Roasting spaghetti squash at a low temperature

Some foods thrive from low-and-slow cooking, while others taste best when roasted at high heat settings in the oven. It is much better to pick a high oven temperature while cooking spaghetti squash. The oven should be preheated to 400 degrees Fahrenheit for most recipes, although those for spaghetti squash rings call for 425 degrees. With a starting point of 338 degrees, caramelization is encouraged by this high heat level.

It all boils down to the Maillard reaction, a chemical reaction that takes place when heat is applied to carbohydrates and amino acids. The chopped spaghetti squash's top will crisp up and caramelize at high heat. With conventional spaghetti noodles, that finish might come out a little strange, but it gives winter squash a pleasing feel. The squash will still cook and soften if you roast it at a lower temperature, but it will do so to an unsatisfactory extent. Without the caramelized top, the result will be a bland, mushy texture that will undoubtedly let you down.