips). At your discretion, you can add the spices that the housewife needs; zucchini can be combined with any. There are candied zucchini on a saucer: three multi-colored piles. The darkest ones are after the cherry syrup. The next ones - after the apricot one, the ugly ones on the right - stood in syrup with mango powder, because... I didn't have any lemon. All delicious. Until last season, I always made zucchini jam with the addition of lemon, or orange, or both, but now I’ve started drying the zucchini more and more. And I started making jam from rhubarb. Only the right kind, not the quick country version, but the real thing, topped with sugar, so that the aroma and taste are as they should be. I tried cooking it with apples and zucchini and liked it. Sugar 1 kg per 600 g apples and 400 g zucchini. My apples are of the “Dolgo” variety, with sourness, and if you take sweeter ones, then you need less zucchini. An interesting jam is made from light apples with zucchini and lemon juice; it is transparent and amber. I made jam from zucchini and black and red currant juice, I really liked it, it all went into the fillings for pies. By the way, we can talk for a long time about fillings using zucchini. Simply rub spaghetti into any filling; zucchini adds volume and juiciness. I don't bake tall pies with a large layer of dough. Kefir dough is simple, affordable, flexible and can be stored in the refrigerator for a long time. Isn't it convenient? You will get a very juicy filling if you mix fried onions, carrots, grated zucchini and a raw egg with canned natural saury. The pie should be covered with a thin layer of dough on top, and at the end greased with butter. You can close it almost completely. We don’t like it with meat, so I don’t make it. In the summer I made it with chard, zucchini and cheese.

I also made fillings with potatoes, onions, dill and zucchini, and added mushrooms. Invariably, zucchini added juiciness to all culinary products, both snacks and desserts. It is impossible not to mention various casseroles, zucchini pancakes with grated potatoes, cheese, garlic and dill, and also a not very dietary, but tasty dish of zucchini pieces fried in a mixture of flour and starch, coated with mayonnaise and sprinkled with garlic and dill. The list goes on... Share recipes... And grow “Spaghetti” for health!!! This zucchini comes in white, orange, speckled green, and dark green. But just recently it was rejected, not recognized as a varietal.

Advantages and disadvantages

Reviews about “spaghetti” are quite mixed. Some praise the excellent taste of the ripe vegetable, while others like the young pulp.

Each vegetable grower identifies certain advantages and disadvantages:

• In regions where the summer is short, the vegetable does not have time to ripen to the state of “noodles” .
• Growing fibrous zucchini does not require complex measures; everything happens as when cultivating conventional varieties.
• The bushes like to grow, so they are best grown at higher elevations.
• Productivity is weak from 1 sq. meters they harvest approximately 5-9 kg per season .
• Due to its characteristics and hard peel, it can be stored for a very long time.

One of the main advantages of the variety is its unusual tender pulp.
To prevent spaghetti bushes from growing, the growth of lashes must be limited by pinching.

Zucchini spaghetti recipe with minced meat

I cook using this method often, and I never get tired of it. The recipe is suitable for those who watch their figure, want to lose weight, but at the same time cannot refuse tasty treats.

Ingredients:

• zucchini - 3 pieces;
• minced meat - 300 grams;
• onion - 1 piece;
• carrots - 1 piece;
• bell pepper - 1 piece;
• pureed tomatoes - 70 grams;
• salt, pepper to taste.

Cooking steps:

1. Take a medium-sized zucchini, first cut lengthwise into small strips. It is better to take a young vegetable, it has almost no seeds. Salt the slices, mix and leave for 15 minutes.

2. Prepare the gravy - cook in a deep frying pan. I fry the vegetables in vegetable oil. First I fry the chopped onion until golden brown, the next will be carrots, minced meat, pieces of sweet bell pepper. I salt and pepper the vegetables, add grated tomatoes.

3. Steaming spaghetti. I pour water into the pan, install a sieve, and lay out the zucchini. Turn on high heat, cover with a lid, after 5 minutes the vegetables are ready.

