Spaghetti squash is an oval-shaped, hard winter squash. When cooked the flesh turns into spaghetti-like strands that make a wonderful paleo substitute for pasta. The catch? Once you bring that golden gourd home, you’re left wondering how to cook spaghetti squash. Thankfully, it’s easy.
No Fancy Gadgets Needed!
When you make spaghetti squash noodles you don’t need a spiralizer or any other fancy kitchen gadgets. There are several simple ways to cook spaghetti squash. It can be cut into sections and steamed on the stove, or you can learn how to cook spaghetti squash in the oven.
How to Cook Spaghetti Squash Safely and Easily
Cooking a whole, uncut spaghetti squash in the oven avoids the process of wielding a huge knife and stabbing at a giant hard squash. After it’s cooked, you can cut through the tender flesh easily and safely. The other benefit of this cooking method? When the flesh is sealed inside the squash it retains flavor and moisture. Looking for healthy paleo noodles? Look no further. Your pasta dreams are about to come true!
- 1 medium spaghetti squash, about 3 pounds
- Place whole (uncut) spaghetti squash on a parchment paper lined baking sheet
- Using a fork, poke the squash twice
- Bake at 350°F for 60-80 minutes
- Allow spaghetti squash to cool for 20-30 minutes
- Cut squash open with a knife
- Using a spoon scoop out seeds
- Scrape the flesh out of the squash into stringy noodles
- Serve
Low-Carb Noodles for the Keto Diet
I make spaghetti squash noodles for myself whenever the rest of the family is eating packaged gluten-free noodles. If you like healthy spaghetti squash noodles, you’ll love my post called, Paleo Pasta: Healthy Low-Carb Swaps for Noodles, which features other healthy vegetable noodles along with their carb counts. Vegetable noodles are wonderful pasta substitute for those following a Ketogenic Diet.
Easy Low-Carb Spaghetti Squash Recipes
I often serve spaghetti squash with coconut oil and cinnamon, or with Bolognese. I also have a fabulous recipe in my latest book Paleo Cooking from Elana’s Pantry for a Paleo Pad Thai that uses spaghetti squash noodles! And you’ll definitely want to try my low-carb, keto Mac n Cheese Skillet Casserole recipe, made from spaghetti squash!
-M says
My 7yo really likes spaghetti squash this way! Maybe even more than Tinkyada or Capello’s GF pastas. Thank you! (She also prefers cauli-rice to real rice. My husband and I enjoy it too!
Elana says
-M, that is fantastic!
Robin says
Elena-I have made 1 spaghetti squash in my life. I baked it. Scooped out the seeds. Took a fork and did the noodles part. Added my sauce. Took a bite and threw it all away. All I could taste was squash! I was told that the squash will take on the sauce taste. What did I do wrong? I am thinking I may not have scooped far enough down into the squash before doing the noodle part? Help!
Elana says
Robin, I love spaghetti squash, but it does have a somewhat squash-like flavor. It’s amazing with pesto and other sauces, but it just might not be your thing :-)
Sharon says
Is their any way you can cook noodles and make them crunchy. When I was younger my mother forced me to eat alot of vegetables so I usually eat fresh or crunchy ( stir fry texture).Do you have any suggestions to you blessings
Elana says
Sharon, to get that result you might want to experiment with the cooking time and reduce it a bit :-)
GIna says
What about an air fryer?
CJ says
My suggestion is to set the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the squash in half lenthwide and remove seeds. Salt and pepper the cut sides then flip over and place face down on parchment lined cookie sheet. The squash takes anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes and if you like it crunchy as I do, test after 20 minutes with a fork..if the fork goes in fairly hard take it out of the oven. If it is really hard for the fork to go in keep testing after 5 minutes. What you DON’T want is the fork to slide in super easy for then it will be too soft.
Once out of the oven, place cut side UP, and when you can handle it, shred with a fork..easy peezy!
