How to Cook Spaghetti Squash (2 Recipes)

I absolutely love spaghetti squash. Today we’re going to learn how to cook spaghetti squash and two simple recipes for preparing spaghetti squash.

My family never ate spaghetti squash when I was growing up. Or any squash, really.

So for some years in adulthood, I had no idea how to prep or cook squash.

Learning to work with Squash

Fun fact about me, for years as a child I actually didn’t believe anyone ate squash. (True story.)

Don’t ask me why, but (probably thanks to TV and magazines) I’d somehow become convinced that those bizarrely shaped, lumpy looking things in the supermarket were purely for seasonal decorations.

Fortunately, as an adult, I was able to solve the great squash mystery of my childhood and discovered they’re a delicious addition to any meal.

And it’s super versatile. Spaghetti squash, in particular, can be utilized in on its own as a side dish or incorporated into veggie casseroles, wraps, salads, omelets and even as a low-carb substitute in traditional pasta dish recipes

So we are going to learn a basic base spaghetti squash bake recipe and a simple recipe to add some variation to a spaghetti squash bake!

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Recommended Meal Prep Tools

Before we dive right into how to cook spaghetti squash, here’s a look at a couple of the meal prepping tools to get the job done.

Quality Knives

Raw squash has a pretty tough hide to cut through, so make sure you have some quality kitchen knives.

My husband got me this cutlery set for Christmas and I LOVE it. Their sub-hilt design is extremely sturdy and won’t let you down.

The Pioneer Woman 14-Piece Cutlery Set

Click here to find on Amazon

Also, they’re my favorite color. Can we talk about why more kitchen tools aren’t both pretty and effective? These knives (like my fellow lady cooks) are elegant, effective and surprisingly cheap for a sturdy 14-piece cutlery set.

Quality Knife Sharpener

This is hands down the best knife sharpener I’ve ever used. Its compact design doesn’t take up much space and a couple swipes through this baby will perk up the oldest, most dull knife out there.

Bavarian Edge Kitchen Knife Sharpener

Click here to find on Amazon

Also, this thing is cheap. Like, one of the best $16-ish investments you can make into keeping your cutlery in tip-top, pointy condition.

A NOTE ON SALT:

Our family made the switch to less processed salts after doing some research to learn that not all salt is made (or processed) equally. Many brands of refined salt are depleted of much of their mineral and nutritional value.

Furthermore, we learned that 90 percent of common table salts (including sea, lake and rock salts)  may contain microplastics (i.e. little bits of plastic). 

We’ve made the switch to salt brands known for higher purity with less processing to retain more of their nutritional value. They’re fantastic for all kinds of cooking!

Celtic Sea Salt

(Non-GMO Verified, Vegan, Kosher and Paleo-Friendly)

Recipe 1. Simple Spaghetti Squash Bake

This recipe is simple but incredibly flavorful.

I’ve made spaghetti squash exactly this way for family gatherings and dinner get-togethers and it has been eagerly devoured by guests and relatives.

People are often surprised that spaghetti squash can be exceptionally delicious as a stand-alone side dish. I’m telling you now, do not underestimate the power of a few good seasonings and some butter.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 Large spaghetti squash
• 4 Cloves of fresh garlic, minced
• 2 Tablespoons Ghee (aka lactose-free clarified butter, the only kind we use anymore)
• Celtic salt and black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Cut your squash in half, scrape out the seeds, and place on a baking sheet.

Warm up the Ghee in the microwave until it liquefies and then brush a nice even coating over each of your squash halves (about 1 tablespoon per squash half).

Sprinkle them evenly with salt, pepper and garlic. Bake at 350°F for 60 minutes.

It will look something like this:

When it comes out of the oven, it should be cooked through and lightly golden brown. Use a fork to shred the squash within its shell.

If the squash is underbaked, it may be stiff or uncooperative in letting you shred up and disperse it evenly.

Not to worry, just pop that sassy squash back into the oven for another 15-20 minutes until it drops the attitude and gets with the shredding program.

Sprinkle with a couple extra pinches of salt and pepper and mix it all up.

You can also utilize leftovers from this squash dish in a variety of ways the rest of the week. I will use it to make a veggie omelet the next morning or toss it (hot or cold) into a wrap or salad.

