Roasted spaghetti squash is an easy side dish flavored with melted butter, fresh dill, and simple seasonings. I love how the oven does most of the work and how I can customize the flavors based on what I’m in the mood for. For extra fun, I served the tender squash in their hollowed-out shells.
I have to have my Roasted Acorn Squash and Hasselback Butternut Squash recipes on my Thanksgiving menu. After all, squash is the coziest vegetable of all time and only gets better after roasting in the oven.
Roasted Spaghetti Squash
Learning how to cook spaghetti squash may seem intimidating at first, but I promise it’s easy. The squash takes about an hour to roast in the oven before it’s ready to shred into the spaghetti-like strands it’s famous for. One of my favorite things about this veggie side dish is serving those nutty, sweet, and tender strands in the “bowls” made from the hollowed-out peel. It makes it that much more fun to eat!
To keep things simple, I tossed the squash strands with melted butter, herbs, and seasonings right before serving them with something comforting for dinner. Other times, I’ll get a little more creative with the flavors. After all, roasted spaghetti squash is easy to customize with all kinds of seasonings, toppings, herbs, and condiments.
Ingredients and Substitutions
I tested this recipe with just 4 ingredients. The squash is obviously the most important ingredient, but the rest are flexible.
- Squash – I roasted three small or two medium-sized spaghetti squashes, so I had enough to serve to the whole family. You can easily follow the same instructions in this recipe with one large spaghetti squash or more smaller squashes if you’re serving a crowd.
- Butter – I use unsalted butter in my cooking, but salted butter works, too. Just don’t add as much extra salt at the end.
- Dill – This is one of my favorite fresh herbs to pair with roasted spaghetti squash. Other herbs that pair well with squash are chives, basil, oregano, and parsley.
- Seasonings – I added salt and pepper at the end. Sometimes, I’ll mix it up and season it with paprika, an Italian seasoning mix, garlic powder, or chili powder.
How to Roast Spaghetti Squash
Prep the squash: I start by slicing the squash in half widthwise, then use a spoon to scoop out the seeds. I’ll either save these for roasting or discard them.
Roast: I place the squash halves, cut side down, on a sheet tray and transfer the tray to the middle rack of the oven. I carefully pour 4 cups of water into the sheet pan (around the squash, not over it), then roast the squash until the tops begin to brown and the middles are soft.
Cool: Once the squash is done roasting, I set it aside to cool for a few minutes.
Scrape the inside: Now that the squash is cool enough to handle, I scrape the inside with a fork to release the stringy flesh. I’ll transfer the flesh into a bowl for easy mixing.
Season and serve: I toss the spaghetti squash strands with the butter, dill, salt, and pepper, then serve it in the hollowed-out squash shells while still warm.
Chef Tip + Notes
Pouring water into the sheet pan with the squash is my secret to buttery and moist spaghetti squash. The water creates steam in the oven, which tenderizes the flesh and prevents it from drying out. I used 4 cups of water because I roasted a bunch of squash in the same pan, but you can use more or less depending on how much you’re making.
- Rimmed sheet pan: You have to roast the squash on a rimmed baking sheet to prevent the water from spilling. You’ll have a serious mess to clean up if not.
- Hard to slice: I don’t always get lucky and can slice into the squash on the first try. When my squash is too hard to cut, I’ll microwave it in 1-minute increments until it’s soft enough to slice.
- No peeling: You don’t need to peel spaghetti squash before roasting. We actually need the intact hollowed-out shell for a makeshift bowl when serving the spaghetti squash.
- More mix-ins: When I feel like mixing things up, I’ll toss the squash with caramelized onions, roasted garlic, and sauteed peppers. Topping it with some crispy bacon, shaved parmesan, or crumbled feta cheese always gets me excited to dig in, too.
Serving Suggestions
I love serving spaghetti squash as a side dish with our fall and winter dinners. Nothing quite says “comfort food” like the buttery squash served in their spaghetti squash “bowls” next to a steaming hot bowl of pot roast or a few slices of roasted chicken.
If your squash “bowl” happens to tear or break (don’t worry, it has happened to me, too), just serve the strands in a bowl instead. I like tossing them with wilted spinach, parmesan, and roasted garlic to make it feel like a more complete side dish.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: You can always roast the spaghetti squash an hour before serving if you need to save some time. Just cover the squash with foil and keep it in a warm, turned-off oven to prevent it from cooling down too much. It also helps if you keep the squash intact rather than shredding it right away.
How to Store: The shredded spaghetti squash will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. This does not freeze well.
How to Reheat: Add the squash to a baking dish with a splash of water. Cover it with foil and reheat for 10 to 15 minutes at 350ºF.
More Side Dish Recipes
- Confit Byaldi
- Roasted Green Beans
- Creamy Mashed Potatoes
- Sautéed Asparagus
- Garlicky Butter Glazed Broccolini
Spaghetti Squash Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 small or 2 medium-sized spaghetti squashes
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into chunks
- 4 teaspoons minced fresh dill
- coarse salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°.
- Carefully cut the squash in half width-wise. Using a spoon, scrape out the center of the squash only where the seeds are and discard them.
- Place the squash, cut side down, on a sheet tray or in 2 casserole dishes.
- Put the pan of squash on a middle rack in the oven and carefully pour 4 cups of water into the pan. Bake at 400° for 60 minutes. The tops will start to brown, and when you squeeze the squash, it should be soft.
- Remove the squash and let it cool slightly for a few minutes.
- Grab a squash using a kitchen towel and scrape out the inside with a fork to release the squash. It should look like spaghetti.
- Add it right to a large bowl or pan. Repeat until all the spaghetti squash is in there.
- Toss with butter, dill, salt, and pepper. Serve as is or serve in the hollowed-out squash shell.
Spaghetti Squash Recipe