How To Cook Spaghetti Squash
How To Cook Spaghetti Squash in the Microwave
By Emma Christensen
Your favorite pasta impersonator just got a whole lot easier to make. In about 15 minutes in the microwave, you can turn a rock-hard spaghetti squash into a bowl of tender “noodles,” ready for some sauce. I’ll even throw in a trick for making it easier to slice the squash in half. What are you waiting for?
Never Heard of Spaghetti Squash?
You’ve probably seen these big yellow squash at the supermarket on your way to the butternut and acorn squashes and wondered what the big deal was. The big deal is this: These squashes naturally grow in such a way that, once cooked, the squashy insides will pull apart in long, spaghetti-like strands. No tricks. No science lab hijinks. Just Mother Nature being awesome.
These long squash strands are definitely noodle-like in many ways: They are tender enough that you can twirl them around your fork; they have a mild, slightly sweet flavor that makes them great for everything from serving with tomato sauce and cheese, to tossing into a skillet for some sneaky pad Thai; and they even look enough like spaghetti to fool the casual observer.
They are, however, still squash. Even when completely cooked until tender, the strands will still have a bit of crunchiness to them. I really love this texture, especially in hearty “pasta” bakes and “noodle” stir-fries with other vegetables, but they’re probably not going to fool your 3-year-old. No, it’s not exactly pasta, but it’s still really good!
If you’ve never had spaghetti squash before, it’s worth a try — especially when making it in the microwave is so quick and easy.
A Trick for Cutting the Squash in Half
Spaghetti squash, like most winter squashes, is a hard beast to crack in half. In the past, I’ve gone at it with my chef’s knife, a folded towel to protect my hand, and some muscle power. Then I read a great tip in the comment thread on our post How To Cook Spaghetti Squash in the Oven.
“If you’re having trouble cutting a squash open, score it with a knife and microwave it for a few minutes. It should cut in half much easier after that.”
This works! It still takes some muscle power and you still have to watch your fingers, but I no longer feel like I’m doing battle with a kraken every time I cook a squash.
After some trial and error, I’ve found that about five minutes in the microwave seems about right — you may end up needing to adjust this based on your particular microwave, but five minutes is a good place to start. Scoring it helps guide the knife, and poking it a few times with a fork lets steam escape.
To be very clear, here, this step is just to soften the outside slightly and make the squash easier to cut. I do not recommend microwaving the whole squash for longer than a few minutes since this can cause steam to build up inside the squash and create a dangerous situation (even with vent holes poked through the shell).
Cooking Spaghetti Squash in the Microwave
Once the squash is cut in half and you’ve scooped out the seeds, just flip it upside down in a baking dish, fill it with about an inch of water, and microwave until soft. This usually takes another five to 10 minutes, depending on the size of the squash and your microwave.
You can cook both halves at once, or cook just one half and save the second half to cook another day. Dealer’s choice.
Don’t Want to Microwave? Roast It! How To Cook Spaghetti Squash in the Oven
What to Do with Your Squash Noodles
These squash noodles can be used interchangeably with regular noodles in your favorite pasta dishes. Personally, I like squash noodles best when used in pasta dishes with a hearty sauce and a good amount of melted cheese, where the crunchy texture is a little less noticeable.
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