How to Cook Spaghetti Squash

Spaghetti squash is a nutritious and delicious oblong seed-bearing variety of winter squash. When spaghetti squash is cooked, its flesh falls away from its fruit in strands or ribbons, resembling spaghetti. The squash can be prepared in a variety of ways that include boiling, baking, and roasting. It can be served simply with salt and pepper or butter or melted cheese, or topped with your favorite spaghetti or Alfredo sauce. Start with a spaghetti squash with no blemishes and an even, pale yellow color and you'll be on your way to cooking spaghetti squash in no time at all. If you want to know how to do it, just follow these steps.

Ingredients

Baked Spaghetti Squash

  • 1 spaghetti squash
  • 4 oz. mozzarella cheese
  • 1 jar spaghetti sauce
  • 2 tsp. dry basil

Boiled Spaghetti Squash

  • 1 spaghetti squash
  • 2 tbsp. unsalted butter
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • Salt to taste
  • Pepper to taste

Microwaved Spaghetti Squash

  • 1 spaghetti squash
  • 3 tbsp. butter
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tbsp. pepper
  • 1/2 tsp. paprika

Slow-Cooked Spaghetti Squash

  • 1 spaghetti squash
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
  • 1 minced clove garlic
  • 3 tbsp. chopped cilantro
  • Salt to taste
  • Pepper to taste
Method 1
Method 1 of 4:

Baked Spaghetti Squash

  1. 1
    Preheat your oven to 350ºF (176ºC). Slice the squash in half, scoop out the seeds, and place it on a baking sheet, flesh side down.[1]
    • Prep the squash by vigorously poking it with a fork a few times so air can escape. There is no need to dull your knife or cut before cooking.
  2. 2
    Add 1/4 inch of water to the baking sheet.
    • You can also place the squash in a roasting pan lined with aluminum foil. Cover it with more aluminum foil to help it steam.
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  3. 3
    Bake the squash for 30-45 minutes. Bake it until it's tender. After 35 minutes, start poking it with a fork to check to see how tender it is. Then, remove the squash from the oven.
    • Smaller squash will cook more quickly than larger squash. Check the squash after 30 minutes to gauge cooking. Test with a fork—it should easily pierce the skin and squash should be tender.
  4. 4
    Remove the squash with a fork. Rake the squash with a fork, creating the spaghetti-like strands.
  5. 5
    Spoon the mozzarella cheese, spaghetti sauce, and basil over the squash. Spoon 4 oz. of mozzarella cheese, 1 jar of spaghetti sauce, and 2 tsp of dry basil over the spaghetti squash.
  6. 6
    Bake the squash again until the cheese begins to bubble. This should take another 2-4 minutes.
  7. 7
    Serve. Enjoy this spaghetti squash while it's hot.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 4:

Boiled Spaghetti Squash

  1. 1
    Cut the spaghetti squash. Place the spaghetti squash on a cutting board, and then cut the squash in half with a large, sharp knife. Remove the seeds with a spoon or a melon baller, and then cut the halves into smaller chunks that are about 3 inches (7.5 cm) long.
  2. 2
    Place the spaghetti squash in a large saucepan.
  3. 3
    Cover the spaghetti squash with water and bring it to a boil over high heat. This should take 2-3 minutes.
  4. 4
    Turn the heat down to medium-low and simmer the squash for 15-20 minutes. When the squash is done, it should be tender when you poke it with a fork. After 15 minutes, start testing it to see if it's ready.
  5. 5
    Drain the squash. Drain the remaining water from the squash and place it in a serving dish.
  6. 6
    Season the squash. Season the squash with 1 tsp. of cinnamon and salt and pepper to taste. Place 2 tablespoon (29.6 ml). of unsalted butter over the hot squash and move it around as it melts.
  7. 7
    Serve. Enjoy this tasty boiled squash while it's hot.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 4:

Microwaved Spaghetti Squash

  1. 1
    Prepare the spaghetti squash. Cut the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise, then remove the seeds and the hair-like fibers.[2]
  2. 2
    Place one tablespoon of butter on each squash half.
  3. 3
    Season the squash. Season the squash with 1/2 tsp. of salt, 1⁄2 tablespoon (7.4 ml). of pepper, and 1/2 tsp. of paprika.
  4. 4
    Wrap the squash loosely in plastic wrap. Wrap it loosely and pierce the wrap several times before you place it in the microwave.
  5. 5
    Microwave the squash for 20-25 minutes, or until it's tender. When it's done, it should be tender when you poke it with a fork.
  6. 6
    Remove the squash from the oven and scoop out the center. After you remove the plastic wrap and scoop out the center of the squash, place it in a bowl.
  7. 7
    Add another tablespoon of butter to the squash (optional). If you'd like your spaghetti squash to be extra rich, then you can add another tablespoon of butter to it. It should melt over the hot squash.
  8. 8
    Serve. Enjoy this tasty microwaved squash while it's hot.
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Method 4
Method 4 of 4:

