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How To Cook Spaghetti Squash

March 20, 2015 by Lindsay 45 Comments

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Want to learn how to cook spaghetti squash? Try it three ways: in the microwave, the oven or the crockpot!

How To Cook Spaghetti Squash

Hi Friends!

Way back in December 2012, I wrote a post sharing 3 ways to cook spaghetti squash. It’s become one of my most popular posts and earlier this week I updated the pictures so I thought it’d be a good time to give it a second look.

How To Cook Spaghetti Squash

Learn how to cook spaghetti squash.

Spaghetti squash has become wildly popular lately as a low-carb option to replace spaghetti noodles. It’s paleo-friendly, naturally gluten-free and fairly inexpensive.

Want to learn how to cook spaghetti squash? Here are 3 different ways to try it, plus recipe ideas!

Some people may be hesitant to try it because they’re not sure how to cook spaghetti squash.  Have no fear! I’m here to help.

First let’s talk about how to cut it:

Learn how to cut a spaghetti squash, plus a quick tip for making it easier before you start!

Step 1: Cut the ends off the spaghetti squash.

Step 2: Stand the squash on end and cut in half length-wise.

Step 3: Option 1: Scoop out the seeds and pulp and discard. Option 2: Leave the seeds in and eat them once the squash is cooked. Option 3: Scoop out the seeds and roast them separately.

**Bonus Tip** Spaghetti Squash can be difficult to cut. To make it easier, put the whole squash in the microwave for 2 minutes before trying to cut it!

how to make spaghetti squash easier to cut


There are several ways you can cook spaghetti squash and I think they all have their merits.

3 Ways To Cook Spaghetti Squash

Want to learn how to cook spaghetti squash? Here are three different methods!

I personally like it prepared all three ways but your preparation method of choice may depend on how much time you have. The crockpot method is fix it and forget it. Oven roasted gives it the most flavor. The microwave method is the fastest if you’re pressed for time.

So let’s get started.

Oven Roasted

Oven roasted spaghetti squash

Put the two halves face down on a baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake at 375 degrees F for 45 minutes. Check doneness by pulling a few strands out and taste them. If you want them softer, cook a little longer.

Another oven possibility- try cutting it into rings and baking it!


 In the Crockpot

Poke holes with a knife, put the whole squash in a crockpot with two cups of water. Cook on low 4-6 hours on low depending on size. Mine was about 7-8 inches long, medium sized I’d say. I cooked it 4 hours and it was perfect for me, but I still like it a bit crunchy. If you want the strands softer, cook it another hour or two.

Once it’s done, slice in half, scoop out seeds and pull strands with a fork.



In the Microwave

How to cook spaghetti squash in the microwave!

You have two options for the microwave method. You can either cook it whole or cut in the microwave. If you want to cut it, follow the directions above, then put it on a plate or in a glass dish with a little water and microwave 10-12 minutes.

spaghetti squash cooked in the microwave

To check to see if it’s done, turn it over and pull at the sides with a fork to separate the strings and taste a few. As you can see, I like to leave the seeds in mine!

If you want to cook it whole, stab it all over with a knife, put it on a plate and microwave for 10-12 minutes, rotating every few minutes until it gets squishy. Then cut and separate strings. Remove the seeds if desired.


So it’s cooked, now what?

oven roasted spaghetti squash

Use a fork to pull the strands away from the sides of the cooked squash. Scoop them out or eat straight from the squash!

Want to know how to cook spaghetti squash? Here are 3 ways!

So there you have it! Now that we’ve learned 3 different ways to cook spaghetti squash, you’re probably looking for some recipes ideas to try, right?

Learn how to cook spaghetti squash and then try one of these six delicious recipes!

  • Spaghetti Squash with Vegan Tomato Basil Cream Sauce via Hummusapien
  • The Non-Pizza Pizza via Jennifer Vagios
  • Paleo Spaghetti Squash Casserole via Slim Sanity
  • Black Bean & Veggie Stuffed Spaghetti Squash via Nutritious Eats
  • Lemon Garlic Spaghetti Squash with Hemp & Salmon via Sarah Kay Hoffman
  • Eggplant Parmesan Spaghetti Squash Boats via The Foodie Dietitian

And if you like veggie noodles, check out some of my zucchini noodle recipes!

Zoodles with Chicken and Spicy Almond Butter Sauce

  • Zoodles with Chicken and Spicy Almond Butter Sauce
  • Paleo Shrimp Scampi
  • 6 Quick and Easy Zoodles Recipes

[Tweet “Want to learn how to cook spaghetti squash? @Leangrnbeanblog gives you 3 options!”]

