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!

forks lifting the strands out of spaghetti squash

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.

spaghetti squash cooked in the microwave

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).

plate of spaghetti squash

Either way you choose to cook it, spaghetti squash rocks, so bake some or microwave some today!

Table of Contents

Prep Your Spaghetti Squash

  1. 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.
  2. Slice the squash in half lengthwise.
  3. Using a spoon, scrape out the seeds and guts.
cutting the top off of spaghetti squash
cutting spaghetti squash
cutting the spaghetti squash in half
removing the seeds from a spaghetti squash

How to Bake Spaghetti Squash in the Oven

  1. Heat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Brush the inside of each half with olive oil and sprinkle with coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper.
  3. Place cut-sides down on a baking sheet.
  4. Bake for about 40 minutes until you can easily pierce the squash with a fork.
  5. 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.
brushing spaghetti squash with olive oil for roasting
sprinkling salt and pepper on spaghetti squash
spaghetti squash face down on a baking sheet ready to bake
testing spaghetti squash to make sure it's fork tender and ready to eat
removing the strands from roasted spaghetti squash

How to Cook Spaghetti Squash in the Microwave

  1. Place squash cut-sides-down in a microwave-safe baking dish. Fill the dish with about 1 inch of water.
  2. 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.
  3. Let cool for about 15 minutes, or until squash is cool enough to handle.
  4. With a fork, scrape out the spaghetti-like strands and prepare as desired.
pouring water over spaghetti squash for microwaving
checking to see if spaghetti squash is fork tender
microwave spaghetti squash
scraping the strands of spaghetti squash

More Spaghetti Squash Goodness

From Kitchen Treaty:

Around the web:

fork lifting the strands out of spaghetti squash
5 from 2 votes

How to Cook Spaghetti Squash in the Microwave or in the Oven

Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 55 minutes
Author: Kare
Yield: 4
It's so easy to cook spaghetti squash. Here's exactly how to do it, two different ways: in the oven or in the microwave!
Print Pin Rate

Ingredients

  • 1 whole medium spaghetti squash
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil (for baked version)
  • Pinch kosher salt

Equipment

  • Sharp, heavy chef's knife
  • Rimmed baking sheet (for cooking in the oven)
  • Large microwave-safe baking dish (for the microwave method)

Instructions

  • 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.
  • Use a spoon to scrape out the seeds.

To Bake in the Oven:

  • Heat oven to 375 degrees.
  • Brush the inside of each half with about 1 teaspoon olive oil each and sprinkle with coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper. (Note that nutrition information is for spaghetti squash only and NOT for additional ingredients.)
  • Place cut sides down on a rimmed baking sheet and put sheet into the oven.
  •  Bake for about 40 minutes, or 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.

To Cook in the Microwave:

  • 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.

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 93kcal, Carbohydrates: 17g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 3g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 41mg, Potassium: 261mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 7g, Vitamin A: 290IU, Vitamin C: 5mg, Calcium: 56mg, Iron: 1mg

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