Bob says
I tried another method I saw. Cut it in half and put it in a baking dish with about an inch of water. I think you could bake it, but it also said you could microwave it for about 12 minutes. It worked pretty well, but the next time I think I may try baking it or microwaving it a little longer as it was a little “crunchy” as my spaghetti pasta. Still pretty good, ‘tho.
Elana says
Bob, glad you liked the spaghetti squash. It’s one of our favorite vegetables!
Shauna Meyer-Reimers says
Kindly; how do I store extra spaghetti squash noodles and reheat?
Thank you,,
Shauna
Elana says
Shauna, After it is fully cooled, I store mine in a glass container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
thornye rose says
A corkscrew is a great tool for drilling holes into the squash. Seems like a fork would again be work.
Microwave it in 5 minute increments or so and it will be less likely to explode and redecorate your house.
Elana says
Thornye, a corkscrew is a great idea!
Heather says
So easy! Duh, why didn’t I think of that? Thanks, E, you’re the best!
Elana says
You’re welcome Heather!
Ericka H. says
My squash always is always watery but I cut in half before baking. Do you know if cooking it whole will help with this?
Elana says
Erika, mine hasn’t ever been watery using the method outlined above.
Jeanette Gitzel says
Roast it so it isn’t watery. I cut in half, scoop seeds, bake at 350 for about 40 min.Do not add water to the pan. Isn’t watery this way.
Elana says
Yes, if you follow the directions in the recipe and cook the spaghetti squash on a baking sheet it will not be watery. Definitely do not cook the spaghetti squash in water :-)
john fleming says
to prepare squash so its not watery ,fork spaghetti squash onto paper towel and Pat squash dry let sit and when its dry serve or refrigerate.. try using it with cooked mushrooms ,red pepper, ground turkey or hamburger and tomato sauce
Wendi says
I love to crisp it up with a bit of dill in a sauté pan.
Elana says
Wendi, that sounds good!
Maureen says
FYI, I’ve tried your method of cooking the squash whole in the oven. While it is very convenient I did have one explode. It blew the oven door open completely and spaghetti squash was everywhere….so beware!
Elana says
Maureen, definitely a good reminder to poke holes in the squash before it goes in the oven :-)
Lavi a says
Hello, thank you again for the great idea!
Now I know why mine were so unsuccessful – I’d grate them raw, then boil them, not bad but these seem way better. And I’ve come to fully trust your recipes. :)
All the best,
Lavi Andrei
Elana says
Lavi, I’m so glad that you are enjoying my recipes!!!
CJ says
I have been cooking spaghetti squash for years, and because I like it to be on the crunchy size, or, have a “bite” to it, like pasta, I cut it in half, sprinkle salt and paper on each cut side, put it cut side down on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper and cook at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. For me, I know it is done when I have to apply a little pressure to push a fork into the skin. I let it sit on a cutting board until cool enough to handle and then rake it with a fork to get the strands. Then, top with favorite sauce, or oil and parmesan cheese! Can also be mixed with pesto, or sautéed with anything your heart desires after baking.
Cooking it in the microwave, cut in half, I have found makes it much too soggy.
Elana says
CJ, I seem to be the only one that doesn’t have a microwave :-)
Mary says
I have a microwave but it is small and is mostly used when a stranger wants to reheat something in a hurry. (My friends know better.)
Also used for reheating rice bags when needed for warmth.
CJ says
i WOULD NEVER USE A MICROWAVE FOR COOKING THIS SQUASH :))
Kay says
how do you keep it from making your recipes so watery? we love it but when I make a casserole with it it makes everything so watery even after I let it sit and drain in a colander overnight? thank you
Elana says
Kay, use the method outlined above and bake it in the oven, not a microwave!
Janine says
Please can you tell what type of squash you use ? Is it Gem Squash , Hubbard Squash? Being diabetic I thought squashes were no no
Elana says
Janine, I use spaghetti squash. Here’s a link to a post with more information on the carbs for you:
https://elanaspantry.com/low-carb-noodles/
Enjoy!
