Baked spaghetti squash

Two spaghetti squash halves after roasting in the oven

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Baked spaghetti squash comes out perfectly tender with fluffy strands every time – and only takes a few minutes to prep. It makes a great low-carb side dish or base for a complete meal.

Prep Time10

Cook Time35

Total Time45

Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients

1 medium spaghetti squash

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray.
Slice the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds and pulp. (See below for cutting tips. For easier cutting, you can microwave the squash for about 3 minutes to soften it.)
Place each squash half, cut side down, on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 30-40 minutes, until the squash is tender. (Exact timing will depend on the size of your squash. You’ll be able to tell by pushing on the outside or putting a fork into the inner strands of the inside of the squash if it’s tender.)
Once cool enough to handle, use a fork to pull the long strands of spaghetti squash from the sides. Season to taste and serve hot.

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Notes

Tips for cutting a spaghetti squash:

A sharp, large knife is a must.
Place the squash on a cutting board with the stem facing away from you. Insert your sharp knife in the middle of the spaghetti squash and pull the knife down through the spaghetti squash, holding it with your other hand at the stem to balance the pressure.
Once your knife has cut through this end of the spaghetti squash, remove it. Flip the squash around so the stem is now facing your body. Insert the knife where the previous cut finished and start to cut down.
Once you get close to the stem, you can often remove the knife and just pull the squash apart into two halves.

Shortcut tip: If your spaghetti squash is huge, your knife isn’t sharp, or you don’t want to bother with struggling to cut it, you can put the whole squash in the microwave on high for 3-4 minutes. That will help soften the skin just enough to make it easier to cut. (It doesn’t do enough to cook it to affect the cooking time.)

Topping ideas for spaghetti squash:

Season simply with some olive oil, salt and pepper and a sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese. Add some fresh chopped parsley if you’ve got it.
Make a quick sauce on the stove with some olive oil, garlic, capers, salt, pepper and white wine. Add toasted pine nuts for some crunch.
Mix in some pesto with the warmed spaghetti squash strands for a quick flavor boost.
Top with chopped olives, halved cherry tomatoes, crumbled feta cheese and fresh basil. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
Or use this squash as a base for a lemony garlic sauce, a creamy white sauce or a chunky tomato sauce (or just some warmed up marinara sauce).

Leftovers: Scrape the noodles from the squash and place in a bowl or container with a lid and keep, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Drain any excess liquid before reheating.

Nutrition

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