Spaghetti squash is pretty much my favorite of all winter squashes – it’s so delicious, plus, cooking spaghetti squash is easy!
Spaghetti squash is versatile, delicious, and healthy. And today, I’m sharing how to cook spaghetti squash in the microwave or in the oven. Two easy methods!
I’m a fan of both methods, but for different reasons.
The main benefit of cooking spaghetti squash in the microwave is, of course, the fact that it’s done in 12 minutes – easy peasy, super quick. And then it’s ready for just about any preparation you’ve dreamed up.
Baking spaghetti squash in the oven takes longer, but the flavors of the squash develop a bit more than when cooked in the microwave. In the oven, the squash caramelizes a bit where it makes contact with the baking sheet (yum) and if you brush with olive oil and sprinkle it with a little salt and pepper before baking, it’s tough to resist just flipping that bad boy over as soon as you remove it from the oven, grabbing a fork, and digging in for dinner (double yum).
Either way you choose to cook it, spaghetti squash rocks, so bake some or nuke some today!
With a very sharp knife, lop off the top or bottom of the squash so that it will stand flat and secure on your cutting board.
Slice the squash in half lengthwise.
Using a spoon, scrape out the seeds and guts.
Heat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Brush the inside of each half with olive oil and sprinkle with coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Place cut-sides down on a baking sheet.
Bake for about 40 minutes until you can easily pierce the squash with a fork.
Let cool for about 15 minutes, or until squash is cool enough to handle. With a fork, scrape out the spaghetti-like strands and prepare as desired.
Place squash cut-sides-down in a microwave-safe baking dish. Fill the dish with about 1 inch of water.
Microwave on high for about 12 minutes, or until you can easily pierce the squash with a fork. Cooking time depends on the size of the squash and individual microwaves, so if you have a smaller squash and a microwave that cooks fast, check a little earlier. And if you are cooking a larger squash and have a lower-power microwave, it may take a little longer.
Let cool for about 15 minutes, or until squash is cool enough to handle.
With a fork, scrape out the spaghetti-like strands and prepare as desired.