4. Combine the minced meat with the zucchini, cover with a lid, and let simmer for another 5 minutes. I serve it on the table in a beautiful plate. Bon appetit!

Preparing zucchini seeds for planting

In most cases, vegetables are grown from seeds, which can be purchased in specialized stores. Those who prefer to tinker with seedlings plant the seeds in cups. Preparing seeds and growing spaghetti seedlings follows general rules.

The culture does not make any special requirements, but some rules must be followed:

1. Seeds must not be expired ; until planting, you must adhere to the requirements for their storage.
2. Seeds can be soaked for 3-4 days . Moisture will allow them to hatch; to do this, you need to place the seeds in a damp cloth. To prevent it from drying out, it needs to be moistened every day.
3. If spring is not long, seeds are planted in open ground by the end of May. Otherwise, you need to focus on the soil temperature; it should be warmed up to 15 degrees .
4. To get a vegetable that ripens earlier, you can plant the seeds in a greenhouse. Next, transplant the seedlings or open the film so that the zucchini grows under natural conditions.

Spaghetti squash seeds
If the origin of the seeds is in doubt, it is better to germinate them in advance , this way you can check for germination.

Zucchini spaghetti in cheese sauce

The dish can be served on its own or as a side dish. It’s easy to prepare and the recipe takes no more than 15 minutes to prepare. You can eat such a delicious dish as spaghetti; to do this, twist thin strips onto a fork.

Ingredients:

• 1 zucchini;
• 1 processed cheese;
• 1 clove of garlic;
• 100 grams of milk;
• 1 tbsp. vegetable oil;
• salt and favorite spices to taste;
• 0.5 tsp flour.

Cooking steps:

1. I cut the zucchini into long thin strips, like spaghetti. If the fruits are young, then they are completely used for noodles; if there are seeds, then it is better not to use the inside. I pour vegetable oil into the frying pan and let it heat up well. Place spaghetti squash in a frying pan and fry for a few minutes.

2. I prepare the sauce - put chopped processed cheese, a clove of garlic, flour into a blender, add salt and favorite spices to taste. At the end I add pre-heated milk. Turn on the blender and hold it for a few minutes until completely mixed.

3. Pour the cheese sauce into the pan, simmer for a few minutes, stirring constantly. The sauce should set and become a little thicker, turn off the heat. The recipe is really yummy and easy to make. Bon appetit!

Preparing the soil for growing

Like all varieties of zucchini, the spaghetti variety loves space. You need to choose a sunny place so that nothing disturbs them.

On hot days, summer heat and winds have a detrimental effect on the crop. Therefore, it is necessary to choose a bed protected from the wind. It would be good if there were fruit trees growing around.

• the ground must be dug up in advance, loose, fertilized ;
• in loam and clogged soil the crop will develop poorly;
• In addition to properly prepared soil, you need to take care of regular fertilizing.

For planting, you need a sunny place, but inaccessible to the winds.
Considering the fact that the vegetable takes quite a long time to ripen, the bushes need to be provided with useful substances throughout the season. Due to the fact that the bushes grow strongly, the seeds are planted on top of hills or, conversely, along ditches.

There are cases where they were grown inside barrels . For this purpose, the barrels are filled with fertile soil and the seeds are sown. This method will save space on the beds.

A barrel braided with zucchini will become an attractive decoration for your garden plot.

Care after landing

It is better to water vegetables in the morning or evening , when the sun has set, 1-2 times a week . Frequent watering will encourage green growth rather than fruit ripening.

If you water during the heat of the day, you can damage the plant and cause burns. Since in most cases zucchini is grown in holes, watering should be done at the root so that the water does not wash away the roots.

Frequent watering will promote green growth rather than fruit ripening

After watering, loosen - this procedure will enrich the soil with air and provide breathing to the roots. are spudded every 15-20 days. Weeding is done at first, later the bush grows well, weeds usually do not grow under it.

If you pinch the bushes in a timely manner, they will be more neat.

