Spaghetti Squash Spaghetti Recipe

This spaghetti squash spaghetti is a wonderfully tasty and lower-carb option for spaghetti night!

I am super new to this delicious squash. In fact, I had never tried it before. It just wasn’t something I grew up knowing anything about. The photo below was my first taste. I always thought people were crazy for trading in their pasta for squash. I mean,  who doesn’t love pasta?

Clean Eating Spaghetti Squash Spaghetti

But I finally broke down and bought one, and I swear it was better tasting than regular spaghetti! While the squash does take a long time to bake, you can make your meatballs while you’re waiting. Or (if you don’t want the meatballs) do a bunch of chores or things that need doing while this bakes. I promise it’s so, so worth it!

The trick is to find a really good (and clean) spaghetti sauce, as the squash will rely heavily on the sauce for the full “spaghetti experience.”  But once you have that all picked out, the rest is pretty simple!

Are you unsure what “clean spaghetti sauce” is or where to find it? Read this for brand suggestions.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH RECIPES

Copyright Information For The Gracious Pantry
Clean Eating Spaghetti Squash Spaghetti

Spaghetti Squash Spaghetti

Cooking spaghetti squash can be done one of two ways. A) You can cut it in half (which is not easy to do) and bake it in a baking dish with about 1/2 inch of water in the bottom, or B) you can poke holes in a whole, uncut squash with a fork and bake it that way using a baking pan with 1/2 inch of water in the bottom. But it will take much, much longer to bake. So the choice is to either struggle with cutting the squash, or bake it for a long time (probably somewhere around 2 hours would be my guess. Personally, I cut mine).
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Course: Main Course, Pasta, Vegetables
Cuisine: American, Italian
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 351kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 large spaghetti squash (baked)
  • 12 oz. jar spaghetti sauce (no sugar added)
  • 1 ½ lb. lean ground turkey
  • 1 tbsp. garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp. onion powder
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 2 large eggs (or 4 egg whites)

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  • Bake your squash as you see fit for approximately 1 hour, or until it's soft and easily pierced with a fork. Once the squash is baked and soft, pull it out of the oven and allow to cool until you can touch it without getting burned. If you haven't already, cut it in half.
  • Using a fork, remove the squash from the shell by scraping it from the top of the sides to the center. This will achieve the "spaghetti-like" stings the squash in named for.
  • Mix all the turkey meat ingredients together in a bowl, form into meatballs and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 30 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 170 degrees F.
  • Mix with your squash and sauce, top with a little parmesan and serve.

Notes

Please note that the nutrition data given here is a ballpark figure. Exact data is not possible.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.25the recipe | Calories: 351kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 47g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 199mg | Sodium: 857mg | Potassium: 1164mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 854IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 105mg | Iron: 4mg

Author: Tiffany McCauley

Title: Journalist

Expertise: Food, cooking, travel

Bio:

Tiffany McCauley is a nationally syndicated journalist and an award-winning cookbook author. She is also a food blogger. She has been featured on MSN, Huffington Post, Country Living Magazine, HealthLine, Redbook, and many more. She has helped thousands of people learn to cook simple, clean, and healthy foods in their own home kitchens. She lives in Maine and loves Elvis, sunflowers, and a good seafood chowder, as well as travel writing.

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45 Comments

  1. I am new to spaghetti squash as well! After my first bite I was hooked!! Thanks for the great recipe…definitely going to make the meatballs!

    1. The Gracious Pantry says:

      Karen – fantastic! It’s such a great way to get more nutrients!

  2. Charity Froggenhall says:

    If you’re in a rush, you can microwave your squash. If you’re using a large squash, you really need to cut it in half first. I like to get really small squashes and serve 1 per person. They’re much easier to handle!

    1. The Gracious Pantry says:

      Charity – Thanks for the tip!

  3. Hi! I love spaghetti squash and cook it about once a week. Iprefer the taste of a baked squash, but when I’m in a hurry or last min decision, I cook mine in the microwave…I poke a lot of holes in a whole squash, place in glass baking dish, fill with about an inch of water, and microwave for about 7 – 10 mins per side (depending on size of squash). Warning – when you take it out of microwave to cut in half, it’s VERY hot and steamy.

    Thanks for your amazing recipes! I love your site!!

    1. The Gracious Pantry says:

      Amy – Wonderful insight! Thanks!

  4. You can microwave the whole squash for 8 or so minutes..be sure to prick with knife or fork to the seeds on all sides. It will steam cook all on its own with out water. Let cool for a few minutes before you slice open. YUMMY!

    1. The Gracious Pantry says:

      Sian – Thanks for the tip!

  5. I love spaghetti squash. I recently made it for my husband but he didn’t care for it too much – but my sauce wasn’t that good. I will have to give it another go soon. I think perhaps I will add some truffle oil!

    1. The Gracious Pantry says:

      Roxan – The sauce makes ALL the difference!

  6. I guess I will have to try spaghetti squash too! But I hate store bought spaghetti sauces. I keep trying different ones, and I just don’t like them! I guess I am spoiled since I started making my own and freezing it. I tried a new recipe this weekend and added a can of pumpkin puree to the spaghetti sauce, and no one was the wiser! It was delish!

    1. The Gracious Pantry says:

      Natalie – You are a wise woman. I usually “settle” for store bought (although it is clean), because I’m still perfecting a recipe of my own. It’s been a work in progress for year. But I’ll get it eventually! lol

  7. Suzanne @WorkoutNirvana says:

    This is something I want to try! I’m so impressed this can actually be done. Thanks 🙂

    1. The Gracious Pantry says:

      Suzanne – Sure! Let me know how you like it. The trick is to “scoop” the squash out with a fork, not a spoon, and go perpendicular to the grain of the squash. That’s how you get the “spaghetti effect”. Enjoy!

