How To Cook A Spaghetti Squash - The Easy Way! - Cassidy's Craveable Creations

4.67 from 3 votes

How To Cook A Spaghetti Squash - The Easy Way!

This is the absolute easiest way to cook a spaghetti squash and it comes out perfect every time!

Course gluten free, Grain Free, keto, Main Course, paleo

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 45

Total Time 50

Servings Servings

Calories 75kcal

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
Place the spaghetti squash on baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, or soft enough to cut. Puncture the squash several times with a sharp knife if you're worried about it exploding in the oven. This has never happened to me and I don't *think* it's in the oven long enough to explode before cutting, but feel free to puncture it if you're worried about it.
Carefully slice the squash in half lengthwise (or width-wise, either will work) with a sharp knife.
Drizzle the squash with olive oil and lightly season with salt and pepper if desired.
Place flesh side down and continue roasting for 15 - 25 minutes, depending on size of squash. If your squash is particularly small, check after 10 minutes just to ensure you don't overcook it. To check for doneness, flip one half of the spaghetti squash over and run a fork down the top edge of the squash. The squash is done cooking when the fork easily forms spaghetti-like strands with an al-dente (slightly firm) texture. Do not over cook or it will be mushy and ruin the dish!
Once done, allow to cool enough to handle. Scoop out the seeds and discard them. Then use a fork to gently scrape out the flesh, the squash will come out in noodle-like strands.

Nutrition facts are for ¼ of a spaghetti squash.
Spaghetti Squashes vary a lot in size. Because of this, I can't give you an exact baking time. So you'll need to keep a close eye on it.
Do not overcook or it will turn out mushy and ruin the dish!
To check for doneness, flip one half over. Then, run a fork down the top edge. The squash is done cooking when the fork easily forms spaghetti-like strands with an al-dente (slightly firm) texture.
A reader kindly commented that an un-punctured squash runs the risk of exploding in the oven. While this has never happened to me (and I don't think it's in the oven long enough to explode), puncture several times with a sharp knife if you're worried about it.
I've also had readers comment that they put their's in the microwave 2-3 minutes to soften before cutting and baking. While I've never tried this, it sounds like a good time saver!