With shrimps

Zucchini spaghetti, the recipe for which is published later in the article, can also be supplemented with seafood. For example, shrimp. Both small and large ones will do.

It is best to take shrimp immediately cleaned of all excess. Tender seafood and juicy vegetable spaghetti go perfectly in one dish.

What ingredients will you need?

For the dish you need to take:

• young zucchini and garlic cloves - 2 pcs.;
• shrimp (already peeled) – 230-250 g;
• lemon juice, dry white wine and olive oil - 2 tbsp. l.;
• sweet pepper flakes – 2-3 pinches;
• parsley/dill – 25-30 g;
• salt.

Approximately ½ tsp of salt will be enough for the specified amount of food.

Step-by-step cooking process

The cooking process includes several stages:

1. First, use a vegetable peeler to process the zucchini, turning it into thin spaghetti. It is convenient to use a special grater for Korean snacks for this dish.
2. Add olive oil to the frying pan. When it is well heated, you can add chopped garlic and pepper flakes. Fry the ingredients for 1 minute.
3. Afterwards, shrimp are sent to the products, pre-cleaned of all excess. Only seafood fillets should remain. With shrimp, you should fry the food for about 4-5 minutes. In this case, seafood should be cooked on both sides. They will eventually brown slightly.

4. When the shrimp are completely cooked, it’s time to transfer them from the frying pan to a separate bowl. And wine and citrus juice are poured into the remaining oil. The products should be simmered together for a couple of minutes, stirring frequently. The alcohol should evaporate.
5. In this mixture you will need to simmer the vegetable spaghetti until it is ready. All that remains is to mix the mixture in a frying pan with seafood. Everything is complemented with salt to taste and chopped herbs. You can use other spices to suit your taste.

After thoroughly mixing the treat, you can warm it up for another 1 minute, then remove it from the stove.

Serving rules, decoration

The delicacy should be served immediately while it is still hot. For sprinkling the finished treat, not only parsley or dill is suitable, but also, for example, cilantro. It will make the taste of the treat even brighter and more interesting. It is advisable to serve the dish with slices of lemon/lime.

Harvesting and storage rules

Young squashes are harvested at different times throughout the season. To get a ripe, noodle-like vegetable, you will have to wait until late summer, early autumn.

To get zucchini with pulp in the form of noodles, you will have to wait until harvest in the fall

In this regard, zucchini is more similar to pumpkin, this is due to the fact that they are intended for long-term storage , so they take longer to ripen than others.

The first harvest of young zucchini can be obtained 25-30 days after flowering. Of course, they will still be small without a fibrous structure. Some people use them that way.

After 2.5-3 months, if the skin of the vegetable is hard and a dull sound is heard when tapped, it’s time to harvest. It can be stored inside the basement until spring.

It is very good to have several varieties of zucchini in your garden, then the dinner table will always be varied. According to the requirements, spaghetti squash is an unpretentious crop. By following the recommendations, you can get a good harvest even from a small garden bed. This amazing vegetable will become a favorite in the garden and will delight you with its taste and healthy qualities!

How to cook spaghetti squash with chicken in soy sauce

This recipe will allow you to process not only the harvest of vegetables, but will also allow you to enjoy deliciousness, lightness, and beauty. It can become your family's favorite dish, ideal for dinner.

Ingredients:

• 3 zucchini;
• 3 cloves of garlic;
• 600 grams of chicken fillet;
• soy sauce to taste;
• sesame seeds for sprinkling;
• favorite spices to taste.

Cooking steps:

1. I grate the zucchini along with the peel into thin strips on a Korean carrot grater. I cut the chicken meat into small pieces.

2. Take 2 frying pans, heat them up, pour in vegetable oil. I fry the zucchini in one pan, the meat in another, stirring occasionally. A few minutes before it’s ready, add crushed garlic and spices. The spaghetti is ready, you can put it on plates and serve. I complement the dish with soy sauce and sesame seeds. Bon appetit!

This dish is great for self-consumption, original, tasty, and reminiscent of summer!