Slow-Cooked Spaghetti Squash

  1. 1
    Pour 2 cups of water in your slow cooker.[3]
  2. 2
    Place the spaghetti squash in your slow cooker. Poke the squash several times, using a fork or the tip of a paring knife.
  3. 3
    Cover the slow cooker.
  4. 4
    Cook the spaghetti squash on low heat for 8-10 hours, or until the squash is tender. Allow the squash to cool for 15 to 20 minutes, then remove the squash from the slow cooker.
  5. 5
    Cut the cooked squash in half. Remove the seeds and rake the insides to make spaghetti like strands.
  6. 6
    Serve. Top the squash with 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese, 1 minced clove of garlic, 3 tbsp. chopped cilantro, and salt and pepper to taste.
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Expert Q&A

  • Question
    Is there a trick to cutting roasted spaghetti squash?
    Ollie George Cigliano
    Ollie George Cigliano
    Private Chef & Food Educator
    Ollie George Cigliano is a Private Chef, Food Educator, and Owner of Ollie George Cooks, based in Long Beach, California. With over 20 years of experience, she specializes in utilizing fresh, fun ingredients and mixing traditional and innovative cooking techniques. Ollie George holds a BA in Comparative Literature from The University of California, Berkeley, and a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from eCornell University.
    Ollie George Cigliano
    Ollie George Cigliano
    Private Chef & Food Educator
    Expert Answer
    Slice the squash in half, using a chef's knife to cut it lengthwise from stem to tail. It will be hot, so use tongs, a clean kitchen towel, or a carving fork to help stabilize the squash as you scoop out the seeds. Use a spoon to scrape out the seeds and stringy bits of flesh from inside the squash. Be careful of actually digging into the flesh, though—you want that! The inside should look clean and fairly smooth. Finally, discard the seeds (or save them and roast them for a snack!).
  • Question
    How do you serve roasted spaghetti squash?
    Ollie George Cigliano
    Ollie George Cigliano
    Private Chef & Food Educator
    Ollie George Cigliano is a Private Chef, Food Educator, and Owner of Ollie George Cooks, based in Long Beach, California. With over 20 years of experience, she specializes in utilizing fresh, fun ingredients and mixing traditional and innovative cooking techniques. Ollie George holds a BA in Comparative Literature from The University of California, Berkeley, and a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from eCornell University.
    Ollie George Cigliano
    Ollie George Cigliano
    Private Chef & Food Educator
    Expert Answer
    Flip the squash to be cut-side up. Then, use a fork to gently pull the squash flesh from the peel and to separate the flesh into strands. The strands wrap around the squash horizontally—rake your fork in the same direction as the strands to make the longest "noodles." Serve the squash right away, tossed with a little butter or olive oil and freshly chopped Italian flat leaf parsley. You can also sprinkle it with a little Parmesan cheese if you'd like!
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Things You'll Need

  • Cutting board
  • Large, sharp knife
  • Spoon or melon baller
  • Large saucepan
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • Butter
  • Microwave-safe bowl
  • Plastic wrap
  • Paring knife
  • Cooking oil
  • Potholder
  • Slow cooker

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Expert Interview

Thanks for reading our article! If you'd like to learn more about cooking a spaghetti squash, check out our in-depth interview with Ollie George Cigliano.

References

  1. ↑ http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/spaghetti-squash-bake-recipe/index.html
  2. ↑ http://www.food.com/recipe/simple-spaghetti-squash-microwave-293661
  3. ↑ https://berrysweetlauren.wordpress.com/2013/02/28/crock-pot-spaghetti-squash-cpc-9/

About This Article

Ollie George Cigliano
Co-authored by:
Ollie George Cigliano
Private Chef & Food Educator
This article was co-authored by Ollie George Cigliano. Ollie George Cigliano is a Private Chef, Food Educator, and Owner of Ollie George Cooks, based in Long Beach, California. With over 20 years of experience, she specializes in utilizing fresh, fun ingredients and mixing traditional and innovative cooking techniques. Ollie George holds a BA in Comparative Literature from The University of California, Berkeley, and a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from eCornell University. This article has been viewed 339,925 times.
1 votes - 100%
Co-authors: 17
Updated: December 24, 2022
Views: 339,925
Categories: Featured Articles | Squash
Article SummaryX

To cook spaghetti squash in the oven, first preheat your oven to 400°F (205°C). Then, cut the squash in half lengthwise with a sharp chef’s knife. Scoop out all of the seeds in each half using a spoon. Next, drizzle 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of olive oil over the cut side of each half, and season with salt and pepper. Place the halves cut-side down on a baking sheet, and bake them in the oven for 40 minutes. Carefully take the squash out of the oven and run a fork over the cut side. If the squash peels away from the skin in spaghetti-like strands, it's ready. If not, continue cooking the squash for 5 to 10 minute intervals. Finally, use a fork to shred the squash into thin strands, and enjoy! To cook spaghetti squash in the microwave, first place it cut-side down in a microwave-safe dish after you’ve scooped out the seeds. Then, fill the dish with about 1 inch (2.5 cm) of water, and microwave the squash for 5 to 10 minutes, or until it’s tender. Finally, shred the squash into spaghetti-like strands with a fork. For more tips, including how to microwave your spaghetti squash, read on!

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