Elana
Stephenie says
I LOVE roasting the seeds.. they are so delicious! Thanks for sharing this — I actually have a whole spaghetti squash in the oven as I type! Hopefully, the seeds will still be okay to roast afterwards… we’ll see! :)
tracy says
I think if you cook your squash whole you are wasting the seeds… They are so good for you!!! I cut my squash in half, oil the inside of both halves and place upside down on a cookie sheet to cook. I then clean season and roast the wonderful seeds!!! What a bonus!
Elana says
That sounds delicious Tracy!
Sunny says
I always seem to have very watery “noodles” when I try this….like others who have had same comment.
Is it low in carbs? Curious for the diabetics
Elana says
Sunny, mine hasn’t ever been watery using this method. Here’s a link to a post with more info on carbs for you:
https://elanaspantry.com/low-carb-noodles/
Enjoy!
Elana
Fiona says
Wonderful and simple guide. Spaghetti squash feeds my cravings for pasta!
Elana says
Me too!
betsy bruce says
what is spaghetti squash, in England we just call it a squash, l haven’t heard of a spaghetti squash
Annie Laney says
It is actually a squash which has stringy flesh when cooked, just like noodles! It is my go to for noodles as i stay low carb!
Marina says
My sphagetti squash is always watery when cooking it like this. What am I doing wrong?
Elana says
Marina, make sure to poke holes in it and use an oven, not a microwave :-)
gail says
I make my spaghetti squash the same way. In my area of upstate New York we have a dish called Chicken Riggies. It is made with a tomatoe sauce which has cream in it peppers, garlic and a few other spices. and chunks of chicken. I substituted the spaghetti squash instead of the pasta rigatoni. It was better than with the pasta. The squash takes the flavors it is mixed with and is quite pleasing
Lacie says
Gail, can I please have your recipe for chicken riggies? That sounds sooo good!!!
Chris Zaccharia says
Oh.. Squash spag.. :))) I love to try this!!
Elana says
:-)
Apryl says
I cooked it exactly how you suggested, and it turned out wonderful. It was so easy! Thanks for posting this.
Elana says
So glad it turned out wonderful Apryl!
Kathy says
Loved this way to cook the squash!!! I poked a few holes just in case and it worked perfect at about 60 minutes. I discovered another HUGE time saver! I scooped the seeds out with a melon ball tool and then did same with the squash. Worked fantastic! Also works really well on other squashes before and after baking.
Tora says
Oh so there’s a spaghetti squash! It’s my first time to know about this. Great!
Elle says
I have heard so much about spaghetti squash and how it’s such a great alternative to real pasta.
I have yet to try it. Surprisingly, the recipe doesn’t look as difficult as I had imagined.
Putting the entire squash in the oven first to get it soft and tender is a great tip.
I have had my share of trying to cut it raw with a knife and it can get pretty dangerous.
Nick says
Spaghetti squash is so versatile. You can cook it in different ways, cut up or whole, by baking, boiling, microwaving, or even in a crock pot. Thanks for the share!
Julie Earnest says
Elana, I LOVE your recipes and your cookbooks!!! And I cook pumpkin, kabocha squash, and spaghetti squash this way all the time….never cut in half, too hard! -BUT I have had squashes explode in the oven, so I highly recommend cutting two slits by piercing a sharp knife into the squash/pumpkin!
Best,
Juile
Clarissa says
Be sure to pierce the squash with a sharp knife in several places before baking–I had one blow up in my newly cleaned conventional oven!
kendra says
I am glad my friend recommended your website, as Gluten Free Girl refuses to make any substitutions for recipes and her food has been meh. I can’t wait to try the squash.
