How to Cook Spaghetti Squash in Microwave

The thin, pasta-like flesh of cooked spaghetti squash is often used as a healthier alternative to actual spaghetti. This squash is low in calories, averaging 42 calories per one cup (155 g), and it contains nutrients like vitamin A, potassium, and beta carotene. It makes a fabulous alternative to more caloric pasta, and cooking in the microwave is a breeze!

Ingredients

Makes 4 to 6 servings

1 medium spaghetti squash, about 4 lbs (1800 g)
Water
2 Tbsp (30 ml) butter, melted
1 tsp (5 ml) salt
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) ground black pepper

Part 1

Part 1 of 5:

Preparing the Squash

1
Wash the squash. Rinse the squash under cool, running water. Scrub it gently with a vegetable brush to remove any dirt or grime.
- Dry the spaghetti squash thoroughly after cleaning it. If the squash is still wet, it may slip around as you attempt to cut it, which could cause you to accidentally cut yourself.
2
Cut the squash in half. Saw the squash in half lengthwise, working from top to bottom.
- To make it easier to keep the squash from rolling around on the cutting board, slice away the top or bottom first. Stand the squash on its now flat end and cut it as it stands.
- Use a large, heavy kitchen knife. The knife can either be serrated or smooth-bladed, but it needs to be sturdy and sharp either way.
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3
Dig out the seeds. Use a metal spoon to scrape away the seeds and stringy pulp. Continue scraping until the inside is clean.^{[1]
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- You could also use a melon-baller or metal ice cream scoop to remove the inner pulp.

Part 2

Part 2 of 5:

Microwaving with Water

1
Place the squash in a baking dish. Position the cut squash in microwave-safe baking dish with the cut-sides facing down.^{[2]
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- Use a dish that is small enough to fit inside your microwave but large enough to fit both halves in a single, flat layer without any overlap.
2
Fill the dish with a little water. Pour about 1 inch (2.5 cm) of lukewarm water into the dish and around the spaghetti squash halves.^{[3]
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3
Microwave for 12 minutes.^{[4]
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Research source} Cook the squash on high until done.
- If your microwave rotates, you do not need to turn the squash at all during the cooking process.
- If it doesn't rotate, pause the microwave after 6 minutes, turn the dish 180 degrees, and finish microwaving for the remaining 6 minutes.
- The squash is done when the exterior is soft enough to be pierced with a fork.
4
Let cool for 15 minutes. Wait until the squash is cool to the touch before attempting to serve it.

Part 3

Part 3 of 5:

Microwaving without Water

1
Place the squash in a microwave-safe dish. Rest each half of the spaghetti squash cut-side down.
- Keep the halves flat and in a single layer. If your dish is too small to fit both halves, microwave each half one at a time rather than piling them on top of each other.
2
Cover the dish with plastic wrap. Seal the wrap around the mouth of the dish. Leave a small gap of space between the plastic wrap and one side of the dish to allow some, but not all, of the steam to vent.
- Make sure that the plastic wrap is microwave-safe. Many types and brands are, but not all.
3
Cook the squash for 7 to 10 minutes.^{[5]
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Research source} The squash is done when you can pierce the exterior with a fork.
- If your microwave does not rotate, pause the cooking every 3 minutes and turn the squash 90 degrees each time. Otherwise, it may not cook evenly.
4
Remove the plastic wrap and let sit. Use tongs to carefully pull the plastic wrap off the dish, starting with the side opposite you so that most of the trapped steam escapes away from your direction.
- The built-up steam can burn you if you aren't careful.
- Allow the squash to sit for 10 to 15 minutes or until it becomes cool enough to handle.

Part 4

Part 4 of 5:

Microwaving Whole

1
Pierce the squash instead of cutting it. Use a sharp paring knife to pierce the spaghetti squash in 10 to 15 places, spacing the cuts evenly apart.^{[6]
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- It is very important that you pierce the squash before microwaving it. Otherwise, it could overheat and explode in the microwave.
- Piercing the squash can be difficult, and you may need to use a forceful, stabbing motion to successfully work the knife through the exterior. Work carefully, however, so that you do not accidentally cut yourself in the process.
- Do not follow the preparation instructions for cutting the squash.
2
Microwave the squash for 10 to 12 minutes.^{[7]
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Research source} The squash should be soft enough to pierce with a fork when done.
- If your microwave does not have a rotating turntable inside, rotate the squash 180 degrees after 5 or 6 minutes to make sure that it cooks evenly.
3
Let it cool for several minutes. You do not need to it to be cool to the touch, but allowing the squash to cool down for a few minutes will give it time to release some of the hottest steam and liquid through the cut marks.
4
Cut the squash open. Use a sharp knife to cut the squash open lengthwise, from top to bottom.
- Wear oven mitts or hold the squash with a towel as you do this. It will still be hot.
- Cutting the squash open should be very easy. If it isn't, you may need to microwave it for another 2 to 3 minutes.
5
Scrape out the seeds. Dig the seeds out with a metal spoon. The stringy pulp connected to the seeds should also come out, but be careful to avoid scraping out strands of flesh.

Part 5

Part 5 of 5:

Serving

1
Scrape out the inside of the squash. With the flesh-side facing up, use a dinner fork to scrape the flesh of the squash away from the shell and toward the hollowed out center.
- Move around the entire perimeter of the shell, gently pulling the flesh away in spaghetti-like strands and "fluffing" those strands toward the center as you work.
- If you have difficulty doing this with one fork, use two. One fork can be used to hold the squash in place while the second is used to scrape away strands of flesh.
2
Dump the strands of squash out onto a serving dish. Use the fork to gently lift and pull the strands of flesh completely out of the shell and onto the platter.
- If the shell is still hot, you may need to hold it with oven mitts or a kitchen towel.
3
Dress with melted butter, salt, and ground black pepper. Add these ingredients to the platter and use two forks to gently toss them into the spaghetti squash.^{[8]
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- You can serve spaghetti squash in a variety of other ways, as well. For instance, if using it as a substitute for actual spaghetti, you could add a tomato-based sauce and Parmesan cheese.
- Alternatively, you could also toss it with a 2 to 4 Tbsp (30 to 60 ml) of fresh chopped herbs, like basil, parsley, or chives.
4
Finished.

Community Q&A

Question

Can uncooked spaghetti squash be frozen?

Community Answer

Yes as long as it is packaged properly for freezing.
Question

If a squash is 6 lbs, and I cut it in half, how long should I cook it?

Community Answer

If a four pound squash takes 12 minutes, that would be 3 minutes per pound. So I would estimate that a 6 pound squash should be cooked for 18 minutes.
Question

Can I cook and shred spaghetti squash ahead and reheat it in the microwave?

Community Answer

I do sometimes, but it's not good for very long. I wouldn't prep it any further than the afternoon/night before because if it sits in the fridge for too long and then gets reheated, it gets mushy.