How to cook spaghetti squash roasted, microwaved, in the slow cooker and grilled, easily and effortlessly! Cooked spaghetti squash is a great low calorie alternative to pasta noodles.
Cooked spaghetti squash is one of my FAVORITE vegetables to eat because it is so versatile, easy to make and can be turned into a carb-free pasta dish! Once you know how, toss the noodles into my baked spaghetti squash pizza casserole or ground turkey spaghetti squash casserole.
Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 5 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 35 to 45 minutes roasted at 400 degrees F (9 to 15 minutes in the microwave)
- ⏳ Total Time: about 40 minutes roasted
- 🍽️ Serving: 1 whole spaghetti squash
- ⚡ Calories: 423kcal for the whole squash with 1 tablespoon olive oil, per the recipe card
- 🥣 Ingredients: 4 (spaghetti squash, olive oil, salt and pepper, water)
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Mild, slightly sweet and nutty, with tender golden strands
- ✋ Difficulty: Halve, seed, oil, roast, fluff with a fork
Quick Answer
To roast it, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Slice the squash in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds with a spoon, toss the halves in a little olive oil and place them face down on a large baking sheet with a dash of water. Roast 35 to 45 minutes, until soft when poked with a fork. Let it cool slightly, flip it over and fluff the strands out with a fork. In the microwave, cook halves on high 9 to 12 minutes or a whole squash (poked first) 12 to 15 minutes. In the slow cooker, cook it whole with 1 to 2 inches of water on high for 4 hours.
Jump to:
I have a major love for carbs and (gluten-free) noodles but am not too big a fan of the extra calories that might end up on my "tushi-cushion" (as my boys like to call it). The first time I had spaghetti squash pasta was at my sister-in-law's house, tossed with a little butter, salt and pepper. Ever since then I have been hooked!
And spaghetti squash pasta is a great way to get the kiddos (and husband) eating a whole dish of vegetables!
Why This Method Works
Click to see why it works
- Face down roasting. Roasting cut side down with a dash of water steams the inside so the strands come out tender.
- Roasting brings out sweetness. The oven brings out a natural sweetness from the squash, which is botanically a fruit.
- Seeds out first. Scooping the seeds before roasting means the whole inside is ready to eat.
- A fork makes the noodles. Pulling and fluffing with a fork separates the cooked flesh into long strands.
- Four ways to cook it. Roast, microwave, slow cook or grill, depending on your time and your kitchen.
- Doneness is easy to test. When a fork or knife slides into the thickest part easily, it is ready.
Why You'll Love Spaghetti Squash
- A low calorie swap for pasta noodles.
- Simple to cook in as little as 35 minutes, depending on the size.
- Gets the whole family eating vegetables, husband included.
- Great for meal prep: store the noodles in the fridge to reheat for a quick healthy meal.
- Goes with everything, from marinara sauce to cilantro basil pesto.
What You Need
- 1 spaghetti squash - any size; bigger squash need more time.
- Olive oil - about 1 tablespoon to coat the cut sides.
- Salt and pepper - to taste.
- Water - a dash on the baking sheet, or 1 to 2 inches in the slow cooker.
- A large baking sheet and a sturdy knife - the squash is firm to cut.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Cook Spaghetti Squash in the Oven
Roasting is my favorite way to cook spaghetti squash, acorn squash and butternut squash. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F before you start.
1Slice. Slice the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise with a sturdy knife.
2Scoop the seeds. Scoop out the seeds and stringy center with a spoon.
3Oil. Toss the halves in a bit of olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
4Face down. Place the halves face down on a large baking sheet and pour a dash of water onto the pan.
5Roast and fluff. Roast 35 to 45 minutes, until soft when poked with a fork. Let it cool slightly, flip it over and gently fluff and scrape out the noodles with a fork.
As always, be sure to check out the full recipe details in the recipe card below.
Microwave, Slow Cooker and Grill Methods
Microwave
Place the squash on a microwave-safe dish whole (poked first with a knife to let air escape) or as halves. Cook on high 9 to 12 minutes for halves, or about 12 to 15 minutes for a whole squash, until the center is soft when poked with a knife. Let it cool until you can handle it, cut it in half if it is whole, remove the seeds and fluff out the noodles with a fork.
Slow Cooker
Place the whole squash in the slow cooker with about 1 to 2 inches of water. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours. Slice it in half, gently remove the seeds and fluff the strands with a fork.