Judi says
This has brought back soo many memiries of my Mom I will be making some soon
Natalie Westlake- Di Sensi says
Hi , just was sent ur link for Spaghetti Squash and as my sugar numbers are a bit high I want to try this in place of Pasta, Question I have can I use Tomato sauce on it!with mybe some onions & peppers
Oge | healthy food delivery says
Hi Natalie,
Oge | healthy food delivery says
Hi Natalie (attempt 2)
Not sure if you will see this, but I know Elena cannot answer all the comments, so I thought I’d take a stab at answering your question.
Yes, you can use the spaghetti squash just like a vegetable noodle base for almost any pasta sauce, and it works pretty well. I have tried it with marinara sauce in the past it worked great, and from Elena’s comment about the Bolognese sauce at the very end of her post, I gather that must be fantastic as well. Enjoy!
Marina says
I have tried this method x2 and both times the squash was very watery and mushy not like yours in the pictures above. Any idea why?
Many thanks
MAvis Mackin says
I too love using Spaghetti squash over processed pasta. I want to share a frightening experience I had with cooking the squash. It’s so hard and frankly dangerous, to cut the squash before cooking it. I thought it might be fine to cook it in the microwave whole. I many, many holes in it before I put it in the microwave. Cut in half I’d usually bake it for 20 minutes. I hit time cook, walked away and about 15 minutes in…the door blew open, the microwave rack flew out and squash was everywhere. Needless to say I now go for the more dangerous method of cutting it in half before baking!
Heidi says
If you cut it before putting it in the oven then you only bake for 20 minutes.
I usually cut it lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, put it open side down on a glass baking dish, bake on 400 for 20 minutes. Poke with a fork to make sure it is cooked through.
Penny says
Thank you so much for including pictures! Even though I can read (lol), it’s so nice to have pics when you’re trying something new. I started trying to eat healthier the low carb way the first of the year. So far I’ve lost 34lbs. Thanks again for explaining this to the point where I’m not afraid to try something new.
DeNeen McDougald says
Elana,
After I scoop out the seeds can I eat them?
Heather says
My favorite way to cook spaghetti squash is whole and in the microwave. I read a few comments that stated their squash blew up in the microwave. The easiest way to prevent this is to poke holes in the squash to allow steam to escape. I use a steak knife to poke about 8 holes. My spaghetti squash last night was finished cooking in 12 minutes, but it all depends on size. ^_^ hope that helps some people out.
Lily Sieu says
Hi Elana!
I love your blog and books! I find that cooking spaghetti squash with seasoning makes it much more palatable for me. If I’m serving spaghetti I use garlic, white pepper and oregano rubbed into the uncooked squash halves. I really like your idea to use parchment! It makes for easy clean up!
Serena says
I’ve recently changed to cooking mine in the oven- I prefer it over microwave. However, I definitely prefer it cut in half. I don’t like really moist spaghetti squash.
CJ says
If it is a fresh spaghetti squash it cuts in half easily. I prefer to cut it in half, remove seeds, salt and pepper each cut half, and place cut side down on a parchment lined baking sheet. Roast in oven set at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. I don’t like it mushy, but some tooth to it like pasta so I start testing it with a fork after about 25 minutes..the fork should not slide into the squash real easy for then it will be mushy. Let cool on cutting board a bit and then scrape with a fork and serve with your favorite sauce..yummy!
Kasha @ The FarmGirl Cooks says
I love the idea of Pad Thai with spaghetti squash! Looking forward to reading the recipe… off to order your book!
Niki says
I have wanted to try baking the squash whole and was too afraid – thank you for liberating this process for me…. cut/scoop second – love. Makes such good sense.
Nana says
Elana, Thank you so much for the instructions. I bought a spaghetti squash at the farmer’s market and planned to cook it tonight. I’m so glad to know that I can cook it whole.
Jennifer, How did you cook yours in the slow cooker? Did you use any water? Cook for how long?
Jennifer Stephenson says
I have also used my slow cooker to cook spaghetti squash. It was a breeze and turned out beautifully!
Kay N. says
I cooked a spaghetti squash and an acorn squash together in my Nesco. I set it at 350 degrees and cooked about 2+ hours, however, next time I will cook it for less time. I did set them on the rack and added some water to the bottom of the pan….also punched a few slits with a knife.
