How to Cook Spaghetti Squash (The Best Way!)
Here's the best way to cook spaghetti squash! Cut it in half, scoop out the seeds, rub a little olive oil and salt on the inside, and roast in the oven cut-side down. No mush, no fuss, just tender and delicious spaghetti squash!
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on August 29, 2024
Let’s talk about spaghetti squash for a minute. I’m working on a fun stuffed spaghetti squash recipe for fall. I noticed that there are quite a few different ways that people suggest cooking spaghetti squash.
Here are the suggested methods:
- Baked or microwaved whole
- Steamed in a pan of water in the oven
- Sliced into rings and baked
- Halved lengthwise or crosswise, baked cut-side up or down
Sure, all of those options will work, but I have a strong preference for one method. My preferred method reduces the amount of moisture in the squash and yields golden, caramelized edges that add extra flavor.
Here’s my trick: Cut the spaghetti squash in half from the stem end to the base, rub the inside lightly with olive oil, and roast it cut-side down on a baking sheet. There’s a little more to it (see the recipe below), but that’s the gist.
Easy, right? No fuss, no mush, just tender and delicious spaghetti squash! This way, the moisture pools on the pan instead of collecting inside the spaghetti squash, and you end up with a perfect built-in bowl that you can load up with toppings.
How to Slice Your Spaghetti Squash in Half
Spaghetti squash has thick walls, which can be difficult to cut through. You’ll need a sharp chef’s knife and a good cutting board that won’t slip. Pro tip: Place your cutting board on a lightly damp paper towel or kitchen towel to keep it in place.
The trick is to create a flat surface so you can slice through the squash safely. Here’s how I do it (see the video below for visuals, and be careful):
- First, rest the squash horizontally on the cutting board. Hold the squash firmly in place with your non-dominant hand.
- We’re going to cut off the tip-top and bottom edges, so keep your hand several inches away from where you’ll be slicing. With your dominant hand, use a sharp chef’s knife to cut off the top. Turn the squash around 180 degrees and slice off the bottom, again keeping your hand far away from the knife.
- Then, turn the squash upright, with the widest end against the non-slip cutting board. This gives us a stable position for slicing. Start at the top and slice downward. Your hands should never be beneath the knife, or in danger’s way.
If at any point you are uncomfortable with this technique, stop and ask someone for help. Safety first!
More Reasons to Love Spaghetti Squash
Spaghetti squash is a nutritious winter vegetable that offers lots of fiber, beta-carotene, folate and more. It offers a really fun, spaghetti-like texture and built-in bowl shape. See how I turned it into a burrito bowl?
Spaghetti squash is a good stand-in for pasta, and also plays nicely with a variety of other flavors. It goes particularly well with these ingredients:
- Tomatoes and tomato sauce (marinara)
- Parmesan or other cheeses
- Garlic and onions
- Basil and thyme
- Bell peppers
- Carrots
- Mushrooms
- Vinegar: balsamic, sherry, red or white wine vinegar
How do like your squash? Please let me know in the comments!
Watch How to Cook Spaghetti Squash
How to Cook Spaghetti Squash (The Best Way!)
Here’s the best way to cook spaghetti squash! Cut it in half, scoop out the seeds, rub a little olive oil and salt on the inside, and roast in the oven cut-side down. No fuss, no mush, just tender and delicious spaghetti squash! Recipe as written yields 2 baked squash halves (1 squash total); you can easily bake 4 halves (2 squash) at a time on a large baking sheet.
Ingredients
- 1 spaghetti squash
- 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Sprinkle of salt and pepper
Instructions
- To prepare the spaghetti squash, preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easy clean-up.
- Use a very sharp chef’s knife to cut off the tip-top and very bottom ends of the spaghetti squash. Stand the squash upright on a stable surface and carefully slice through it from top to bottom to divide it in half.
- Use a large spoon to scoop out the spaghetti squash seeds and discard them. Drizzle the insides of each squash half with 1 teaspoon olive oil and rub it all over the inside, adding more oil if necessary. Sprinkle salt and pepper lightly over the interiors of the squash, then place them cut-side down on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 40 to 60 minutes, until the cut sides are turning golden and the interiors are easily pierced through with a fork. Small squash will be done sooner than large squash, naturally!
