How to Cut and Cook Spaghetti Squash

Roasted spaghetti squash is our favorite way to cook spaghetti squash! Here's the easy way to roast spaghetti squash in the oven.

By
Lori Rice
Lori Rice
Lori Rice
Lori Rice is a food and beverage writer and photographer. Her work can be found in CiderCraft Magazine, King Arthur Flour’s SIFT Magazine, The Coastal Table, and Plate Magazine, as well as at CraftBeer.com.
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Published October 12, 2021
Lori Rice
Roasted spaghetti squash with a sheet pan and cutting board

Lori Rice

Spaghetti squash is almost magical: you start with a firm oval squash, in appearance not unlike those sitting next to it in the supermarket. But once roasted, spaghetti squash couldn’t be more different than its fellow squash! The flesh breaks into long firm threads that have a striking resemblance to the pasta it’s named for.

Ready to tackle your spaghetti squash? Here's what to know.

Roasted spaghetti squash in a bowl next to whole squash on sheet pan

Lori Rice

What to Know About Cooking Spaghetti Squash

Spaghetti squash tastes like the slightly sweet nuttiness of summer squash with a hint of the winter squash flavor you’d expect from a pumpkin. The long treads almost pop when you bite into them and maintain an al dente quality when roasted.

Spaghetti squash easily takes on the flavors of the recipe you are using it in, which means that sauces, seasonings, and dressings all work well. It can be served like pasta with marinara or pesto, but it’s also delicious baked into breakfast casseroles or served like a pasta salad with olives and crumbled feta.

Whole spaghetti squash and chef's knife on wood cutting board

Lori Rice

Roasting is the Best Way to Cook Spaghetti Squash

There are quite a few ideas out there on how to cook spaghetti squash, but the truth is, it shines best when you roast it. Roasting the squash slightly caramelizes the edges and deepens the flavor.

Roasting also helps dry out the squash so that it easily pulls away from the skin, which is a good thing since spaghetti squash holds a lot of water and you don't want to transfer that liquid to your recipe.

Another important step? Salting spaghetti squash before you roast it! This also works to draw out moisture and keep the squash from being too watery later on.

Of course, each squash is a little different. A vegetable’s water content varies from season to season due to growing conditions. If you find your squash is still too watery even after salting and roasting, let it sit in a strainer to drain excess liquid after it's cooked, kind of like how you’d drain pasta noodles in a colander. You can also squeeze it if you wish, but this tends to crush the threads and take away some of its appealing texture, so do so gently.

Spaghetti squash and chard saute
Elise Bauer

Spaghetti Squash Recipes

Most of the time our ideas for spaghetti squash are inspired by pasta recipes, and it’s true that spaghetti squash is great topped with your favorite marinara or tossed with basil pesto. You can even add a grilled chicken breast or meatballs.

But there's so much more you can do with spaghetti squash! Chop it and stir it into egg bakes and breakfast casserole; use it as burrito and quesadilla fillings; or add it to a vegetable stir-fry. You can also substitute spaghetti squash in noodle dishes such as Pad Thai or use spaghetti squash in place of some of the potatoes in a hashbrown casserole.

Here are a few more recipes to get you inspired:

How to Cut and Cook Spaghetti Squash

Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 35 mins
Cool 10 mins
Total Time 50 mins
Yield 1 squash

The squash will be hard so be sure to use a very sharp, large knife and work carefully.

Ingredients

  • 1 spaghetti squash

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  2. Halve the spaghetti squash:

    Set the squash on a steady surface and line the surface with a dish towel to keep it steady and reduce the chance it will slip. Using a sharp knife, cut the squash in half lengthwise from stem to end.

    Cutting a spaghetti squash in half with a big chef's knife

    Lori Rice
  3. Scoop out the seeds:

    Use a spoon to scrape out and discard the seeds.

    Scoop out spaghetti squash seeds with a spoon

    Lori Rice
  4. Season the squash:

    Place the squash on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Rub it over both sides of the squash.

    Pouring olive oil and salt on halved spaghetti squash

    Lori Rice
  5. Pierce the squash:

    Place the squash cut-side down. Pierce the skin of both halves in a few places with a fork.

    Pierce spaghettis squash with a fork before baking

    Lori Rice
  6. Roast until tender, then cool:

    Place the squash in the oven and roast for 30 to 40 minutes. The squash is done when you can pierce through the skin and the flesh is tender. Flip the squash to be cut-side up and allow it to cool until you can handle it, about 10 minutes.

    Roasted spaghetti squash being pierced by a fork

    Lori Rice
  7. Scoop out the squash:

    Use a fork to break up the flesh of the squash and scrape it away from the skin. Discard the skins. The squash is ready to use. Similar to most cooked vegetables you can also store it in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days before using.

    Scoop out the spaghetti squash flesh away from the skin

    Lori Rice
    Bowl of spaghetti squash

    Lori Rice