How to Cook Spaghetti Squash in the Oven
By roasting your squash halves in a hot oven with a bit of olive oil and salt, you’ll get a caramelized flavor that highlights the squash’s natural sweetness. The process takes almost an hour, though, so keep that in mind when you’re planning dinner.
How to Cook Spaghetti Squash in the Microwave
If you’re in a pinch, the microwave is your best bet for cooking spaghetti squash. It won’t yield the same caramelized result as the oven, but it’ll take a quarter of the time, and sometimes that’s just what you need!
How to Cook Spaghetti Squash in the Instant Pot
We love the Instant Pot for hands-off, foolproof cooking, and spaghetti squash thrives when paired with the popular appliance. If you’re looking for ease, this technique is your best bet; just set up the machine, step away for 10 minutes, and it’s ready to go.
How to Cook Spaghetti Squash in the Air Fryer
By circulating hot air around, the trendy air fryer will ensure that your spaghetti squash isn’t watery but perfectly al dente. Plus, it only takes 20 minutes to cook a whole squash!
How to Grill Spaghetti Squash
It may be untraditional to grill spaghetti squash, but we love this approach for the smoky, charred flavor it lends the vegetable, balancing its inherent sweetness.
How to Boil Spaghetti Squash on the Stove
Go old-school and boil your squash whole on the stovetop. This process will make it much easier (and safer!) to slice your squash in half, since the skin and interior will soften as it boils.
How to Sauté Spaghetti Squash
Once you’ve cooked your squash and have your “spaghetti,” you may want to sauté it to infuse it with flavor for an easy standalone dish. If you’re a meal prepper, try any of the above methods for cooking spaghetti squash, then bring your leftovers to life with a quick sauté—just a few minutes from start to finish.
How Long to Cook Spaghetti Squash
Cooking spaghetti squash isn’t a perfect science. Each squash has its own unique shape and size, and each method to prepare spaghetti squash involves different cooking times. Luckily, you can look for the same signals for all of those methods to determine if the squash is done. First, look at the skin, which should be slightly softened (though still firm) once the squash is cooked. Next, take a fork and fluff the interior, scraping the flesh from the skin. If the squash separates easily into strands, then it’s ready to eat. Just keep in mind that spaghetti squash is like pasta in that the strands can get mushy if cooked for too long. With a little experimentation, you’ll find a happy medium.Due to the many variables in play, we can only provide estimates of how long each approach will take. For the best results, keep an eye on the squash and check it periodically to make sure it’s cooked to your liking. Roasting spaghetti squash halves in a 400 degree oven takes about 45-50 minutes, while boiling a whole spaghetti squash takes roughly 30 minutes. On a grill over indirect heat, spaghetti squash takes 20-30 minutes to cook through. In an air fryer, spaghetti squash halves cook in 20 minutes. If you’re short on time, the microwave and Instant Pot are your friends. In a microwave on high, spaghetti squash halves take about 15 minutes to cook, and in an Instant Pot at high pressure, they take only 10 minutes.Once you have the spaghetti squash strands cooked to your liking, you may want to sauté them to infuse them with flavor (or warm them up if you cooked the squash in advance). Over medium heat, sautéing the strands will take a minute or two max. The point isn’t to cook them any further; you’re just giving them a little life.
