Fall is the time of year to eat squash, squash, and nothing but squash! If you’re anything like I used to be, cooking all these different types of squashes can be stressful and confusing. Say goodbye to those feelings and learn how to cook perfect spaghetti squash every time – with only 5 minutes of hands on time! Use the cooked spaghetti squash in place of pasta in your favorite comfort food dishes or in cozy casseroles.
First, slice off the ends of your spaghetti squash, and cut it in half. Scoop out the seeds and discard.
Rub the halves with a little olive oil and sprinkle on some salt and pepper.
Place cut side down on a pan that’s been lightly sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Roast in a 400 degree (F) oven for about 40-60 minutes. It’ll take on the longer end of that time frame if it’s a larger squash. It’s done when you can easily pull away the spaghetti squash strands with a fork.
And, the edges will be nice and caramelized from roasting the squash directly on the pan.
And that’s it! Seriously – it’s one of the easiest things to make and once you know how to make it, you won’t want to stop. Total meal prep win!
Need some inspiration for what to make with your Spaghetti Squash?
Chicken and Broccoli Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
Burrito Spaghetti Squash Boats
Roasted Garlic and Kale Spaghetti Squash with Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Did you make this recipe? Snap a photo!
Be sure to follow bluebowlrecipes on instagram and tag #bluebowlrecipes with your photo! You can also post a photo of your recipe to the bluebowlrecipes Facebook page. I’d love to see what you make!
How to Cook Perfect Spaghetti Squash
Ingredients
- 1 large spaghetti squash
- 2 tsp olive oil
- salt
- pepper
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Prep the Squash: Slice the ends off the squash, then slice the whole thing in half, lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and discard. Rub the insides of the squash with the olive oil, and sprinkle with a generous amount of salt and pepper.
- Roast: Lightly spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray. Place the squash, cut side down, on the baking sheet and cook for 40-60 minutes - a larger squash will take closer to 50 or 60 minutes. To check if the spaghetti squash is done, flip one of the halves over, and try scraping at the inside with a fork - if the strands of squash come off easily, it's done! You can always taste a piece as well - it will have a slight crunch to it but it shouldn't be hard. If you try to pierce through the outside skin with a fork to check doneness, it may not puncture easily, but you should also be able to easily pierce the squash through (from the cut side) with a fork.
- Finish: Scrape all the spaghetti squash out of each of the halves and use in place of pasta in your favorite pasta dishes, casseroles, and anything else you can think of!
Order my new book:
Ann says
Wow, they rightly say that everything ingenious is simple! Why has this idea never crossed my mind? After all, it is really ingenious, simple, fast enough to cook, tasty and healthy. Now I especially often cook pumpkin dishes, because autumn is just the pumpkin season, and I will definitely prepare such an interesting variant of a pumpkin dish. I also love classic spaghetti, but with such a side dish any dish will sparkle with a new taste and aroma. Well done, keep it up, thank you for the idea!