How To Cook Spaghetti Squash Perfectly, 4 Ways

Spaghetti squash is a delicious and healthy winter vegetable that’s the perfect addition to any meal. If you’ve never had spaghetti squash before, you won’t be surprised to know it got its name from the resemblance to spaghetti noodles, but it has a lot more nutrients than spaghetti does. If you’re wondering about the best way to prepare it, we’re going to examine how to cook spaghetti squash in four different ways.

Spaghetti squash has many nutrients and is a low-calorie and low-carb vegetable that’s enjoyable for even the pickiest eaters. Keep reading to find out the best ways to prepare, cook, and serve spaghetti squash for a delicious weeknight meal.

Preparing Your Spaghetti Squash

Although the idea of it may be intimidating at first, prepping your spaghetti squash is relatively easy once you get the hang of it. There are also numerous ways to cook spaghetti squash, and no matter what tools you have in your kitchen, it’s possible to cook spaghetti squash for an easy dinner or lunch.

Here’s how to prepare your spaghetti squash before cooking:

• Cut the squash in half lengthwise
• Scoop out the seeds from the inside
• Season your squash and prepare the halves based on your preferred cooking method

What steps you should take next will depend on how you’re going to be cooking your spaghetti squash. If you’re roasting spaghetti squash, you’ll leave it whole, but some methods will require you to cut it up into smaller pieces. Let’s examine all the different ways you can cook spaghetti squash. 

How to Roast Spaghetti Squash

Roasting spaghetti squash in the oven is one of the simplest and most delicious ways to cook it. Even with this easy method, it can have a ton of flavor and you can get dinner on the table in no time. Here are the steps for roasting spaghetti squash in the oven:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F
• After scooping out the seeds, rub olive oil on the inside of the squash and season with salt and pepper
• Place the spaghetti squash facing down on a baking sheet
• Use a fork to poke holes in the outside
• Cook the spaghetti squash for 30-40 minutes or until it’s tender
• Remove your baking sheet or pan from the oven and flip the squash over
• Once it has cooled, use a fork to scrape the inside and place it in a serving dish

Roasted spaghetti squash can be a delicious side vegetable to include in your meal or it can be the main event. How long the spaghetti squash takes to cook will depend on the size and your oven. Check it after 30 minutes to see how much more time it may need. When it’s finished, it should be tender but still slightly firm.

How to Microwave Spaghetti Squash

While many people try to avoid cooking their vegetables in the microwave, it can be helpful if you don’t have time to roast it or grill it. When you’re in a pinch, you can completely cook your spaghetti squash in the microwave. This method is much faster than other methods and is perfect for when you need a quick lunch or dinner.

Here’s the best way to cook your spaghetti squash in the microwave:

• After cutting the squash and removing the seeds, season the inside if desired
• Place both halves of the squash face down in a baking dish
• Add about an inch of water to the baking dish
• Microwave for about 5 minutes
• Remove once you can easily poke the squash with a fork
• Scrape the inside of the squash for serving

If you’re having trouble cutting the squash in half, you can score the outside where you plan on cutting it, poke holes in the outside, and then microwave the whole squash for 5 minutes. This will make the squash tender enough to easily cut through it. 

Be careful not to microwave the whole squash for more than 5 minutes, however, because this will cause steam to build up on the inside which could cause you to burn yourself.

How to Steam Spaghetti Squash

Steaming your spaghetti squash is another simple way to enjoy this delicious and healthy vegetable. If you have a steamer basket, the process is simple, but you can steam it without a steamer basket as well. Here’s how to steam your spaghetti squash with a steamer basket:

• Add water to a large saucepan and bring it to a boil
• After scooping out the seeds, place the squash in your steamer basket
• If the steamer basket doesn’t fit the entire half of the squash, cut it into smaller pieces first
• Add your steamer basket to the saucepan and steam for 20 minutes
• Once the spaghetti squash is tender enough, remove it from the steamer

Steaming your spaghetti squash is straightforward with a steamer basket, but you can still use this method even if you don’t have this kitchen tool. Instead of placing it in the steamer basket, you can place it directly in about an inch of water. In this case, the small amount of water in the saucepan will allow the steam to cook the squash.

How to Grill Spaghetti Squash

Like most vegetables, spaghetti squash tastes great when you cook it up on the grill. This isn’t an option for everyone, but if you have a grill at home or are headed to a cookout, you can easily grill spaghetti squash for a side dish or an alternative to pasta.

Here’s how to grill your spaghetti squash:

• Preheat the grill to 350 degrees F
• Place the squash on the grill with the cut side facing up
• Cook for about 25-30 minutes, depending on the size of the squash
• Grill it until the squash is tender
• Remove the squash from the grill to cool

This method can work with a variety of grill types. No matter what type of grill you use, this will give the squash a beautiful, smoky flavor that you can’t achieve with other cooking methods. You can also add oil and season your squash before placing it on the grill.

Ways to Serve Spaghetti Squash

It’s no secret that spaghetti squash got its name because when cooked, the inside of the squash resembles a delicious pasta dish. While nothing can truly replace the taste of freshly cooked pasta, spaghetti squash can be a delicious alternative with much fewer carbs and calories. 

No matter what you’re in the mood for, there are plenty of recipes out there for spaghetti squash and you can use a variety of recipes to enjoy this gourd. Here are some of the best ways to serve spaghetti squash:

• Replace the noodles in a recipe with spaghetti squash
• Top your spaghetti squash with tomato sauce and cheese
• Make a frittata with spaghetti squash
• Mix it with alfredo sauce
• Stuff the spaghetti squash with meat, cheese, or other vegetables

The options are limitless when it comes to finding ways to serve spaghetti squash for friends or family. You may even find that the pickiest eaters, especially little ones, enjoy this vegetable when you serve it in one of these tasty ways.

Find the Best Way to Cook Spaghetti Squash

While spaghetti squash can be delicious even with just some salt and pepper, if you’re looking for a more elaborate way to serve it, there are plenty of recipes out there. When it comes to cooking your spaghetti squash, choose the method that works best for you. Whether you roast it in the oven or toss it on the grill, spaghetti squash is bound to be a crowd-pleaser, even for picky eaters.

Spaghetti Squash Recipes

• Spaghetti Squash with Tomatoes
• Spaghetti Squash with Edamame Cilantro Pesto
• Squash Casserole

The image featured at the top of this post is ©Brent Hofacker/Shutterstock.com.