- Once the squash is done baking, fluff the interiors with a fork to make the insides spaghetti-like. Serve as desired.
Notes
Storage suggestions: Baked spaghetti squash will keep well in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 5 days. Just reheat before serving.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
Recipes Made with Spaghetti Squash
Spaghetti Squash Burrito Bowls
Gluten free and vegan
“I’m a frequent visitor to your blog, and I’ve tried many of your recipes and they’ve all proven to be delicious, but this one, my oh my! I’ve never tried spaghetti squash before, and thought this was a great way to start and boy was I right! The spiciness from the salsa verde combined with the crunch of the slaw and sweetness of the squash… wow! Thank you, thank you. Just perfect and delicious.” – Anya
Mediterranean Spaghetti Squash Bowls
Gluten free and easily vegan
“This. Was. Marvelous! I left out the olives and bravely served it to workers doing some landscaping and they LOVED it! I was worried about the pesto being too zingy, but it’s not as pronounced when assembled with everything else. Thanks for another amazing recipe as I’m never disappointed with Cookie and Kate!” – Holly
Spaghetti Squash “Pizza” Bowls
Gluten free
“I just happened to have a spaghetti squash in my house so I was delighted to see this recipe in my inbox today. I gave it a try and was so impressed. It was incredibly delicious and satisfying. It does take a bit of time, but now I have the second half to look forward to at another meal. It’s also a very pretty dish and I can see serving it to a group of similarly health-focused girlfriends!” – Danielle
Perfect! I’ve been eating it with your delicious faux parmesan and some tomato sauce, and it’s incredibly satisfying!
Thanks for sharing, Thera!
if I don’t have olive oil can I use butter
You can try it! I haven’t tried it, but let me know what you think.
First of all, thank you! You are my go-to for vegetarian recipes as your recipes are so easy to follow and everything turns out so yummy! I love spaghetti squash and even grow it in my garden, but I have not yet mastered the perfect preparation until I followed your “the best way” and it turned out the absolute best! Now we need to find an easy way to cut these rolly things without cutting our fingers…I’m thinking I’ll try a small mitre saw next time?
I’m so happy to hear C+K is a favorite of yours, Suzanne! Yes, be very careful cutting. Try using a sharp knife and cut the ends off first before you stand and cut down the center. I hope this helps!
This is so much better than microwaving them!!! I’m making these for thanksging!! After the sea salt and pepper, and olive oil, I rub garlic all over them.. this recipe is a keeper…
Yes, much better in the oven! Thanks, Diane.
My first time making spaghetti squash came out perfectly thanks to your recipe!
Wonderful, Becki!
By far the best technique I’ve found to prepare spaghetti squash. It turned out perfectly! Thank you
Great! Thanks for letting me know, Dean.
That sounds so delicious!!!I really like the recipe. It looks really delicious and easy to make.Thanks for your sharing.
You’re welcome, Anthony!
Delish….makes diet so much better when we can still have healthy meatballs and spaghetti. THANK YOU
You’re welcome!
WOW, this look so yummy and easy to do, I am big fan of spaghetti, I can’t wait to try do it
Thanks! Let me know what you think, Lisa.
Great recipe, 10 points for your creativity
Thanks for the refresher. I needed to remind myself what oven temperature to use and thought I’d add a little more to the process that I’ve found helps me gets a more spaghetti like consistency. I sprinkle salt on the squash (liberally) and let it sit for 10 or 15 minutes or so. This pulls out a lot of the moisture prior to baking. Then I pull up the juices with some paper towel and re-season it and spray it with oil. Sometimes placing it face down doesn’t work for me (especially with larger squashes) but salting and removing some of the moisture prior to baking does the trick.
I’m glad you found this helpful. Thanks for sharing your process, Paul!
Thank you for this information,
I’m substituting Spaghetti Squash for pasta in a spaghetti dish tonight and this helped tremendously :-)
What did you think, David?
It was awesome!
We didn’t even miss the pasta :-)
Thanks again!
