How To Cook Spaghetti Squash

How To Cook Spaghetti Squash in the oven OR microwave! A low carb or low calorie dream come true!

Spaghetti squash can be used as a delicious side dish or a low carb/low calorie alternative to replace pasta, depending on your dietary needs. Learn how to prepare and cook spaghetti squash right here!

SPAGHETTI SQUASH

Anything can be stuffed inside them OR drizzled and sprinkled over Spaghetti Squash for an easy weeknight or weekend meal. Tomato based sauces like Bolognaise sauce or Ragu? Absolutely!

Creamy sauces can also be served with these low carb spaghetti strands! I’m thinking Lemon Parmesan Chicken Piccata, Creamy Garlic Parmesan Mushroom Chicken & Bacon, you get the idea.

Not only is it a wonderful alternative to pasta, it is also rich in nutrition! B vitamins, niacin, thiamin, riboflavin, folate, potassium, manganese, calcium, iron, phosphorus, and zinc, omega-3 and omega-6.

HOW TO COOK SPAGHETTI SQUASH TWO WAYS

Cooking spaghetti squash it in the oven creates an irresistible caramelized flavour on the edges, making it slightly sweeter with a deep flavour when compared to microwaving.

However, cooking squash in the microwave gives you the advantage of having it ready a lot sooner when compared to baking it in the oven.

PREPARATION: The hardest part about preparing spaghetti squash is cutting them in half. You can ask your grocer to cut it for you!

Trim the ends if the surrounding area is tough and give them a good wash.

Pat dry with paper towel and scoop out the seeds and discard (or save the seeds to roast separately later for a really healthy snack idea)!

Drizzle with olive and season with salt and pepper. You can also season with paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, dried herbs — whatever the heart wants.

BAKED SPAGHETTI SQUASH

Place them, cut-side down, on a lightly greased baking sheet (or tray) and ROAST in a preheated oven until tender about 35-50 minutes, depending on the size of your squash.

Remove from oven and allow to cool before handling. Scrape with a fork, back and forth across the squash to separate the strands from the squash.

HOW LONG TO BAKE SPAGHETTI SQUASH

Cooking times will vary. At the 30 minute mark test one by piercing it through the skin with a fork. If it pierces easily, it’s ready.

MICROWAVE SPAGHETTI SQUASH

Prepare as above, but instead of placing them on a baking sheet, you’re going to arrange the squash cut-side down in a microwave safe baking dish (large enough to fit 2 halves).

Fill the dish with about 1-inch of water, which will create steam in the microwave and microwave on HIGH for 15 minutes. If not cooked enough, microwave for 5 more minutes until tender in the middle.

Carefully remove squash from microwave and allow to cool for a few minutes before handling. Scrape the inside flesh with a fork, and you’ll see spaghetti strands come straight off of the insides.

Tender and natural spaghetti strands! Mother nature… we heart you.

Looking for more spaghetti squash recipes? Try this!

Spaghetti Squash Lasagna Boats

Love zucchini? Try these!

Parmesan Crust Zucchini
Spinach And Ricotta Zucchini Cannelloni
Low Carb Zucchini Brownies

How To Cook Spaghetti Squash

Author: Karina

How To Cook Spaghetti Squash to replace any pasta, any time, when following a low carb diet or low calorie diet! A carb lovers alternative dream come true!

5 from 4 votes

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Prep: 15 minutes mins

Cook: 35 minutes mins

Total: 50 minutes mins

Serves: 4 people

Ingredients

USMetric

• ▢ 2 spaghetti squash about 2 pounds or 1 kilo each
• ▢ 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
• ▢ 1 pinch salt to taste
• ▢ 1 pinch ground pepper to taste

Instructions

Oven Roast Method (Preferred):

• Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a baking sheet or tray with a brush of olive oil, or nonstick spray is fine to use.
• Wash the outside of the squash. Cut the squash in half lengthwise from stem to tail (if the stem is too hard to cut around, trim the ends). Use a spoon to scoop out and discard seeds from the middle of each half.
• Brush with a light coating of olive oil spray and season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Arrange spaghetti squash on baking sheet, cut-side down. Roast in preheated oven until tender (about 35-50 minutes, depending on the size of your squash).

  Test by piercing through the skin with a fork. If it pierces easily, it's ready.
• Remove from oven and allow to cool before handling. Scrape with a fork, back and forth across the squash to separate the strands from the squash…they will look just like spaghetti strands!

Microwave Method:

• Follow step 2 in above method.
• Arrange the squash cut-side down in a microwave safe baking dish (large enough to fit 2 halves)
• Fill the dish with about 1-inch of water, which will create steam in the microwave.
• Microwave on HIGH for 15 minutes, then check to see if the squash is soft enough.
• If not cooked enough, microwave for 5 more minutes until tender in the middle.
• Carefully remove squash from microwave and allow to cool for a few minutes before handling.
• Scrape with a fork to create the spaghetti strands.

Notes

*Medium spaghetti squash tend to be a little tougher in the centre after cooking, and large squashes yield softer results with sweeter strands. Large squashes will take around 40-50 minutes to roast. Small - medium squashes will roast in less time.

Check after around 30 minutes or so to make sure you don't over cook them, as they will become really mushy in the middle and won't form many natural spaghetti-like strands.

Nutrition

Calories: 181kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 92mg | Potassium: 522mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 579IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 111mg | Iron: 2mg

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