How to cook spaghetti squash pasta is quite easy in your oven or pressure cooker. Add meat sauce and it’s our favorite cheesy low carb spaghetti recipe!
We talked about how to cook spaghetti squash fast the other week, now we’re sharing how we made spaghetti squash pasta and you’d never know these “noodles” weren’t the ones you buy in the store! In just 40 minutes you can serve this low carb gluten free dinner everyone will love. (originally published 9/18, affiliate links present)
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I really doubted that spaghetti squash spaghetti would taste just like noodles but they do when you stuff them like this!
I was curious what all the hype was about.
Vegetable noodles used as an alternative to the boxed type I always buy at the store were questionable to me. Honestly, it didn’t sound tasty. I was WRONG!
So, I tried anyway because “you never know” I always say.
- We were all REALLY surprised that the spaghetti squash noodles were remarkably similar to boxed. I really couldn’t tell the difference once the sauce and cheese was added.
I’m serious…….
How do you soften spaghetti squash to cut it?
It’s usually not that tough, but if you don’t have a nice sharp knife then you could follow these steps:
- Use a knife or fork and poke all the way around lengthwise where you want to slice it open.
- Put it into your microwave for 5 minutes.
- Allow to cool slightly.
Put on a cutting board and it will be easier to slice the squash in half like you see below.
Spaghetti squash in the oven
Then you’re going to want to place both halves on a baking sheet and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Rub some olive oil and salt sprinkles on the outside, especially on the edges.
- Bake with flesh side down for 25 to 30 minutes or until it is very fork tender.
- Allow it to cool enough for you to hold each half with a folded dish towel underneath.
- Gently scrape the “noodles” out.
- Keep in mind the deeper you go the firmer the noodles will be
- If you want them very tender stay with the top strands that come off very easily
While squash is roasting you can combine your sauce and cheeses so they will be ready. Warm this before adding it to noodles that have been scraped out into a bowl and drained to remove excess water.
- OR here are directions for making Instant Pot spaghetti squash pasta, so tender in no time!
Spaghetti squash pasta
- Baking sheet
- Sharp knife
- 1 spaghetti squash – or more but only 1 fit in my Instant Pot
- Spaghetti pasta sauce
- marinara sauce or meat
- or make homemade Instant Pot spaghetti sauce
- Parmesan cheese
- Pre-cooked ground beef – or spicy sausage is amazing
- Fresh basil is a nice touch
- Salt and pepper to taste
Then just gently mix all your other spaghetti items, put it back into your spaghetti squash shells, pop them into the oven to warm it all back up and melt your cheese a bit and you’re ready to dig in!
- Once you try this and realize how much you love this underestimated vegetable, you’ll want to make fried squash next!!
- If you have this nifty appliance you can make Ninja Foodi spaghetti squash or air fryer spaghetti squash too.
- Our air fryer butternut squash cubes pair with anything.
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Here are your printable directions.
Spaghetti Squash Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 spaghetti squash cut in half, seeds removed
- 1.5 c spaghetti sauce
- 1/4 c parmesan cheese
- 1 c ground beef or ground sausage, precooked
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 c mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Cook spaghetti squash in pressure cooker or follow oven directions below.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut squash in half lengthwise and remove seeds. Rub flesh side and edges with olive oil, then sprinkle with salt. Put on baking sheet with flesh side down.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until flesh is very fork tender. Allow to cool until you can hold it with a dish towel in your hand (will be hot) and gently scrape the "noodles" out. (the deeper you go the less tender the noodles will be)
- Put all your spaghetti squash noodles in a bowl, drain liquid out of that bowl.
- Add your 1.5 cups of spaghetti sauce and 1/4 c. parmesan cheese. Add cooked ground beef or sausage now if you're adding that.
- Gently mix together so “noodles” are coated.
- Split this mixture in half and spoon back into your squash “bowls”. Put these on a baking sheet.
- Top with mozzarella and green onions if desired.
- Bake in oven for about 10 minutes or until cheese on top begins to melt.
- Serve….you’ll never know they weren’t traditional noodles.
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