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Home Meal Type How To
5
/5
1 hour 2 minutes

How to Cook Spaghetti Squash (the EASY way!)

Dairy Free Dairy-Free Gluten Free Gluten Free Low Carb Low Carb Nut Free Nut Free Vegan Vegan Vegetarian Vegetarian
Jump to Recipe
By: Denise Bustard4 Comments
Posted: 1/18/22 Updated: 1/18/22

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

Showing you how to cook spaghetti squash the EASY way! Cooking it whole eliminates the need to cut into a tough, raw spaghetti squash. We share step by step directions for how to roast a whole spaghetti squash, tips on how to slice it, and recipes to make with this low carb veggie.

Just like Instant Pot spaghetti squash, we prefer to cook the whole squash in the oven. It makes prep so much easier, and eliminates the scary step of cutting into a wobbling, tough, raw spaghetti squash.

how to cook spaghetti squash- showing cooked spaghetti squash on a cutting board
Jump to... show
1 Reasons You'll Love This Recipe
2 Recipe Video
3 Step by Step directions
4 FAQ
5 Use It Up
6 Storage
7 More How To Basics
8 How to Cook Spaghetti Squash

Spaghetti squash (while delicious to eat) can be a hassle to cook if you aren't aware of this easy method! When overcooked it can end up soggy and mushy, and attempting to cut it open raw can be quite dangerous and difficult.

Cooking spaghetti squash whole is the EASIEST way to do it, and you'll end up with perfectly cooked spaghetti squash noodles that are tender and have the perfect amount of bite. Best of all, it can be used up in many different recipes!

Reasons You'll Love This Recipe

  • your spaghetti squash noodles end up perfectly cooked, and if you cut it the right way, you'll get nice, long noodles!
  • you don't need to cut into the raw squash (which is really hard to do!)
  • it is easy to cut & scoop once it has cooled slightly

Recipe Video

Watch the video below to see how to cook this recipe! You can find more of my recipe videos on my YouTube channel.

Step by Step directions

poking spaghetti squash with paring knife

Prepare

Heat oven to 350°F. Place spaghetti squash on a baking sheet and poke with a paring knife.

roasted spaghetti squash

Roast

Roast spaghetti squash whole until a paring knife sinks in easily. Around 60 minutes for a 2 lb squash and 90 minutes for a 3 lb squash.

cooked spaghetti squash cut in half

Cool

Cool for 15 minutes, then slice the squash in half across the middle.

Tip - Because the 'noodles' wrap around the inside of the squash, if you cut it into two 'boats', you are cutting the strands in half, and you'll just get short noodles. Cutting in the middle will give you nice, long noodles.

hand holding half a cooked spaghetti squash and scooping out the insides with a fork

Scoop

Carefully scoop seeds out (let the squash cool at least 10 minutes before doing so), then use a fork to gently pull the noodles from around the spaghetti squash.

Enjoy immediately, or store in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 4 days!


FAQ

How long do you need to cook spaghetti squash?

This is going to depend on the size of your spaghetti squash. The average spaghetti squash from the grocery store seems to be just over 2 lbs and they take just over an hour to cook.

How can you tell when your spaghetti squash is done?

Use a paring knife and sink it into the top of the squash. If you feel resistance, it is not ready. If it sinks in easily, it is ready to come out.

How long does spaghetti squash keep for?

Uncooked spaghetti squash can be stored in a cool dry place for many months. Once cooked, spaghetti squash can keep in the fridge for up to 4 days. If you are adding a sauce, it can make the spaghetti squash noodles watery, which reduces their lifespan. Keeping sauce & noodles separate until you are ready to serve is a good idea!

how to cook spaghetti squash- two cooked spaghetti squash halves on a cutting board
overhead shot of mexican spaghetti squash casserole in white baking dish

Use It Up

  • Lemon Chicken Spaghetti Squash
  • Mexican spaghetti squash casserole
  • Meal prep spaghetti squash & meatballs
  • Tossed in pesto, or with chili spooned over top
  • Low carb lasagna skillet

