Roasted Spaghetti Squash

Roasted Spaghetti Squash is so easy to make! Roasting the squash gives the best flavor and the soft flesh easily shreds with a fork, resembling spaghetti.

Whether you're looking to replace pasta with a vegetable, or just love the way a perfectly roasted winter squash tastes, you'll love this easy recipe. It's a fantastic side dish for Pork Tenderloin as well!

I'll be the first one to admit that it's taken me a long time to develop a full appreciation for roasted spaghetti squash. The same could be said for any squash, really.

But now! I love it. I love it so much that I crave it. The second fall weather arrives, I'm roasting squash weekly until Spring is here.

I still can't get on board with using spaghetti squash as a replacement for good old fashioned pasta, but I do love it as a side dish.

How to roast:

The process couldn't be easier.

1. Arguably, the hardest part is splitting the spaghetti squash in half. These suckers are hard, and if you aren't careful, you could loose a finger. Stick the point of a large chef's knife in the center and gently rock the knife back and forth, rotating the squash, until it splits.
2. Scoop the seeds out. You can roast, discard, or feed them to your chickens like I do.
3. Rub the flesh with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
4. Flip them over, cut side down, onto a parchment lined baking dish.
5. Roast in the oven for about 45 minutes. This time will vary depending on the size of your squash, so stick a fork in it to make sure it's nice and tender.

How long to roast:

You might find that your roasted spaghetti squash turns out slightly different each time you make it, even if you follow the same exact recipe.

A good rule of thumb is to cook your squash for about 45 minutes if using a 400 degree oven.

The time may vary, however, depending on a few factors:

• The size of your squash. Larger will obviously take longer.
• The thickness of your squash. Thicker will take longer.
• The way you cut it. I chose to cut mine lengthwise, but if you cut it the other way, you'll get longer "spaghetti" strands but it might take longer.
• The moisture content of your squash. This isn't really something you can measure, but some will have more stored water than others. The more water, the quicker it will steam, the less time it will require.

Other cooking methods:

My preferred method will always be to roast squash in the oven. I just love the flavor.

You can, however, cook spaghetti squash a few other ways.

A lot of people like to use the Instant Pot. You would still prepare the squash by cutting it and removing the seeds, add about a cup of water, and cook it for about 7 minutes.

Don't want to bother removing the seeds? You can cook it whole if you pierce it first and increase the time to 15 minutes.

You can also cook a spaghetti squash in the microwave. You would simply place the cut halves, with the seeds removed, in a baking dish that has a small amount of water. Then, cook on high 10-15 minutes.

If you're looking to cook your spaghetti squash fast, I recommend using the Instant Pot over the microwave, but either works.