How to Make Spaghetti Squash in the Oven
Spaghetti squash is a healthy vegetable to add to your rotation. When roasted, it creates noodles that can be substituted for pasta. Learn how to cook spaghetti squash with these step-by-step instructions.
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Roasting vegetables gives them a deeper flavour and your choice of pan can make a difference. Check out this post on which is better between 3-ply and 5-ply roasting pans for a useful guide.
Learning how to bake spaghetti squash was a game-changer for me. The earthy vegetable noodles pair really well with many different sauces – plus adding a bunch of fiber without a lot of calories. We love it with this honey mustard chicken and use the sauce from the chicken to drizzle – a tasty spaghetti squash recipe you can enjoy for dinner. Check out all of our Dinner Recipes for inspiration.
IN THIS POST: Everything you need to make Spaghetti Squash in the oven
Ingredients for this recipe:
- spaghetti squash – choose the size depending on how many people you want to feed. A small one is approximately 2 portions.
- olive oil – wondering how to cook spaghetti squash in the oven? Coat it in a nice layer of olive oil so it crisps and browns all along the sides.
- sea salt and black pepper
How to make Spaghetti Squash:
First, how to cut spaghetti squash. Steady your cutting board by using a damp cloth underneath your cutting board. This will keep it from sliding around on you. Using a sharp chef’s knife, slice the stem off first, then cut through the squash lengthwise.
Second, using a tablespoon or spoon, scoop out the seeds and flesh in the center and clean up the insides.
Third, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and transfer the squash over.
Next, drizzle the squash with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Flip them over so the cut side is down and pierce the skins with a fork. Pop the baking sheet into the oven for about half an hour. Cooking times can vary slightly depending on the size of your squash. Check to see if the sides are tender and if the cut side has browned.
Meanwhile, you could be making your sauce or grilling some protein to go along with the squash.
Finally, once it is cooked, scrape the sides with a fork to create the spaghetti squash noodles. The texture is slightly firm and it tastes a bit earthy.
FAQS, Tips, and Substitutions:
- How long do you bake it for? This all depends on the size. Cooking times can vary slightly if you are using a small or large squash. It ranges from 20-30 minutes.
- How to make the noodles? The strands just form into your ‘noodles’ automatically as you scrape.
- How long does spaghetti squash last? Store any leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- TIP! If you want to know how to cook spaghetti squash so it isn’t watery this is my trick. Don’t overcook it. This will result in mushy, watery noodles and no one wants those. To maintain good texture, once the squash is tender and the sides are browned you are good.
- Serve this dish like pasta – saute garlic for flavor and stir it into the squash noodles then top with marinara sauce, meatballs, and parmesan cheese.
It’s so good to get a variety of vegetables in your diet and now that you know how to easily oven roast this one, this gives you another great option.
More healthy recipes using spaghetti squash:
- Stuffed Squash – Tex Mex Style!
- Spaghetti Squash Hash Browns
- Lentil Marinara with Vegetable Noodles
- Squash with Bolognese Sauce
- Turkey Meatballs with Veggie Noodles
- Lentil Lasagne
*This recipe was originally posted on December 2, 2013, updated on November 24, 2020, and updated again on May 11, 2022, with recipe notes, writing, and new photos.*
If you’ve tried my method how to roast spaghetti squash, please rate the recipe and let me know how it turned out by leaving me a comment below. I’m always interested in feedback!
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How To Make Spaghetti Squash With Step By Step Instructions
Ingredients
- 1 spaghetti squash
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- sea salt and pepper *to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 and line a baking pan with parchment paper.
- Using a sharp knife, slice the stem off the end of the squash. Then slice it in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Transfer the 2 halves to the prepared sheet.
- Drizzle with the squash olive oil, and sprinkle with sea salt and pepper. Rub it in and flip them over. Pierce a few times with a fork.
- Cook face-down for 20 minutes until the ends have browned and the squash has softened – this will vary depending on the size of your squash. Check after 20 minutes if it is a smaller size and keep roasting until the edges are browned – up to 30 minutes for large squash.
- Flip it over and let cool on the pan for about 5 minutes. Then shred the insides with a fork to create the noodles. Enjoy warm.
Video
Notes
- How long do you bake it for? This all depends on the size. Cooking times can vary slightly if you are using a small or large squash. It ranges from 20-30 minutes.
- How to make the noodles? The strands just form into your ‘noodles’ automatically as you scrape.
- How long does spaghetti squash last? Store any leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- TIP! If you want to know how to cook spaghetti squash so it isn’t watery this is my trick. Don’t overcook it. This will result in mushy, watery noodles and no one wants those. To maintain good texture, once the squash is tender and the sides are browned you are good.
- Serve this dish like pasta – saute garlic for flavor and stir it into the squash noodles then top with marinara sauce, meatballs, and parmesan cheese.
Pierce the squash with a sharp knife, cook on high in microwave for a few minutes. It will be much easier to cut in half. Then roast as directed.
Great tip!
I was afraid to make spaghetti squash until I came across your recipe. Thanks so much. It was great.
That is so nice to hear, Deb! So happy you enjoyed the spaghetti squash. I make this all the time too!
We love butternut squash, and totally agree with the cutting part, it is a pain, but once you get past that this recipe makes the best side dish, we loved this and most importantly so did the kids, big bonus lol
Thanks for sharing 🙂
This spaghetti squash came out perfectly! The texture was exactly what I wanted, and I love the flavor the olive oil added.
Awesome! It’s so useful, right? 🙂 Thanks Amanda!
I love my pasta but this is an easy and yummy way to get in some extra servings of veggies. I agree, the cutting part is the hardest for me, I have to get out my biggest, sharpest knife!
It’s always harrowing when you have to break out the big guns! lol Thanks, Cara!
A classic meal that no one ever tires of! And it’s gluten-free as well! Thanks for sharing your recipe!
Thanks Elaine! I live for spag squash. 🙂