Does the thought of cutting a round, raw, firm spaghetti squash scare you? It’s challenging and can be dangerous. Years ago, I figured out how to cook spaghetti squash whole, without cutting it raw! I absolutely love this method and use it every time I bake spaghetti squash.
How do you cut raw spaghetti squash?
In my opinion, there isn’t an easy way to cut raw spaghetti squash.
It has hard skin and firm flesh, making it challenging to cut through both the surface and interior without using force.
When you force a knife into produce, it increases your risk of injury, plain and simple.
If you plan to cut spaghetti squash raw before you cook it, you’ll want to secure it and use a paring knife to score a dotted line through skin before you cut through with a larger knife.
You can make this dotted line lengthwise for shorter strands (from stem to bottom) or crosswise for longer strands (on the equator).
How to bake spaghetti squash whole without cutting it first:
When you bake spaghetti squash before cutting into it, everything is soft and pliable, making it a breeze to cut…and less dangerous. Here’s how I do it.
1) Heat oven to 375°; pierce skin of spaghetti squash in several places with a paring knife.
2) Place squash in a baking dish or baking sheet; bake for 60 minutes.
3) Carefully remove from oven and pierce the skin with a paring knife to make sure it’s tender enough to cut without force.
4) Cut off stem, cut squash in half, and scoop out the seeds.
5) Drizzle extra virgin olive oil over flesh, return it to the baking sheet flesh facing down, and bake 20-30 minutes until flesh has cooked through and browned on the edges. You’ll know it’s cooked when the noodles separate effortlessly with a fork, so be sure to test this when you think it’s done.
Can you cook spaghetti squash in the microwave?
The short answer…yes.
I have tested it and it’s very similar to my whole-baked method; i.e., pierce, cook whole, remove, cut, etc.
Honestly, I don’t love it.
I have a genuine fear of the squash exploding and have heard way too many stories along those lines.
Outside of cooking whole potatoes, I don’t use a microwave to cook raw food, mainly because of the uneven cooking that occurs.
Baked spaghetti squash (ingredients):
- 1 spaghetti squash
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt
Tools you’ll need:
- baking dish or baking sheet
- chef’s knife and cutting board
Baked spaghetti squash toppings:
Slow Cooker Freezer Marinara Pasta Sauce
Traci Antonovich
Yields 4-6 cups spaghetti squash noodles
How to cook whole spaghetti squash without cutting it raw...the easiest way.
5 minPrep Time
1 hr, 30 Cook Time
1 hr, 35 Total Time
Save Recipe4.8 based on 4 review(s)
Ingredients
- 1 whole, raw Spaghetti Squash
- 2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Salt and Pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°; wash, dry, and gently pierce the spaghetti squash skin with a sharp paring knife in several places.
- Set squash in a baking dish; bake 60 minutes.
- Remove from oven, cut off stem, cut squash in half lengthwise for shorter strands or crosswise for longer strands.
- Scoop out and discard seeds; remove moisture (if any) from baking pan with a paper towel
- Drizzle EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL on squash flesh, place it face down in baking dish.
- Return to oven and bake another 20-30 minutes until flesh is cooked through and browning occurs (flesh should no longer be whitish, and the noodles should separate easily).
- Use a fork to separate squash noodles from the skin (while squash is warm, or allow to cool); once cooled.
Notes
To store noodles: allow to cool completely, place in airtight container in refrigerator; store up to 5 days in fridge.
Traci Antonovich
About my recipes: Minimal meat & more plants!
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