Grilled
Heat the grill to medium-high. Slice the squash in half, toss it in a bit of olive oil and wrap it in foil. Grill about 35 minutes, or until soft, flipping often to prevent burning.
Expert Tips
- Cool it slightly before handling. The inside stays very hot after roasting or microwaving.
- Always poke a whole squash before microwaving so steam can escape.
- Bigger squash take longer. Test with a fork rather than the clock.
- Make it ahead. Store the cooked noodles in a bowl in the fridge to grab and reheat for quick meals.
- Season simply. Olive oil, salt and pepper with avocado and fresh tomatoes is my go-to lunch.
Ways to Eat Spaghetti Squash
- Replace the noodles in any spaghetti or pasta dish.
- Toss with marinara sauce and serve with chicken parmesan.
- Serve with marinara sauce and oven baked turkey meatballs.
- Mix the noodles with cilantro basil pesto.
- Replace the noodles in pesto pasta with spaghetti squash.
- Toss the noodles with olive oil, salt, pepper, lemon and mint.
One of my favorite ways to eat cooked spaghetti squash is tossed with a little olive oil, salt and pepper and served with a side of avocado and freshly sliced seasonal tomatoes. I eat this all the time for lunch!
Prepped noodles turn into my baked spaghetti squash pizza casserole in about 30 minutes. More spaghetti squash dinners: Barbecue Chicken Spaghetti Squash, Low Carb Mexican Baked Spaghetti Squash and Spaghetti Squash Pasta With Butternut Sauce.
Cooking other winter squash this season? Try my quinoa stuffed acorn squash or acorn squash stuffed with Korean BBQ ground turkey.
Spaghetti Squash FAQs
Roast the halves face down for 35 to 45 minutes, until soft when poked with a fork. Larger squash may need the full time or a little longer.
About 9 to 12 minutes on high for halves, or 12 to 15 minutes for a whole squash poked first with a knife, until the center is soft.
Yes. Place it whole in the slow cooker with 1 to 2 inches of water, cover and cook on high for 4 hours, then halve it and remove the seeds.
This recipe card counts one whole spaghetti squash roasted with 1 tablespoon of olive oil at 423 calories.
Yes. Acorn squash and butternut squash roast the same way, cut side down at 400 degrees F until fork tender. They won't pull into noodles like spaghetti squash, so scoop the flesh instead.
Yes. Store the cooked noodles in a bowl in the fridge and reheat them for a quick healthy meal or casserole.
More Spaghetti Squash Recipes
Put those noodles to work with Spaghetti Squash Pizza Casserole, Ground Turkey Spaghetti Squash Casserole, Barbecue Chicken Spaghetti Squash and Mexican Baked Spaghetti Squash. I hope you enjoy learning how to cook spaghetti squash! Follow along with me on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter for a feature and more recipe inspiration! And don't forget to leave a comment below!
How To Cook Spaghetti Squash
Would you like to save this?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Plus get latest recipes and emails.
Ingredients
- 1 Spaghetti Squash
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- salt and pepper
- water
Instructions
- ROASTED
- Roasting spaghetti squash is my favorite way to cook spaghetti squash, acorn squash and butternut squash because it brings out a natural sweetness from the fruit (crazy it is a fruit, right?!). To roast, preheat the oven 400 degrees F. Slice the squash in half, scoop out the seeds with a spoon and toss in a bit of olive oil then place on a large baking sheet face down. Pour a dash of water on the baking sheet. Roast for 35-45 minutes until it is soft when poked with a fork. Let the spaghetti squash cool slightly before handling and flip over and with a fork "fluff" and scrape gently out the noodles.
- MICROWAVE
- Place the spaghetti squash on a microwaveable dish whole or as halves and cook on high for 9-12 minutes (for halves) and about 12-15 minutes for whole until the large center is soft when poked with a knife. Remove and let it cool slightly until it is able to be handled then cut the squash in half (if it is not already) and remove the seeds with a spoon. With a fork "fluff" and scrape (gently) out the noodles.
- SLOW COOKER
- Place the spaghetti squash whole in the slow cooker with about 1-2 inches of water. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours. Remove and slice in half then gently remove the seeds. Using a fork "fluff" the edges scraping down to break up the noodles.
- GRILLING TIPS AND TIME
- Heat the grill on medium-high. Slice the spaghetti squash in half and toss in a bit of olive oil. Wrap it in foil and heat for about 35 minutes (or until soft) continuously flipping to prevent burning.
Leave a Reply