How To Cook Spaghetti Squash in the Microwave
Serves2 to 4
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. 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 for about five minutes.
Tips For Cooking Spaghetti Squash in the Microwave
- First, score the squash to guide the knife.
- Poke the squash a few times with a fork to let steam escape.
- Flip the squash upside down in a baking dish filled with water.
- Microwave spaghetti squash for about five minutes.
- Do not microwave the whole squash for longer than a few minutes.
What Is 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: This winter squash has 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.”
– jerk nugget
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.
The Perfecting Timing
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. They also really shine in baked “pasta” dishes — a few of my favorites are below!
5 Yummy Ways to Eat Spaghetti Squash
How To Cook Spaghetti Squash in the Microwave Recipe
Serves 2 to 4
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 1
(3- to 4-pound) spaghetti squash
- 1 teaspoon
olive oil (optional)
- Salt
- Pepper
Equipment
- Paring knife
- Dinner fork
- Microwavable baking dish or pie dish
- Oven mitts
- Cutting board
- Chef knife
Instructions
Score the squash. Lightly score the 1 (3- to 4-pound) spaghetti squash where you will cut it in half: Use a paring knife and cut into the squash 1/8- to 1/4-inch deep from stem to bottom on both sides. This is the line where you will be cutting the squash in half.
Poke the squash. Poke the squash in a few places with either the paring knife or a dinner fork: This creates vents to allow steam to escape during the initial cooking of the squash.
Microwave for 5 minutes. Place the squash in a microwave-safe baking dish and microwave for 5 minutes on high. This cooks the squash a little bit and makes it easier to cut in half. Do not microwave the whole squash for longer than 5 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).
Cut the squash in half. Use oven mitts to remove the baking dish with the squash from the microwave. Place the squash on a cutting board and use a chef's knife to cut all the way through to the middle of the squash — start to one side of the stem, cut through the bottom, and then cut the other side of the squash up to the stem. Use your hands to pull the two halves apart and break the squash at the stem (don't try to cut through the stem). The squash will still be hard when you cut it and you'll need to use force, but less than if the squash was raw.
Scoop out the seeds. Soop out the seeds and save the seeds for roasting, if you like!
Season the squash halves (optional). If you'd like, rub 1 teaspoon olive oil into the cut side of the squash, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. This is just for flavor if you're serving the squash on its own; you can skip if it if you're planning to use the squash in a recipe or want to season it after cooking.
Return the squash to the baking dish. Return the squash halves to the baking dish cut-side down. You can cook each squash half separately if your baking dish is too small to fit both, or cook both at once. You can also save one half in the refrigerator to finish cooking later.
Add water to the baking dish. Add enough water to the baking dish to come up about 1 inch. The exact amount isn't important; you just want the squashes to be partially submerged and to have enough water to create steam in the microwave.
Microwave again. Microwave on high for 5 minutes.
Check the squash. When done, a fork poked through the skin should slide easily into the squash. Continue microwaving on high for 2 to 5 minutes more as needed.
Scrape the squash strands from the inside. Remove the baking dish using oven mitts and transfer the squash halves to a cutting board. Use a fork to scrape the strands of squash from the inside. You should get 6 to 8 cups of "noodles" from a 3- to 4-pound squash.