Dee says
I just used my slow cooker for the first time with spaghetti squash, so easy and great that it was waiting for me. I have tried microwave also. Must try to cut equator for longer strings.
elise says
I was introduced to Spaghetti Squash back in college. My friend made it just like this, in place of noodles, and we ate it with red “spaghetti” sauce (it was delicious). She told her roommate, who was always skeptical of new things, that it was “angel hair pasta”. I think he was actually fooled for a minute, and we all had a good laugh afterwards.
Leah says
I recommend piercing the squash a few times with a knife (like you do for baked potatoes) to avoid explosions. I’ve had a few explode when I forgot to do so!
We cook ours this way then sauté with butter, garlic & herbs of choice. Really yummy.
Lucy Lou says
So is it the same way to tell if it’s ready? I don’t want my noodles too soggy. I usually use my knife and pierce it to tell how ready it is.
Lisa says
I love cooking spaghetti squash whole. it is absolutely the easiest way to cook it!
MamaCassi says
I always cook mine exactly like this! my kids also LOVE ‘noodle’ squash and we have to plan the meal to make sure there’s enough to go around.
i’ve taken to just roasting a few squash at a time like this (usually a butternut or two and a spaghetti squash) so that i always have an easy go-to veggie in the fridge. often w/ the butternut squash i’ll cut rounds and fry them in coconut oil and sprinkle w/ sea salt for a super-fast and delicious side dish!
elise says
That sounds like a fabulous way to cook Butternut squash. I love it any way, but usually just roast it.
Dena says
As a kid, my mom made this for us and we rejected it. As an adult, I started longing for it, knowing that it’s not pasta but I love squash, so I’d no doubt like it! I made it twice this past month, and it’s a hit with everyone! My 12 y.o. daughter loves to top it with cheese and sauce. My “no weird foods, please” partner actually was excited when I made it a second time!
I’ve been cutting it in half (mainly because I always start cooking too late), and the other day I saved the seeds and roasted them. They were even better than pumpkin seeds!
My question: If I cook it whole, will the seeds still be roast-able? Or will they be too moist to then roast?
MamaCassi says
i’ve never tried to roast the seeds again afterwards, but often the kids and i will eat them kinda like boiled peanuts- they’re easy to get out of the shell and white and delicious.
in fact, no matter how i cook squash, we always try to eat the seeds.
but you could try roasting them again afterwards to crisp them up.
Rebecca says
Perfect! I bought a spaghetti squash a few days ago and was looking for a good recipe. Until now nothing really convinced me and the squash is still waiting to be devoured, but this sounds fabulous. Thanks!
Amy says
So one time I tried to cook the spaghetti squash in the microwave. I read online it was okay so it must be, right? Well, I was in the other room when the squash blew up and the contents went all over the kitchen…maybe the oven will be less eventful :)
Annette Baker says
The same thing happened to me. I was still finding seeds 2 weeks later and even found that two had sailed through the pass-through into the living room and were on the couch. What a mess to clean-up!
Kyra says
I cook them whole in the microwave, You need to stab several vent holes. about 15 minutes for a whole one. I have a turntable in my micro. They cook beautifully.
Also cutting them in half around the equator instead of lengthwise makes for longer strings. The strings run round the equator not lengthwise.
Karen says
I know you had a mess to clean up, but that was a funny story and sounds like something I would’ve done!
Sue says
I cook it in microwave, but I puncture the whole squash with a fork, first. Has never blown up on me.
Alison Scully says
Hi Elana – I’ve never cooked a spaghetti squash whole before. I usually cut it in half, scrape out the ‘guts’ and then bake. It takes a lot less time. Is there some reason why you cook yours whole?
Janelle says
I’ve never cooked it whole before (I’ve always sliced it in half before baking it), but somehow that seems to make better sense to me. I’ll have to try this method!