The first time we tried to make spaghetti squash, it didn’t go so well. In total newb fashion, we cooked the entire squash for an hour and fork-tested it for doneness. Have you ever tried to cut a freshly baked squash in half? If you haven’t, let us save you the trouble: it is not fun and not necessary. Fast forward to last weekend: we snagged a choice specimen on Friday afternoon and it was the first thing on Saturday’s agenda. We cut the squash in half before we baked it, which worked out much, much better.
We had every intention of dressing this dish up with a delicious sauce. I suggested pesto because I love it so much, but Clark suggested that we keep it simple to allow the flavor of the squash to come through. That Clark, he's one smart cookie. So we were planning on tossing it in a light coating of olive oil and herbs...
But when it came out of the oven and we tasted it, the plans changed. No sauce necessary. The flavor of this squash is so unbelievably delicious on its own. I would describe it as buttery and slightly sweet; much more flavorful than regular noodles. It is perfectly complemented by a hint of sea salt and black pepper and a dusting of basil, rosemary, or thyme.
Cooking it whole wasn't the only mistake that we made the first time we attempted spaghetti squash. After eventually getting the damn thing open and melting a few fingerprints in the process, we scooped out the center and started trying to fork away at the sides to get the "pasta." That didn't work so well. It just started coming apart in chunks instead of the ideal strands. By that point, we were already burnt-fingered and frustrated so we just gave up. If we had just popped it back into the oven to bake a little longer, it would have come out just fine.
I'm currently enjoying a bowl of hot spaghetti squash pasta and patting us on the back for trying it again after last year's complete failure. Now that we know how to cook it and how delicious it is, it has secured a spot in my list of favorite fall foods which, as of now, includes brussels sprouts, okra, apples, and spaghetti squash.
For the record, we tried a small bowl with marinara pasta sauce and one with olive oil just to make sure we weren't missing out on anything. The plain jane version still wins.
Note: At the center is a pocket of seeds and looser flesh, similar to the inside of a pumpkin. That's not what you want to eat. When you cut the squash in half before baking, use a spoon to hollow out this area. If you're feeling ambitious, save the seeds and roast them later. They make a tasty and super nutritious snack.
Easy Spaghetti Squash Pasta
- Total Time: 1 hour
Description
Hands down – this is the easiest way to enjoy one of fall's best squashes. Swap regular pasta out for this healthier version!
Ingredients
- 1 medium spaghetti squash
- ½ tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tbsp. fresh basil, minced
- ½ tsp. sea salt
- ½ tsp. fresh ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375º and line a baking pan with parchment paper.
- Cut spaghetti squash in half and scrape out seeds with a spoon.
- Brush each half with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Place each half on the pan with the cut side facing upwards.
- Roast for 45-50 minutes.
- While the squash is roasting, prepare the seasoning in a small bowl. Combine. ½ tsp sea salt, ½ tsp ground black pepper, and 1 Tbsp of minced fresh basil.
- Remove squash from oven and use a fork to scrape out the "spaghetti".
- Place on a plate or in a bowl and top with the basil, salt, and pepper seasoning. Enjoy.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 50 mins
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3
- Calories: 21
- Sodium: 393mg
- Fat: 2g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
This turned out really well in the end, but I had to roast the squash about 20-30 minutes longer than instructed. The squash should only have a slightly crunchy texture when done. It doesn't really have the texture of spaghetti, but almost the flavour (slightly nutty), and like good pasta it absorbs the flavour of whatever you put on it. We ate it with my homemade marinara sauce, and even my picky teen enjoyed it. Definitely a keeper!
Interesting... I wonder if you had a bigger squash that what I used, or if yours was more/less ripe. Either way, glad you enjoyed!
Hello, I two just tried spaghetti squash for the first time this year and I was lucky it came out good every time .. I cook it by cutting in half brush olive oil salt pepper bake face down fork the back side a few times. Cuts oven time down and comes out perfect every time.
That definitely helps to decrease cooking time! :)
thanks,I will try to cook it ,it's sounds good
Looks good & seems simple enough. Can't wait to try it.
<3
I bought a very large one, it has been in the oven for an hour and still does not seem done. What is the texture supposed to be like when it is finished? Is it squishy or really firm? Mine seems to be firm. Please help! lol ty :)
Hi Valerie – Thanks for the feedback! So glad you liked the sweet potato salad. :)
Hi Tracey –
The exterior of the spaghetti squash will be rather firm. The interior should be fork tender and easy to scrape away from the edges using a fork. A large spaghetti squash will definitely take quite a while!
This was my first attempt at spaghetti squash, never even tasted it before, it came out perfect and I love it! I put mine cut side down and it took about 40 minutes to cook, yum, yum and more yum. Served it with grilled salmon.
I have nothing but picky eaters in my house. Children and some adults who refuse to eat veggies. This was a hit and they told me they can't wait for me to cook it again. I did ours with butter, lemon, pepper, garlic, served along side lemon asiago chicken. This was amazing, I'll be making this again very soon! :)
Yes! Yay for winning over picky eaters! It's definitely the perfect side for lemon-y chicken or seafood! Thanks for letting me know what you thought. :)
my other half is always asking me to make this, and i always tell her it's too much work. i guess i can't use that excuse anymore :p i will have to give your recipe a try, as it sounds insanely easy, and delicious to boot. thank you! i'm sure my wife would thank you as well :)
Hi Logan –
It's super easy to make! The hard part is waiting for it to come out of the oven, haha! Hope this scores you some serious brownie points with the missus. ;)
I'm loving spaghetti squash right now :) I have one in the fridge right now that I'm going to cook and have with some sloppy joes.
We have 3 small ones ready to cook – cannot wait! I want to try something different with them this time. Do you have a go-to recipe that you like to make with them?
Gonna try it again with my home garden grown marinara sauce next!