Spaghetti Squash can be difficult to cut with a knife because of its hard outer shell. This method softens the squash in the microwave and makes it easy to cut the squash. It is then baked in the oven for easy cooking.

For those not familiar with this vegetable, Spaghetti Squash is Mother natures “spaghetti”. Its Gluten Free, has practically no carbohydrates,is high in fiber and low in fat. A cup of Spaghetti squash is only 42 calories as compared to a cup of pasta which is at 220 calories. It doesn’t have a very strong taste or flavor and so lends itself easily to sauces that we would normally pour over pastas.You can read more about the nutritional value of spaghetti squash in this article by Livestrong.

I first tried Spaghetti Squash a few years back when our family was doing the ‘Whole 30‘ detox. We gave up all processed foods,sugar,dairy,grains and legumes for 30 days. It was definitely not easy and as the “cook of the family’ I had to come up with dishes that the whole family would enjoy. After all there are only that many salads and smoothies that you can have!

The first time I made it, I baked the squash the full time. Besides the long baking time, I remember how hard it was to cut the squash because of its hard exterior shell. I knew I could find an easier and faster way to cook the squash. I didn’t want to cook the squash entirely in the microwave. The best method was obviously then to soften the squash a little bit in the microwave and cut it in half and then bake the rest of the way.

We also did a lot of zoodles or zucchini noodles during the whole30. Trust me, spaghetti squash is so much easier than using the spiralizer to make the zoodles. You don’t need to cook the ‘spaghetti’ further other than just mix/heat the ‘spaghetti’ in the pan for a few minutes with the sauce. You can also gently squeeze out excess water if you want the ‘spaghetti’ to be a little dry. Some of my other whole 30 recipes are Spinach Potato Cakes with Almond Flour and Flaxseed, Palak Aloo ki Sabzi, Shimla Mirch Aloo ki Sabzi and Bhindi/Okra in Indian spices.

Here is the written recipe followed by the step by step pictorial one-

How to Cook Spaghetti Squash-The Fastest and Easiest way

Aanchal Gupta

Print Recipe

Prep Time 1

Cook Time 30

Total Time 31

Servings -4 cups of spaghetti depending upon size of the squash

Ingredients

1 Spaghetti Squash
2 tsp oil
Salt as per taste
Black Pepper ground(optional)
Parchment paper/wax paper baking sheet/pan and sharp knife

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400F
Line pan with parchment/wax paper
With knife, poke or make 8-10 gashes all over the squash
Place the squash on a microwave safe plate and cook for 4 minutes
Change the side of the squash and cook for another 4 minutes
Set aside for few minutes till its cool enough to handle
Take a knife and cut it lengthwise in half.Remove seeds.
Put 2 tsp oil,salt and pepper on the cut side
Place cut side down on the baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes,depending on size of squash
Use a fork to remove the ‘spaghetti’ from the squash

Notes

I have used a 1250 watt microwave. if you prefer not to use the microwave at all. Split the squash in half lengthwise, put oil,salt and pepper and bake in a 400F oven for 45 minutes to an hour,depending on the size of the squash. Always place the squash cut side down to avoid water/moisture from pooling inside the squash.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Here is the step by step pictorial recipe-

Make gashes with a knife or poke the squash in 8-10 place