Cheesy Baked Spaghetti Squash with Garlic
This cheesy baked spaghetti squash is the simplest way I know to cook my favorite squash. The halves roast with olive oil and crushed garlic until the edges turn golden, the flesh gets raked into strands with a fork, and a mix of mozzarella, aged cheddar and chopped baby spinach bakes on top until the cheese caramelizes. A pinch of smoked flaky salt and some fresh parsley finish it.
I grew this spaghetti squash from seed in my own garden, and of everything I plant, it is my favorite. One vine fills a corner of the garden with golden squash by the end of summer, and they keep for weeks in a cool, dry spot. Honestly, it needs very little help: garlic, two cheeses, a pinch of smoked salt, and the oven does the rest.
How to Roast Spaghetti Squash in the Oven
Roasting decides everything here, so this is how I do it, at 400°F (200°C):
- Halve it lengthwise. A sturdy chef’s knife and a stable board are enough. If the skin is very hard, pierce the squash a few times and microwave it whole for 3 to 4 minutes first.
- Scoop out the seeds and the stringy pulp around them with a spoon.
- Roast it cut side up, brushed with olive oil and covered with crushed garlic. Cut side up is what browns the edges and toasts the garlic; cut side down steams the squash and gives you softer, wetter strands.
- Check it at 45 minutes. It is ready when a fork slides easily into the thickest part. A small squash can be done in 35 minutes, a big one may need closer to an hour.
Then rake the flesh with a fork and it falls apart into long, noodle-like strands on its own. Leave them in the shells, because that is where the cheese goes next. One small tip if you ever want even longer strands for a pasta-style dish: cut the squash into rings instead of halves, since the strands run around the squash, not along it.
Mozzarella, Aged Cheddar and a Handful of Spinach
Spaghetti squash with cheese is a classic for a reason, and the two cheeses here do different jobs. Mozzarella brings the stretch, the long strings you see when the fork comes up, but on its own it tastes mild. Aged cheddar brings the flavor: sharp, a little nutty, and it browns in spots in the hot oven. Mixed half and half, you get both. Then I stir in finely chopped baby spinach, raw: it wilts in the oven, gives the topping those green streaks you see in the photos and makes this a proper spaghetti squash with spinach, not just cheese.
The smoked Maldon salt is my small trick. A few flakes over the cheese are enough to give the whole dish a gentle smoky note. Grate the cheddar yourself if you can: pre-shredded cheese is coated with an anti-caking powder and melts less smoothly.
Growing Spaghetti Squash from Seed (and When to Harvest It)
The squash in these photos grew in my garden from seed. Spaghetti squash grows like any winter squash: sow it outdoors once the frosts are over and the soil is warm, give it full sun, room to sprawl, and steady water while the fruits form.
When to harvest spaghetti squash: wait until the skin turns a deep golden yellow, the rind is hard enough that your fingernail does not dent it, and the stem starts to dry out. Cut it with a few inches of stem left on. Picked this way, it keeps for weeks in a cool, dry place, so you can cook from the harvest well into autumn.
What to Serve with It, and Leftovers
As a main, one half per person is generous. A crisp green salad with a sharp vinaigrette cuts through the cheese nicely. As a side, it sits well next to lentil patties, a bean stew or roasted mushrooms.
Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 3 days, covered. Reheat them in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for about 15 minutes, so the cheese crisps again; the microwave works too, but the strands get softer.
If you love cheesy squash dishes, try our cheesy baked butternut squash next. For more pasta swaps, see our keto cauliflower mac and cheese or browse all of our low-carb recipes.
Cheesy Baked Spaghetti Squash with Garlic
Equipment
- Baking sheet
- Sharp knife
- Spoon
- Mixing bowl
- Fork
Ingredients
- 1 spaghetti squash medium, about 3 lb (1.4 kg)
- 2 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
- 4 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 cup mozzarella shredded
- 1 cup aged cheddar grated
- 2 cups baby spinach finely chopped
- ½ tsp smoked Maldon salt or other smoked flaky sea salt
- 2 tbsp parsley fresh, chopped, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut the squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds and stringy pulp with a spoon.
- Place the halves cut side up on the baking sheet. Brush the cut surface with the olive oil and spread the crushed garlic over it.
- Roast for 45 to 50 minutes, until the flesh is tender when pierced with a fork and the edges are golden brown.
- Meanwhile, mix the mozzarella, aged cheddar, chopped baby spinach and smoked salt in a bowl.
- Take the squash out and rake the flesh lengthwise with a fork to loosen it into strands, leaving them in the shells. Pile the cheese mixture on top.
- Return to the oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until the cheese melts and caramelizes in golden spots. For deeper color, switch to the broiler for the last 1 to 2 minutes and watch it closely.
- Sprinkle with the parsley and serve hot, right in the shells.
Notes
Spaghetti Squash Questions
Halves of a medium squash, about 3 lb, take 45 to 50 minutes at 400°F (200°C), plus 12 to 15 minutes once the cheese goes on. A small squash can be ready in 35 minutes, so check it with a fork.
Cut side up, if you want browned edges and toasted garlic like in this recipe. Cut side down steams the flesh, which gives softer, wetter strands and no color.
Use a sharp, sturdy knife on a stable board and cut lengthwise from stem to base. If it is very hard, pierce it a few times and microwave it whole for 3 to 4 minutes to soften the skin.
Yes, compared to pasta. Cooked spaghetti squash has about 7 g of carbohydrates per 100 g, while cooked pasta has around 30 g. With the cheese, one serving of this recipe comes to about 19 g of carbs.
Yes. Roast the squash up to a day ahead and keep the halves covered in the fridge. When you are ready, rake the strands, add the cheese and bake for about 20 minutes, until hot and golden.
Any flaky sea salt with a pinch of smoked paprika gives a similar smoky note. You can also skip the smoke and use regular salt; the garlic and the cheddar carry plenty of flavor.
Yes, with a vegan mozzarella-style and cheddar-style cheese that melt well. The topping will brown a little less, so give it a minute or two under the broiler.
