How to cook spaghetti squash
Spaghetti Squash needs more love.
I don’t think spaghetti squash gets nearly enough love. In the fall, there’s so much hype around pumpkin and butternut squash recipes, but spaghetti squash is nowhere to be found. Maybe because of a lack of knowledge about how to cook it or what to pair with it, but spaghetti squash is a more versatile vegetable than you might think. I don’t think it needs to be complicated. Roast simply with olive oil, salt, and pepper until slightly caramelized and tender. Make a simple homemade pasta sauce with layers of flavor from wine, herbs, onion, and jarred sun-dried tomatoes. Top it all with tangy goat cheese, yum. Savory, saucy, tangy, and satisfying. It's my go-to fall squash dinner, plus there’s a built-in bowl!
Pasta alternative.
Spaghetti squash was a nostalgic childhood favorite of mine. The fun spaghetti-like texture made it super memorable to eat. My mom would make this staple seasonal recipe for my brother and me every winter. She would make it one of two ways: roasted with brown sugar and butter or with pasta sauce and meatballs. It's so simple, but I could have eaten it every day.
In this blog post, I’ll cover my favorite way to cook spaghetti squash step by step, some helpful roasting tips, and share my go-to easy spaghetti squash recipe. Let’s get into it.
How to cook spaghetti squash
The recipe above is my spaghetti squash with homemade sun-dried tomato sauce and goat cheese. This simple seasonal dinner is ready in less than an hour.
Spaghetti Squash Cooking Tips
How to pick spaghetti squash.
I’ve found when picking spaghetti squash at the grocery store or farmers market that smaller the better. Very large spaghetti squash tend to have a more coarse texture and bitter squashy flavors. The smaller ones are a little sweeter and have more tender noodle strands.
Roasting spaghetti squash.
High temp roasting. 440 degree f. for 30-35 minutes depending on your oven. This method creates squash with yummy caramelized edges and concentrated squash sweetness. Also results in al dente strands that aren't mushy but perfect for those squash noodles.
Cutting spaghetti squash.
Spaghetti squash can be difficult to cut through. To make this as easy as possible you’ll need a sharp chef’s knife and a sturdy cutting board that won’t move around or slip. You can use a damp paper towel under your cutting board to keep it in place. Resting the squash horizontally on the board is best, then I like to slowly work my knife from the top of the squash, then down the side and work my way around.