This recipe worked perfectly. The squash came out crispy on the outside, sweet on the inside, so easy and really tasty. Thank you!
You’re welcome, Nadia!
Hi Kathryne!!
I’m making my first spaghetti squash with sauce to go with our NY strip roast tonite for Christmas Eve. Thank you so much for the recipe!
Merry Christmas
Mary and family ❤️
You’re welcome!
I’ve been cooking spaghetti squash forever but your way was best. Will try the add-ons you have. I usually used pesto and pares an with little evoo.
Thanks for sharing, Windell!
I’ve found that throwing some fresh garlic under the squash while you cook it adds another layer of yummy flavor (of you love garlic like I do or need to prep for a vampire invasion) lol
That sounds like something I might need to try! Thanks, Becca!
Excellent! I I love all sqash butthis squash is wonderful because kids think its just yellow spagetti and eat it right up! A little butter or avocado oil S&P, you’re done! Thank you Cookie & Kate!
You’re welcome! I’m happy it was a hit with the kids. I appreciate the review, Donna.
The best spaghetti squash I ever had. Thanks for the recipe.
You’re welcome! Thanks for your review!
Was going to do face up with butter like acorn. Tried the recipe, much better face down with the olive oil and salt and pepper.
I’m glad you tried it and liked it! Thanks for your review, Devin.
I am looking at the recipe and don’t see where it gives an oven temperature?
See step 1. It’s 400 degrees!
Perfect way to make spaghetti squash! Once cooked, I added a mixture of farro, sauteed mushrooms, and pumpkin sauce and served in in the spaghetti squash. Absolutely delicious!
brilliant! thanks for your recipes and knowledge i was given 4 big ones and had no idea what they were nor how to use! I made an executive guess and roasted with a mediterranean style filling and now I have found these recipes which is aweseome. Not commonly used like this in
Australia and my sister and mother are chefs and they did not help!
You’re welcome, Gina! I’m glad the recipe came in handy. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for all the beautifully captured visuals!! The short video of how to cook the squash made me smile! Thank you: )
You’re welcome!
Perfect directions, perfect results, except, I left the tips on. Real butter, sea salt and fresh-ground black pepper. Delicious!
Thanks for sharing, Terry! If you would want to leave a star review since you liked it so much, that would be great.
The hard time cooking spaghetti squash I cook it for 45 minutes in the oven at 400 and it still comes out kind of hard what can I do to make it taste better
Hi Derinda, depending on the size of your squash, it may need a full hour in the oven to cook all the way through.
Perfect! This turned out wonderful! My one suggestion is, don’t throw out the seeds! I baked those on a piece of parchment on the same pan and snacked on them while I was waiting for the rest of the squash to finish. The whole thing was delish!!
Thanks for sharing, Jessica!
You left off the oven temperature.
See step one. :) It’s set to 400 degrees. I hope this helps!
Your preferred method is exactly how I do it. Obviously I have to agree that it is the best way. I usually make a spaghetti squash chow mein but after seeing your burrito bowl, I have to try that. It looks amazing! Thank you.
I’m glad you agree, Brian!
I enjoy your writing style genuinely loving this website.
Thank you!
What a gorgeous idea! We absolutely love spaghetti! Definitely need to try these!
Thank you, Olga!
I have always baked my squash and after a couple of bland bowls of spaghetti I started rubbing it with olive oil and seasoning the inside with whatever spices I would be using in recipe. Spaghetti gets Italian seasoning plus extra garlic, onion and S&P. Lasagna gets about the same, taco gets cumin, chili powder, smoked chipotle pepper…you get the idea. I do them upright so seasoning stays inside and bake lower temperature for longer time to get more flavor.
I like the seasoning idea! Thank you for sharing, Gina.
This recipe looks amazing! I’m so excited to try it.What would be something good to serve with this?
You can make this into a full meal! Check out my suggestions in the post. :)
Excellent! I added a little garlic salt! Yum! Thank You!
You’re welcome!
What temp. Do we bake the squash?
See step one :)
Spaghetti Squash is great! Now making it easy. something I never thought about before. Thanks for your recipe
You’re welcome! How did you serve it?