I usually get about 5 cups of cooked squash out of a nice large spaghetti squash (and did for this particular squash), so I’ll be calculating the recipe macros on a ratio of 5 one cup servings.

SUBSTITUTIONS:

• Feel free to swap the ghee for coconut oil or a vegan butter substitute if animal byproducts aren’t a part of your nutritional routine.
• Regular butter will also do the trick.
• When making substitutions, just keep in mind that your macro count may slightly vary from this specific recipe. If you’re counting macros, just make sure to adjust the recipe macros in a macro calculator based on the ingredients you use.

MACROS (5 one-cup servings):

• Calories: 88
• Carbs: 8g
• Fat: 6g
• Protein: 1g

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Recipe 2. “Pasghetti” Spaghetti Squash

This spin on spaghetti squash is my favorite low-carb and gluten-free swap for traditional pasta spaghetti. It helps me satisfy those cheesy, saucy cravings without blowing my carbs out of proportion if it’s not time for a high-carb day.

It’s also a good way to entice kids to give spaghetti squash a try (don’t underestimate the power of throwing some cheese on top of something healthy and tricking a picky eater into giving it a go).

You might be wondering (or not wondering at all, but you’re about to find out) “why call it pasghetti“?

My younger sister had trouble saying the word “spaghetti” when she was little and regularly pronounced it “pas-getty” instead. It kind of stuck with our family and for a while, everyone just started calling “pasghetti”.

So, to pay homage to wholesome family dinners everywhere, I give you my low-carb Pasghetti Spaghetti Squash recipe!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 Large spaghetti squash
• 6-8 Cloves of fresh garlic, minced
• 2 Tablespoons Ghee (aka lactose-free clarified butter, the only kind we use anymore)
• 2 Cups low sodium canned meatless spaghetti sauce
• 1 Cup low-fat mozzarella cheese
• Celtic salt and black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

The base prep work for this variation is the same as above, but for the sake of saving you from scrolling back and forth, I’m going to repeat the directions here as well.

Cut your squash in half, scrape out the seeds, and place on a baking sheet.

Warm up the Ghee in the microwave until it liquefies and then brush a nice even coating over each of your squash halves (about 1 tablespoon per squash half).

Sprinkle them evenly with salt, pepper and garlic. Bake at 350°F for 60 minutes.

Remove the squash from the oven and fill the center of each squash with one cup of the canned spaghetti sauce and top it with 1/2 a cup of the mozzarella.

Place back into the over and cook for another 15 minutes (or until the cheese melts and crisps into a golden brown). Remove from the oven, allow to cool for a few minutes and then dig in!

PICKY-EATER TIPS

If you have extremely scrutinous little picky eaters in your house, try shredding the squash (like in the first recipe), putting it into a bowl and mixing it up with the sauce to disguise it.

If you’re not above justifying a little white lie for the sake of healthy eating (ha, I’m not), then try to pass the spaghetti squash off as “baby spaghetti noodles” and then throw a solid dose of cheese over top to further disguise them.

Because in my days as a contracted live-in nanny, I have 100% pulled this trick off with many kids. (Like I said, I’ve zero shame in creative scheming to get kids to eat their veggies.)

Recipe Substitutions:

• Don’t consume butter? No problem. Swap in coconut or olive oil in place of the clarified butter.
• I’m using low-fat mozzarella cheese, but other types of cheese (including vegan or non-dairy based cheese substitutes) will do the trick.
• When making substitutions, just keep in mind that your macro count may slightly vary from this specific recipe. If you’re counting macros, just make sure to adjust the recipe macros in a macro calculator based on the ingredients you use.

MACROS (5 one-cup servings):

• Calories: 180
• Carbs: 14g
• Fat: 10g
• Protein: 9g

Whatever your intents for dinner, be they honest or sprinkled in cheesy picky-eater half-truths, it’s hard to go wrong when you go with a good squash.

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Related Squash Recipes 

• Savory Butternut Squash Soup

• Kale and Butternut Squash Salad

Related Informative Nutrition Articles 

• How to Buy Raw Fish for Sushi and Poke Bowls
• How to Drink a Gallon of Water a Day
•  What Happens When You Take Collagen Every Day for a Month

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All writing and squash images copyright © 2020 Rachel Elise Weems Woods.

Originally published 3-28-17. Updated 1-24-2022.