Both butternut and spaghetti squash are winter varieties of squash with a firm rind and flavorful flesh. While both are low in calories and fat, and can make good additions to a healthy diet, they offer different proportions of nutrients. The flesh of spaghetti squash is very different from butternut squash — you don't want to use them interchangeably in recipes.
Identification
Butternut squash is shaped like a bell, generally weighs from 2 to 4 pounds and is up to 1 foot long. The rind is a yellow to tan color, while the inner flesh is orange.
Spaghetti squash is a vibrant yellow color and oval in shape. It is a little less than 1 foot long and usually weighs from 2 to 3 pounds. The inner flesh is pale yellow and separates into strands when cooked.
Nutrients
Butternut squash contains 82 calories per 1-cup serving, with less than 1 gram of fat and no cholesterol. It is an excellent source of vitamins, offering 457 percent of your daily recommended intake of vitamin A and 52 percent of the vitamin C you need every day, according to HealthAliciousNess.com. It also contains calcium and iron.
Spaghetti squash is not as high in vitamins as butternut squash, coming in at 9 percent of your recommended intake of vitamin C and 3 percent of your daily need for vitamin A. It is lower in calories than butternut, with 42 calories per cup, and offers 2.2 grams of fiber per serving. Spaghetti squash is also a source of calcium and iron.
Butternut Squash Preparation
Cooking butternut squash is much simpler than most winter squashes because the rind is thin enough to peel. Quarter the squash and scoop out the seeds from the lower half. Peel the pieces of squash, cut into smaller pieces, then roast, steam, braise or add to a stew. You can also cut the squash in half, scoop out the seeds and bake in the oven.
Spaghetti Squash Preparation
Baking whole spaghetti squash takes about an hour, but if you cut it in half, scoop out the seeds and place it flesh-side down in a pan to bake, it will cook a little more quickly. If you have a pot the cut pieces will fit in, put them in with the flesh side down and add enough water to come halfway up the side of the squash and boil until tender. When spaghetti squash is cooked, draw a fork all the way through several times to separate the strands.
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