Storage

  • Fridge - let cool completely, then store in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 4 days!
  • Freezer - spaghetti squash definitely softens and leaks some liquid after thawing so if you are going to freeze, we recommend:
  1. undercooking it slightly
  2. re-heating in a pan so the moisture evaporates
glass meal prep containers filled with cooked broccoli

More How To Basics

  • How to cook broccoli
  • How to cook salmon
  • How to cook quinoa
  • How to cut an avocado
  • How to cook sweet potatoes

Did you make this? Tag me on social @sweetpeasandsaffron and be sure to leave a comment and rate the recipe!

hand holding half a cooked spaghetti squash and scooping out the insides with a fork

How to Cook Spaghetti Squash

5 from 3 votes
Prep Time: 2 mins
Cook Time: 1 hr
Cooling Time: 15 mins
Total Time: 1 hr 2 mins
Print Rate
Showing you how to cook spaghetti squash the EASY way! Step by step directions for how to roast a whole spaghetti squash, tips on how to slice it, and recipes to make with this low carb veggie.
4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 spaghetti squash 2-3 lbs

Instructions 

  • Prepare- Heat oven to 350°F. Place spaghetti squash on a baking sheet and poke with a paring knife.
    poking spaghetti squash with paring knife
  • Roast- Roast spaghetti squash whole until a paring knife sinks in easily. Around 60 minutes for a 2 lb squash and 90 minutes for a 3 lb squash.
    roasted spaghetti squash
  • Cool- Carefully slice the squash in half, then allow to cool for 10-15 minutes.
    cooked spaghetti squash cut in half
  • Scoop- Carefully scoop seeds out, then use a fork to gently pull the noodles from around the spaghetti squash.
    Enjoy immediately, or store in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
    hand holding half a cooked spaghetti squash and scooping out the insides with a fork

Tips:

Storage
  • Fridge - let cool completely, then store in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 4 days!
  • Freezer - spaghetti squash definitely softens and leaks some liquid after thawing so if you are going to freeze, we recommend:
  1. undercooking it slightly
  2. re-heating in a pan so the moisture evaporates

Video

Nutrition Information

Serving: 0.25spaghetti squash, Calories: 74kcal, Carbohydrates: 16g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 1g, Saturated Fat: 0g, Cholesterol: 0mg, Sodium: 41mg, Potassium: 260mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 290IU, Vitamin C: 5mg, Calcium: 56mg, Iron: 0.8mg
Author: Denise Bustard
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American

© Sweet Peas & Saffron - Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.

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Meet Denise Bustard

Denise Bustard is the creator of Sweet Peas and Saffron, a meal prep-focussed food blog. With a PhD in biochemistry, Denise takes a scientific approach to perfecting her recipes. You can find Denise's work featured on Huffington Post, MSN, Self and more.

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Recipe Rating




  1. Carl says

    Posted on 7/26/20 at Posted on 7/26/20

    5 stars
    I love this method! So much easier than cutting it through raw. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • Denise Bustard says

      Posted on 8/15/20 at Posted on 8/15/20

      Glad you enjoyed this method, Carl! I really dislike cutting raw spaghetti squash too 🙂

      Reply
  2. Claire says

    Posted on 2/11/19 at Posted on 2/11/19

    Love the tip about cutting it across instead of horizontal! I also like to cook spaghetti squash whole but if you cut it, it reduces the cooking time so much that it is worth the hassle. But if I have an hour or more, I prefer cooking it whole for sure.

    Reply
    • Denise says

      Posted on 2/11/19 at Posted on 2/11/19

      Hi Claire! If you have an Instant Pot you can cook a whole spaghetti squash in under an hour 🙂

      Reply

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Hi, I'm Denise

Meal prep took me from feeling constantly stressed out about meals to cool, collected and in control. I want to share this amazing and transformational habit with you, so you can feel in control, too! Read more ...

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