How to cook spaghetti squash roasted, microwaved, in the slow cooker and grilled easily and effortlessly!
Cooked spaghetti squash is one of my FAVORITE vegetables to eat because it is so versatile, easy to make and can be turned into a carb-free pasta dish! I have a major love for carbs and (gluten-free) noodles but am not too big a fan of the extra calories that might end up on my “tushi-cushion” (as my boys like to call it).
The first time I had spaghetti squash pasta was at my sister-in-law’s house a few years ago tossed with a sprinkle of butter, salt and pepper on it. Ever since then I have been hooked! And spaghetti squash pasta is a great way to get the kiddos (and husband) eating a whole dish of vegetables!
Spaghetti squash, butternut squash, delicata, buttercup and acorn squash are really simple to cook – in as little as 35 minutes (depending on the size)! I like roasting (or baked) spaghetti squash best- just seems so simple and quick while I make a salad and sauce to go with it.
Now let’s get down to the nitty-gritty on how to cook spaghetti squash.
You can use/eat the whole inside of spaghetti squash. You can cook it whole in the crockpot and microwave or slice it in half for roasting and grilling. Once the squash is fully cooked and slightly cool enough to handle, scoop out the seeds if not already done (meaning if you cooked the squash whole). Using a fork pull and fluff the spaghetti squash to remove the gorgeous yellow “noodles”.
A big dilemma in the past was not knowing how long to cook foods like squash! So here are few tips and tricks that I have learned that will help you in the kitchen.
How To Cook Spaghetti Squash
1. ROASTED
Roasting spaghetti squash is my favorite way to cook spaghetti squash, acorn squash and butternut squash because it brings out a natural sweetness from the fruit (crazy it is a fruit, right?!). To roast, preheat the oven 400 degrees F. Slice the squash in half, scoop out the seeds with a spoon and toss in a bit of olive oil then place on a large baking sheet face down. Pour a dash of water on the baking sheet. Roast for 35-45 minutes until it is soft when poked with a fork. Let the spaghetti squash cool slightly before handling and flip over and with a fork “fluff” and scrape gently out the noodles.
2. MICROWAVE
Place the spaghetti squash on a microwaveable dish whole (poked first with a knife for air) or as halves and cook on high for 9-12 minutes (for halves) and about 12-15 minutes (for a whole squash) until the large center is soft when poked with a knife. Remove and let it cool slightly until it is able to be handled then cut the squash in half (if it is not already) and remove the seeds with a spoon. With a fork “fluff” and scrape (gently) out the noodles.
3. SLOW COOKER
Place the spaghetti squash whole in the slow cooker with about 1-2 inches of water. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours. Remove and slice in half then gently remove the seeds. Using a fork “fluff” the edges scraping down to break up the noodles.
4. GRILLING TIPS AND TIME
Heat the grill on medium-high. Slice the spaghetti squash in half and toss in a bit of olive oil. Wrap it in foil and heat for about 35 minutes (or until soft) continuously flipping to prevent burning.
Now we know how to cook spaghetti squash but what are some fun ways to eat it?
Ways To Eat Spaghetti Squash:
- Replace any spaghetti noodles or pasta dish with spaghetti pasta
- Tossed with marinara sauce and served with chicken parmesan
- Marinara sauce and turkey meatballs
- Mixed with cilantro basil pesto
- Pesto pasta
- Tossed with olive oil, salt, pepper, lemon and mint
One of my favorite ways to eat cooked spaghetti squash is tossed with a little bit of olive oil, salt and pepper and served with a side of avocado and freshly sliced seasonal tomatoes. Yummm!! I eat this all the time for lunch. My mouth is kinda drooling just talking about it:-)
Spaghetti squash is also great to make ahead of time and have the noodles stored in a bowl in the fridge to easily grab and reheat for a quick healthy meal!
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