How to Cook Spaghetti Squash in the Oven
In my experience, this method results in spaghetti squash that is a little sweeter than the other methods. However, the strands can become somewhat soggy and difficult to separate if overcooked.
Calories
Equipment
- large knife
- spoon
- fork
- baking dish
Ingredients
- 1 spaghetti squash
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Position the squash over a cutting board. With a sharp chef’s knife, cut the squash lengthwise, separating squash into two long halves. Tip: Cut the stem off before slicing the squash in half to make things easier. I didn’t do that step in the photo pictured above because the stem had been knocked off, but it’s definitely easier than trying to cut around the stem.
- With a large spoon, scoop out the seeds and pulp. Separate seeds from pulp and save seeds in a bowl. Bonus Snack: Spread the seeds on a baking sheet and roast for a savory, crunchy snack! Drizzle olive oil over the top and sprinkle salt, pepper, and your choice of chili powder, cayenne, or garlic powder for the perfect afternoon snack.
- Brush the flesh of both halves with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.
- Place the two squash halves open side face down into a baking dish (lining inside of dish with parchment paper is optional). Don’t add water. Added water evaporates and keeps the flesh wet. The roasting approach we’re using today will give the squash a more savory, caramelized texture, which I personally prefer. Cook at 450F for 50-60 minutes. Check at the 50 minute mark and again at 60 minutes to get a feel for the rate of caramelization.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 2-3 minutes
- For long, angel hair pasta-like strands, repeatedly rake a fork lengthwise down the soft fleshy meat of the squash. The longer each stroke, the longer the spaghetti-like strands will be before separating. For shorter strands, run the fork across the squash in shorter movements.
- Add ingredients and additional seasonings as desired (Recipe suggestions at end of post).