Roasted Spaghetti Squash – When roasted correctly, roasted spaghetti squash yields long strands that resemble spaghetti without any mushy texture. Using the right technique makes all the difference!
Roasted Spaghetti Squash Recipe – Perfect & Delicious!
The way you roast your spaghetti squash can make a big difference in the overall result. Even the way you cut it can effect the end result. If cooked incorrectly, you can end up with a watery, mushy, short stranded mess. When cooked properly, you end up with long, textured, meaty, strands.
What you’ll need for Oven Roasted Spaghetti Squash
- Spaghetti Squash – any size will do.
- Oil – I prefer to use avocado oil, but olive oil and vegetable oil work well also.
- Salt – I recommend using either a course sea salt.
- Pepper – Freshly ground black pepper yields the best results, but whatever you have on hand works well.
How can you tell a good spaghetti squash?
You want to look for a spaghetti squash that is firm and dry. You don’t want it to have any cracks in the exterior (scratches and marks are fine). You also don’t want it to have any bruised/soft/mushy spots on the exterior. Similar to watermelon, it should feel heavy for its size. There should be a stem present that is dry and rounded. Spaghetti squash are available all year long, but are in their peak season from Fall to Winter.
When should you not eat spaghetti squash?
Prior to roasting, if your spaghetti squash has bruised, soft, or mushy spots, it is going bad and I do not recommend using it. The rind should be pale and very firm. It should not give when pushed. Once roasted, I do not recommend keeping it in the refrigerator longer than 3 days in an airtight container. Make sure it still smells fresh and that the texture has remained consistent.
How to Cut Spaghetti Squash for Roasting
- Using a fork, poke holes around the squash. This will allow the steam to escape.
- Microwave the whole squash for 5 minutes. This is not meant to cook the squash, but to soften the exterior to make it easier to cut.
- Once softened, cut the squash into 1 ½” rings using a sharp knife. Scoop out the seeds and set them aside. They are excellent roasted!
How to Roast Spaghetti Squash in Oven
(full recipe instructions with measurements and printable card are at the end of this post)
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Using a fork, poke holes throughout the spaghetti squash to allow the steam to release.
- Microwave your whole spaghetti squash for 5 minutes. This is just to soften the exterior and make it easier to cut.
- Cut into 1 1/2″ rings and scoop out the seeds.
- Sprinkle with salt on both sides and wait 10 minutes to allow the moisture to release. This is important to help keep your squash from becoming mushy.
- Blot off the moisture with a paper towel.
- Lay squash on a baking sheet either lined with a silicon baking mat or parchment paper.
- Brush the squash with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Roast in the oven for 35-40 minutes.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool enough to handle with your hands.
- Peel the exterior from the rings.
- Separate the strands gently with a fork and enjoy!
How long to roast spaghetti squash in oven?
Squash needs to be roasted in the oven for 35-40 minutes.
How to Roast Spaghetti Squash Seeds
Instead of throwing the seeds away, get the most out of your spaghetti squash and roast the seeds for their great nutrition. Add them to trail mix or just eat them by the handful.
- Preheat the oven 300°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add the clean and dry spaghetti squash seeds to a bowl and coat with olive oil, salt and pepper. You can also season them with any other seasonings you’d like.
- Spread the seeds out on the parchment lined baking sheet in a single layer.
- Roast for 15 minutes and then stir/shake them around. Place them back in the oven for an additional 15 minutes.
What to Serve with Roasted Spaghetti Squash Rings
Roasted Spaghetti Squash is extremely versatile. It goes well with bolognese sauce, ragu sauce, alfredo sauce, or in your favorite casserole dish.
How to Store Roasted Spaghetti Squash Rings
Make sure the spaghetti squash has cooled completely before storing. You’ll want to place it in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. You can also store it in the freezer for up to 6 months. To reheat, place it in the microwave and heat gently. You can also reheat it in a skillet on the stove over medium heat. I like the stove top method because it removes any additional moisture from the stored squash.
Can you freeze cooked spaghetti squash?
Yes, you can freeze cooked spaghetti squash. Once it has cooled completely, place it in an airtight container for up to 6 months. Allow it to thaw before reheating.
Is it better to freeze spaghetti squash cooked or raw?
Freezing spaghetti squash cooked will give you much better results than freezing squash raw.
How do you reheat frozen spaghetti squash?
Allow the frozen spaghetti squash to thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Once thawed, reheat in the microwave gently. Start by heating for 1 minute at a time, stirring before adding additional minutes. You can also reheat it in a skillet on the stove.
Roasted Spaghetti Squash Rings FAQs
Absolutely! You can actually freeze roasted spaghetti squash if you want to be fully prepped ahead of time. I like to make mine in advance to make meal time easier. I store mine in the refrigerator in an airtight container. If you choose to freeze it, allow it to cool completely before transferring to a freezer safe container.
There’s a few ways to prevent your spaghetti squash from becoming watery.
1. Be sure to cook your squash at a high temperature. If you do a lower temperature, you’ll end up steaming your squash instead of roasting it.
2. Trying to roast it whole. If you roast it whole, the steam sits inside and very little can escape. Again you run the risk of just steaming it instead of roasting it.
3. Using a method other than the oven. While yes, the Instant Pot and microwave can both cook a spaghetti squash, I wouldn’t recommend it if you’re looking for the optimum results.
4. Not salting your rings in advance and waiting the appropriate amount of time for the moisture to release. This makes a big difference in the end result!
Ultimately, there’s a lot of water in a spaghetti squash so the goal is to allow it every opportunity to escape instead of trapping it inside. The steps above will help with that.
If you overcook spaghetti squash, it will become mushy and lose its texture.
Yes, you can eat the skin of roasted spaghetti squash. When it’s been cooked, the skin becomes tender and edible. However, most people do prefer to peel it off before eating the inside of the squash.
You can overcook spaghetti squash. If it’s cooked too long, it will become mushy and lost a lot of its texture. Overcooking will also cause it to be bland and burned is some cases.
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Roast Spaghetti Squash Rings
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Using a fork, poke holes throughout the spaghetti squash to allow the steam to release.
- Microwave your whole spaghetti squash for 5 minutes. This is just to soften the exterior and make it easier to cut.
- Cut into 1 1/2″ rings and scoop out the seeds.
- Sprinkle with salt on both sides and wait 10 minutes to allow the moisture to release. This is important to help keep your squash from becoming mushy.
- Blot off the moisture with a paper towel.
- Lay squash on a baking sheet either lined with a silicon baking mat or parchment paper.
- Brush the squash with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Roast in the oven for 35-40 minutes.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool enough to handle with your hands.
- Peel the exterior from the rings.
- Separate the strands gently with a fork and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
