An easy tutorial with photos on how to roast spaghetti squash, PLUS recipe ideas for serving your roasted spaghetti squash noodles.
Would you believe me if I told you one of the meals I crave the most is a steamy bowl of spaghetti squash with a meaty red sauce, fresh basil, and parmesan cheese? I know, it may sound odd, but my Spaghetti Squash Bolognese is my idea of a perfectly comforting meal.
During the fall and winter months, I find myself craving pasta in all forms, and love the idea of re-creating my favorite hearty pasta dishes using spaghetti squash in place of noodles.
It’s a lower-carbohydrate, more nutrient-dense option. Plus I wake up the next morning feeling energized!
My first attempt at spaghetti squash was one of utter confusion, but after understanding the mechanics of the marvelous squash, it’s now one of the easiest things to make!
I figured if I had trouble figuring out how to tap into the magical land of the spaghetti squash, there had to be others in the same boat. For that reason, I decided to make a little tutorial – hopefully you find it helpful!
Be sure to watch the video in this post for the step-by-step visual.
So let’s hop to it! Stay tuned at the end of this post for ideas on how to serve your spaghetti squash noodles.
How to Roast Spaghetti Squash
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Grab your spaghetti squash and chop off the tip and tail. Halve it length-wise.
Stand the squash upright on a cutting board. Use a sharp knife, as dull knives likely won’t be able to get the job done. Allow gravity to help you cut from top to bottom, and be very careful while cutting – don’t force it!
I find gently, but firmly and carefully wiggling the handle of the knife up and down helps generate a little downward momentum, which aids in the cutting. Just take it very slow and make sure your appendages are out of the way!
Scoop out the innards and seeds using a sturdy metal spoon. Get the spoon as close to the flesh as possible while you’re scooping so that the innards release easily.
Coat the flesh with olive oil or avocado oil and use your hands to smooth the oil over the full surface of the flesh. Sprinkle salt and pepper over each half.
Place both halves cut-side down on a baking sheet.
Roast for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the flesh is very tender when poked with a fork. Note: You can adjust the bake time according to your personal taste – roasting the squash for less time will result in al dente “noodles.”
Using a fork, gently scrape the flesh, releasing strings of squash.
Do note that some spaghetti squashes contain more water than others. For this reason, you may end up with excess liquid in your noodles. If you don’t prefer the moisture, simply use a colander to strain out the liquid.
Now we know how to cook spaghetti squash, what shall we do with it?
You can serve spaghetti squash with your favorite sauce and parmesan cheese, or try one of my favorite recipes below:
What to Do with Spaghetti Squash:
- Garlicky Spaghetti Squash with Chicken, Mushrooms, and Kale
- Creamy Tahini Spaghetti Squash with Kale
- Spaghetti Squash Burrito Bowls
- Chicken Pesto Spaghetti Squash
- Spaghetti Squash with Roasted Pecan Pesto
- Crispy Salmon Bowls with Pesto Spaghetti Squash
- Roasted Garlic and Kale Spaghetti Squash with Sun-Dried Tomatoes
- Mushroom Bolognese Spaghetti Squash Casserole
These easy, nutritious recipes will make you swoon!
My cookbook, Paleo Power Bowls, is now available! CLICK HERE to check it out, and thank you for your support!
If you try this recipe, feel free to share a photo on Instagram and tag @The.Roasted.Root!
What’ll you put on yours?
How to Roast Spaghetti Squash
Ingredients
- 1 large spaghetti squash
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Chop the tip and the tail off of the spaghetti squash, cut it in half length-wise, and scoop the seeds out of each half.
- Rub about a tablespoon of olive oil over the flesh of each half. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Place the squash cut-side down on a baking sheet.
- Roast the squash for 35 to 50 minutes or until the flesh is tender. Note: For crunchy noodles, roast for 35 minutes. For al dente noodles, roast for 40-45. For tender noodles, roast for 50 to 55 minutes.
- When the squash is cool enough to handle, use a fork to gently scrape the flesh, releasing spaghetti-like stands. Do this until both halves of the spaghetti squash are scraped clean and place the “spaghetti” into a large serving bowl.
- Note that some water will seep out of the “spaghetti” – in order to drain the water, allow the spaghetti to sit in a bowl (or fine colander) and use a slotted spoon to scoop it on plates.
- Serve spaghetti squash with your favorite sauce and parmesan cheese.
Easier way to cook is to poke a few holes in the squash & microwave for approximately 20 minutes., depending on the size. It should feel squshy soft when done & you can almost cut it with a butter knife.
I have made spaghetti squash a lot but never thought of cooking it this way…..15 minutes less cooking time in my oven and oh my…..it was the consistency of pasta…….I made homemade sauce and meatballs….it was very good….thank you for the tip!!!
I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Jason!! Thanks for the sweet note! 😀 xoxo
Hello there,
That’s a great article about how to roast spaghetti squash.
keep your good job.
great walk through and tips, especially when spaghetti squash gets far less attention these days than zucchini, thank you
My pleasure, Emily! xoxo
Thanks for all the ideas on ways to use it! I like to make it a dessert. I drizzle brown sugar and butter syrup over it.
Oooh I love that idea! Thank you for sharing! xo
thank you for the recipe. Came out perfect! Also, I saved the seeds, washed and dried them. Then I tossed them with a little olive oil and sea salt and baked on a cookie sheet in the lower shelf while the squash was baking. Baked about 6-7 minutes, then flipped them and 2 minutes again stirred and againone more time. Watch they don’t burn, and just lightly golden, yummy!
What a fantastic use of resources! I love the idea of roasting spaghetti squash seeds…I’ll do this next time I roast one 😉 xoxo
Great and lovely recipe. I’m also trying to switch to a healthier lifestyle and started to mine for healthy recipes like yours. Also, I started a marathon training with SportMe, and I managed to get rid of some pounds. Your blog posts are super inspiring for me in this phase, thanks!
I baked the spaghetti squash. It was delicious! I actually like it better than traditional pasta.
These are such beautiful spaghetti squash recipes! I absolutely adore cooking it every now and then. Definitely have to try the burrito bowl recipe because it looks heavenly!
Thank you. I’m going to try and cut it width wise. I’m trying to start eating healthier and I hope this recipe gives me a new and better attitude towards spaghetti squash.
Look yummy! One of my favorite ROAST SPAGHETTI SQUASH, nice to see your recipe, easy to follow, will cook this for family this weekend. Thanks you!
One of my most favorite sides. Thanks for the recipe. I am off to indulge.
Can I use oil other than olive oil? I really want to try this recipe
Of course! I’d recommend avocado oil, algae oil, or almond oil in place of olive oil. xo
If you cut it in half in the middle rather than at the ends it’s not only easier to cut but then gives you the option to do 2 birdnest spaghetti squash portions that are great for presentation! After roasting just take a spoon and slowly ease out the entire nest from the skin.
With arthritic hands, I just poke holes and roast the whole squash at once, then cut thru the equator and use the tines of a fork to scoop it out!
While your squash is cooking make turkey soup from leftovers. Put the shred noodles in bowl and ladle soup over them. AWESOME ?
Oooooh that sounds tasty!! I love that idea! Thanks for sharing! xo