Things like spaghetti squash and other veggies are great for food prep! If you liked this post, you’ll love my ebook – The Ultimate Guide To Food Prep. It dives into even more detail about how to food prep, troubleshoots common problems and provides tons of tips to make it easier! Click the image below for more details!

The Ultimate Guide To Food Prep Ebook

Enjoy!
–Lindsay

PS. I’m thinking about making a Squish with vegetables calendar. Best-seller for sure, right? He looks really cute with the squash but don’t let him fool you. That lasted about 5 minutes. The remainder of the hour was more like the middle picture- me trying to take pictures and him laying on the floor screaming 🙂

squish with squash

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Filed Under: Food Prep, Dinner Tagged With: Squash

About Lindsay

Lindsay Livingston is a Registered Dietitian and new mom from Columbus, Ohio. On her blog, she shares simple, healthy recipes, nutrition tips, workouts and snapshots of her life. Follow her on Twitter @LeanGrnBeanBlog and Instagram @TheLeanGreenBean and be sure to subscribe via RSS or email so you never miss a post!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Linz @ Itz Linz says

    March 20, 2015 at 12:16 AM

    i’ve only made spaghetti squash in the oven – i like the idea of the crockpot option though!

    Reply
    • CARLA says

      March 20, 2015 at 5:49 AM

      OOOH.
      the crockpot had NEVER occurred to me either.

      Reply
  2. GiGi Eats says

    March 20, 2015 at 1:01 AM

    Spaghetti Squash is a daily staple for me! I roast a ton to have for the week, but sometimes I just microwave a whole one if I am short on time! Microwaves are crazy powerful tools!

    Reply
  3. Laura @FitMamaLove says

    March 20, 2015 at 1:12 AM

    I’m not a huge fan of spaghetti squash (eat pasta!), but I’m super impressed that you got your work done with Squish being uncooperative! 🙂

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      March 22, 2015 at 11:03 PM

      i love pasta too 🙂 forever a carb lover!

      Reply
  4. Arman @ thebigmansworld says

    March 20, 2015 at 4:24 AM

    The first time I made spaghetti squash, I overcooked it and it burst in my kitchen lol!

    …This reminds me of your recent insta picture of squish in the background faceplanting. Best. Ever.

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      March 22, 2015 at 11:03 PM

      haha yikes!!

      Reply
  5. Sarah@creatingbettertomorrow says

    March 20, 2015 at 4:54 AM

    I love using the crockpot for mine – easy and I don’t have to tend to it!! But I also love the crispier flavor from the oven!

    Um – I’d totally buy that calendar!

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      March 22, 2015 at 11:02 PM

      i agree!

      Reply
  6. Angela @ Happy Fit Mama says

    March 20, 2015 at 5:38 AM

    I’ve never made it in the crock pot before, mostly the oven. I’ll have to try it!

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      March 22, 2015 at 11:02 PM

      it’s about as easy as it gets!

      Reply
  7. Megan @ Skinny Fitalicious says

    March 20, 2015 at 7:19 AM

    I tried the crockpot a couple times, but my squash is always too big to fit in it! Maybe it’s time for a new crockpot?

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      March 22, 2015 at 11:02 PM

      hmm yeah i’m thinking so 🙂 or a smaller squash lol

      Reply
  8. Pamela Hernandez says

    March 20, 2015 at 7:32 AM

    Love it! I usually boil mine but I may try oven roasting. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      March 22, 2015 at 11:02 PM

      hope you like it!

      Reply
  9. Susie @ SuzLyfe says

    March 20, 2015 at 7:47 AM

    You totally stole my idea! I was going to do a how to about cooking ss in the microwave–that is how I do mine every time, ahaha. Then again, your post is way better than mine ever could have been!

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      March 22, 2015 at 11:01 PM

      haha great minds think alike!

      Reply
  10. Hannah @ CleanEatingVeggieGirl says

    March 20, 2015 at 9:26 AM

    Aww, a Squish calendar with vegetables would be the BEST thing!! You should totally do it. Have a great weekend 🙂

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      March 22, 2015 at 11:01 PM

      haha i might 🙂

      Reply
  11. Eveline says

    March 20, 2015 at 9:39 AM

    This sounds so good. To be honest, I’ve never heard of this spaghetti squash! I wonder if we have it in the Netherlands as well, but I will definitely look for it!

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      March 22, 2015 at 11:01 PM

      hope you can find it!

      Reply
  12. Kara @ The Foodie Dietitian says

    March 20, 2015 at 9:49 AM

    Squish with the squash!! Those pics are so adorable. Totally worth the hour of protest ;). Thanks so much for including my spaghetti squash eggplant parm boats!