I made the spaghetti squash and it turned out great. I also made a paleo creamy tomato shrimp sauce to go over it using coconut milk instead of heavy cream it is amazing
Thanks for sharing!
Followed the recipe and my first attempt baking spaghetti squash was perfect. Thanks for sharing your recipe.
Great to hear, Robin!
This is exactly the only way I cook spaghetti squash. Perfect every time. I add some bacon, sauteed onions and a bit of mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Perfect for breakfast, lunch, a dinner side or any time!
Thanks, Kimberly!
Basic way to cook spaghetti squash. Always a winner. The seeds are also good, drizzled with a little olive oil, or butter, seasonings and baked. Just like pumpkin seeds are. They are a treat as well.
Thank you, Nancie!
Oh my goodness, this was amazing!!!
This recipe was PERFECT. Thank you so much for posting this! I served it with turkey spaghetti sauce from the instant pot. (This old gal’s recipe, subbbed Turkey) I made my boyfriends regular noodles ,just in case, per his request.
He never wanted them! Just ooohed and ahhhed after every bite. Didn’t even want to touch the Parmesan he usually drowns the spaghetti in. Thank you!!!!
I love that! Thanks for sharing, Kacy.
Those recipes look wonderful! I decided to get creative and put my own twist on it. I call it Spaghetti squash taco bowls. I always cook off the hip pocket so I used Turkey burger, onions, corn, dark red kidney beans, fresh spinach and a package of taco seasoning. I cooked the squash following your instructions, filled the bowls after fluffing the squash then added shredded lettuce and tomato and a bit of cilantro. If you like a bit of a bite, add diced jalapenos on top. YUMMY :)
I’m glad you have your own version you love, Danny!
Never too old to learn something new! I’m going to bake my first spaghetti squash today and make a “pasta” primavera with it! We’re trying to eat more veggies and fewer meats and this will definitely do the trick. Think I may roast the other veggies going into the primavera for additional taste and texture. Thanks for the idea on baking the squash.
Thanks for sharing, Carol!
Made it and I can’t thank you enough!! It was delicious with several roasted veggies and marinara sauce. I’m going to check out your other recipes now.
Hi I followed the recipe,cut my squash in 2 de seeded it. THen rubbed in extra virgin olive oil, cracked pepper and sea salt. Roasted in 450 oven for 60 min. It came out beautifully caramelized on the edges. Taste was yummy. Served it with ground turkey sautés in onions and garlic with red gravy. Everyone enjoyed went back for seconds
Thanks for sharing, Bettie!
This doesn’t need a lot ingredients but skills and tips for having a perfect cook. Great to see your post, it looks so good. Thanks for sharing.
You’re welcome!
OKAY, I am gonna do it, my first spaghetti squash. And I am old! Here’s my question. After being refrigerated, what is the best way to reheat WITHOUT an oven — camping!?!? Is this a bad idea?
Thanks, Rebecca
You could eat cold. Or, if you are camping, reheat over a campfire? Have fun!
What is the song in your video? I’m going crazy!
Had no idea about this, till I saw your post, the color looks good and yummy. Thanks for the recipe.
You’re welcome!
I love spaghetti squash cooked this way. One of my favorites for lunch is to make a quick stir fry using the spaghetti squash prepared as in your recipe, crumbled cooked sausage, shredded cabbage & onion. I preheat my wok, add a little oil & start with the squash as it has so much water. When the squash is just starting to carmelize I add the onion, let it carmelize a little more then add the sausage & cabbage. Take just minutes. Reheats well.
Thank you for your comment, Zann!
Excited about looking through more of your spaghetti squash recipes!!!
Let me know which one is your favorite!
I made a creamy white bean sauce and served it over the speghetti squash. Just like beans and macaroni my mother use to make …
Thank you for sharing! Sounds delicious.
Very good!! Easy to make!! Thank you for your recommendations. I made it as you suggested. Then added my own tomato, vegetable sauce on top with some Parmesan. Tasted like spaghetti. My 17 year old at first said no thanks but I insisted she try it – she did – she really liked it. I served it alongside a homemade burger – no bun. Delicious.
Thank you for sharing, Jane!