  8. you can cook the squash in the microwave also, and it only takes 20 minutes (if the squash isnt too huge). Poke holes, and pop in for 20 minutes … sometimes it takes a little longer maybe a half hour

    1. The Gracious Pantry says:

      Lindsay – Thanks!

  9. Tiffany, now I’m curious, what brand of clean spaghetti sauce do you use, I’m still searching to find a clean one that I like:)

    1. The Gracious Pantry says:

      Stella – I get a dairy free marinara sauce at Trader Joe’s. I think it’s their own brand. This is one case where you have to read a ton of labels to find the right sauce. Sad, but true.

      1. The Gracious Pantry says:

        Janet – you may have to remove some of the liquid to get everything to thicken up. At this point, you have a couple of choices. You can leave the skins in (which is what I usually do), or you can put everything through a sieve (like making apple sauce), and then boil it down a bit till it gets to the thickness you like. Remember that it will thicken slightly as it cools. Hope that helps!

  10. hi you other spaghetti squash lovers………i’ve always cooked mine for 10 min or so in the microwave, but that’s after splitting it in two and taking out all the seeds, etc., BEFORE cooking. anyone else do it this way and if so, how do you split it?? am tempted to use an ax! if i micro whole instead, is it still easy to get to the “spaghetti” part through all the seeds? thanks

    1. The Gracious Pantry says:

      Ellen – No matter what you do, it’s tough to split a spaghetti squash. I usually slam my knife into the top, and then bang the whole squash rather unceremoniously on a cutting board or counter top until the knife goes all the way through. But that’s just my method. Maybe somebody else has a better idea?

  11. is spaghetti squash sold yr around? i live in a small towm in ks and havent seen any and it the start of spring now

    1. The Gracious Pantry says:

      Audrey – If you don’t see it in the stores, I believe it really comes into season for the US later in the summer. If memory serves, it’s right around the time you start to see pumpkins. But I could be wrong on that. I would ask the grocer. They can usually tell you exactly when or if they will get them in.

  12. I just started cooking spaghetti squash. My recipe calls to cut the squash in half, scoop out the seeds. Then place the 2 halves face down in a baking pan, pierce the skin with a fork the way you would for a baked potato. Bake at 350 for half and hour. Done!

    1. The Gracious Pantry says:

      Kim – Yep! There are a couple ways to do it. Do what works for you, and enjoy!

  13. Trudefaith says:

    i love spaghetti squash! I usally have some sauce in the freezer (I make a huge batch and freeze in clean jars ) already to go! I cook my squash the way you do cut in half and clean then face down on a sprayed cookie sheet about 45 min to 1 hour. There are so many yummy things you can do with this squash

    1. Anonymous says:

      Trudefaith – Yes! They are a very versatile squash. Really yummy too!

  14. Anonymous says:

    pnm – I’ve never tried it with goat cheese. I’m not a fan, but my husband it. I’ll have to make it that way for him. Thanks! I’ll have to try it in the microwave.

  15. graciouspantry says:

    It is if you buy the good stuff. I can’t always afford it, but I buy organic when I can.

  16. Brittany Anne Long says:

    Have you tried freezing this? This sounds so yummy but I think I’m the only one who would be eating this :/.

    1. graciouspantry says:

      If you freeze everything separately, yes. It will freeze fine. But I wouldn’t mix the sauce and squash and everything together and freeze that. I don’t think it would hold up very well.

  17. Brittany Anne Long says:

    I accidentally bought a butternut squash will this work or no?

    1. graciouspantry says:

      It will be tasty, but it won’t shred like spaghetti squash does.

  18. graciouspantry says:

    I don’t have a microwave anymore, so that’s why I gave the oven instructions. The strings happen when you “shred” the squash using a fork. Drag the fork over the short width instead of the long length. It will shred like spaghetti. Glad he liked the meatballs!

  19. Joshandlaurieh says:

    Having this for dinner tonight. Fabulous! I did add some spinach to the meatballs. My kids thought it was so neat how the spaghetti shreds.

  20. Stephanie Sahr says:

    I made this for supper tonight, fabulous! I added some oatmeal and Italian seasoning to the meatballs.

  21. Thank you for actually explaining how to cook the spaghetti squash! My husband and I are trying the Paleo lifestyle and most everyone explains the entire recipe MINUS how to make that! Thanks tons!
    Meg

    1. The Gracious Pantry says:

      My pleasure!

  22. Mary Pat Filer says:

    I just bought my first spaghetti squash and can’t wait to try this recipe. I have a question, what kind of clean tomato sauce do you have and/or recommend? Thanks.

    1. The Gracious Pantry says:

      They are tough to find, but they are out there. In fact, the one I usually buy just changed their ingredients. So now I just buy tomato paste at costco and water it down a bit. Sometimes you have to get creative…

  23. Crystal McGuinn says:

    Hello there…. I love spaghetti squash and I cook mine in the microwave….I pock holes in it and cook it 10 minutes at a time until the shell is soft. Usually takes about 20 min.

    1. The Gracious Pantry says:

      Crystal – Thanks! 🙂

  24. I love the taste of roasted spaghetti squash. But I’ve nearly chopped off my arm trying to cut open an uncooked squash so I microwave the squash whole for 10 min. Remove it w/mitts, let cool 5 min so it’s safer & easier to handle. Then slice the top off; slice down the middle & scoop out the seeds. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Line an oven tray with aluminum foil. Season the spaghetti squash with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place flesh side down and roast for 30 to 40 minutes until fully cooked. It’s done when a fork pierces easily through the skin. Remove from the oven and let rest until cool enough to handle.

    1. The Gracious Pantry says:

      Lola – Great! Thanks for the tip! 🙂