    Reply
  13. sassygirl says

    March 20, 2015 at 10:02 AM

    after watching the roast spaghetti squash prep by hungry hungry
    hippie (thanks a million, Elise!) I realize I had been CUTTING the
    s. squash wrong all. this. time. it really should be chopped WIDTH
    wise, NOT length wise. the strands of ‘spaghetti’ forked out of the squash
    are perfect: longer and cooked al dente..not mushy because they’re short.
    I love her technique! 🙂

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      March 22, 2015 at 11:01 PM

      yep! i included a tip about that way as well! very cool!

      Reply
  14. Jen @ pretty little grub says

    March 20, 2015 at 11:21 AM

    I’ve never heard of cooking it in a crockpot. I don’t buy spaghetti squash often although its yummy. I am a hardcore fan of the butternut squash though.

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      March 22, 2015 at 11:00 PM

      wonder if you could do a butternut squash in the crockpot?! probably!

      Reply
  15. Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says

    March 20, 2015 at 11:53 AM

    I microwave mine a bit, cut, then microwave again!

    Reply
  16. Dana | fresh simple five says

    March 20, 2015 at 12:06 PM

    I love oven-roasted spaghetti squash, but it can be time consuming. I would have never thought about using the microwave or even the crockpot! Great tips! And yes, squish looks adorable with the squash! Love the pictures you share of him. 🙂

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      March 22, 2015 at 11:00 PM

      thanks Dana!

      Reply
  17. Melanie @ Nutritious Eats says

    March 20, 2015 at 1:08 PM

    The microwave can be such a lifesaver. Thanks for linking up my recipe! Xo

    Reply
  18. kristin | W [H] A T C H says

    March 20, 2015 at 1:58 PM

    such a good tip to microwave the squash before cutting it. i had no idea!

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      March 22, 2015 at 10:59 PM

      makes it so much easier!

      Reply
  19. Erin @ Erin's Inside Job says

    March 20, 2015 at 2:59 PM

    I haven’t made spaghetti squash in awhile so it may be time to break it out again. I didn’t think about cooking it in the microwave but that’s so great bc I can be super lazy! I usually cook my sweet potatoes that way too.

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      March 22, 2015 at 11:00 PM

      me too! it’s a great time saver!

      Reply
  20. Fiona @ Get Fit Fiona says

    March 20, 2015 at 6:18 PM

    I don’t make spaghetti squash very often, but when I do it’s delicious. I’m going to have to try putting it in the crockpot. I never thought of that before.

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      March 22, 2015 at 10:59 PM

      it’s about as easy as it gets!

      Reply
  21. Mary @ Fit and Fed says

    March 20, 2015 at 8:32 PM

    I use the oven method though I have used the microwave at times too. I like a nice tomato/lentil sauce on top– spaghetti squash is so low-cal that I feel it needs something hearty on top.

    Reply
  22. Sam @ Grapefruit & Granola says

    March 21, 2015 at 12:05 AM

    Confession: I’ve never cooked a spaghetti squash. I will have to give it a try! I do enjoy ordering it in restaurants, though 🙂

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      March 22, 2015 at 10:59 PM

      yay! have fun! it’s super easy!

      Reply
  23. Heather Mason @NuttyNutrition says

    March 21, 2015 at 2:46 PM

    You mean I can actually microwave spaghetti squash? This just saved me so much time! I don’t know why I never thought about that. I also love the tip about microwaving before you cut it, when they are large they are so dang hard to cut through! Thanks Lindsay!

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      March 22, 2015 at 10:58 PM

      for sure! give it a try!

      Reply
  24. Mike says

    April 3, 2015 at 9:47 AM

    Thank you for these tips. Your post has given way to what’s quickly become a weekend fave! We top the oven-roasted squash with sauteed vegetables. Any left-over squash becomes part of a scrambled eggs/veggies we normally put over brown rice. Thanks again!

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      April 3, 2015 at 12:39 PM

      glad to hear it!

      Reply
  25. Aggie | Aggie's Kitchen says

    October 26, 2015 at 8:43 AM

    Oh I’m going to have to try the crock pot method!! I’ve always microwaved it, but just yesterday I roasted it in the oven whole and it turned out great (poked holes and just baked at 375 for about 45 min, till it got soft). Great informational post!

    Reply
  26. Katie | Healthy Seasonal Recipes says

    October 26, 2015 at 12:02 PM

    I love the microwave tip! I would have been scared to try that, but now that you say so, I’ll give it a try.

    Reply

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Lindsay Livingston The Lean Green Bean Healthy Living Tips and Tricks

I'm a Registered Dietitian and mom of three from Columbus, Ohio. I use this blog to share simple, healthy recipes, nutrition tips, and an honest glimpse of motherhood!

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