Easy Microwave Spaghetti Squash Recipe
If the thought of cooking Spaghetti squash has you mystified, then you’ll love this easy microwave Spaghetti squash recipe! Lightly flavored with butter, hints of onion powder, thyme and creamy goat cheese, this delicious and healthy vegetable is ready in minutes- no oven required!
Years ago, Spaghetti squash, which is a Winter squash, made its social media debut as the perfect low carb side dish! Unfortunately, due to its name, most recipes treated this Winter vegetable like Italian spaghetti by putting marinara on it. Why? Because the inside pulp has strands – like spaghetti noodles? I never understood (nor subscribed) to that flavor combination.
In my humble opinion, the pasta sauce overpowers the delicate flavor of the spaghetti squash. This easy microwave squash recipe is based on minimal prep time and simple ingredients that let the flavor of this delicious Winter vegetable be the star!
Why this recipe works
- The texture is enhanced with the inclusion of a little crumbled goat cheese – not only does this add another level of flavor, it makes the spaghetti squash a little creamy with a hint of tanginess
- A smidgen of ground thyme and onion powder pair beautifully with the natural, nutty flavor
- A little butter never hurts 🙂
- A final light dusting of an aged cheese, like Pecorino-Romano or Parmesan give a semi-saltiness to the dish
DID YOU KNOW? Spaghetti squash, (often referred to as “vegetable spaghetti” or “noodle squash”), is technically a fruit, however due to its savory flavor profile, it is most often referred to as a vegetable and served during the Fall and Winter months as a side dish.
What you need for the best Spaghetti squash recipe
I’ve always believed that simple is best, and in this case, it truly is! There are just a few things you need for best results:
- Sharp chef’s knife – the outer skin is hard, like that of Acorn squash; you’ll need a sharp knife to cut the it in half; do not rely on a dull knife or a paring knife
- Microwave and Microwave safe dish – we’re gonna soften the outer skin first in the microwave, then cut it in half, scoop out the pulp and seeds, then finish cooking it in the microwave
- Plastic wrap – use a plastic wrap that is microwave-safe. Why? We’ll cover the halves with plastic wrap to create steam to finish cooking
How to make it
The traditional method for baked spaghetti squash is the oven, however, this microwave spaghetti squash recipe minimizes the total bake time and the results taste the same as if you’d baked it in the oven. This is an overview; for exact instructions, see recipe card below.
- Rinse and dry squash; use a fork and poke 8-12 piercings around the perimeter of the veggie (this is so it won’t explode in the microwave)
- Put the whole thing in the microwave for about 4 minute to soften the outer skin
- Remove it from the micro, cut it in half and remove the seeds and dark orange strands
- Place the halves cut-side up in a microwave-safe baking dish; add ¼ cup of water and cover with plastic wrap
- Return the baking dish to the microwave; cook 10 minutes or so
- Once the halves are cool enough to touch, use a fork and scrape out the “spaghetti strands”, or the pulp and transfer it to a mixing bowl
- Add the goat cheese crumbles, butter, seasonings, and scoop the mixture into individual ramekins or a baking dish
- Top with a little grated Pecorino-Romano or Parmesan cheese; put a tiny dollop of butter on the top, return the ramekins to the microwave and cook 30 seconds or so, just until the butter melts; allow to cool slightly then serve
Recipe tips
- The recipe, as written, yields four ½ cup servings and uses a 2-pound squash; if you’re making this for a group, double or triple the recipe
- I serve this dish in individual ramekins versus a casserole dish because I’ve found that, especially at Thanksgiving or other big food holidays, there’s so many other sides, people will “just get a little of everything” – ¼ cup – ½ cup per person is usually right on target
- If you double or triple the recipe, it might be easier to use a medium-size casserole dish rather than ramekins (just keep in mind, the baking dish has to be microwave-safe AND fit in the micro…
- Be sure to make 8-12 fork-piercings on the outer skin – this allows steam to escape and prevents it from exploding in the microwave (don’t ask me how I know this)
- Do not overcook-the result will be watery and mushy; you want a slight crunch in the finished produce
What does spaghetti squash taste like?
It tastes earthy and nutty with a hint of sweetness to it. To me, its flavor is very similar to yellow squash or “crookneck squash.” The texture of the pulp is thin and stringy, kind of like angel hair pasta, and when properly prepared, has a slight bit of crunchiness to it.
Storage, make ahead and reheating
If you want to get ahead of the game, you can cook it in advance and store it in the fridge for up to three days. When you’re ready to assemble the dish, just reheat in the microwave and resume the recipe.
Store leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap for up to 3-5 days. For best results, reheat in the microwave on 50% power for 3-5 minutes.
Y’all need to try this easy microwave spaghetti squash casserole! It makes a great side dish for your Easter ham, Thanksgiving turkey or weeknight veggie plate!
More Vegetable Recipes
- Southern Eggplant Casserole (Wyatt’s Cafeteria Copycat)
- Southern Collard Greens
- Yellow Squash and Onions
- Cajun Squash Casserole
- Maque Choix Cajun Corn
- Turnip Green Cornbread Casserole
- Maple Pecan Carrot Casserole
Easy Microwave Spaghetti Squash
Equipment
- Super sharp chef's knife
- 4 4"inch ramekins or 8" x 6" baking dish See recipe notes
- Microwave oven
- Microwave-safe baking dish
- Plastic wrap
- Thick dish towel or tongs
Ingredients
- 2 pound spaghetti squash (you'll need 3½ -4 cups of spaghetti squash strands); See recipe notes
- 2 tablespoons softened unsalted butter (for the recipe) See recipe notes
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided 1 tablespoon for the baking dish; 1 tablespoon divided for the topping
- ⅛ teaspoon onion powder
- ⅛ teaspoon ground thyme
- ¼ cup crumbled goat cheese
- ½ teaspoon salt See Recipe Notes
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese (optional) for topping
Instructions
Prep
- Lightly butter four 4" inch ramekins and set aside2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- Wash squash and pierce skin with a fork 8-12 times evenly around the squash2 pound spaghetti squash
- Place whole squash in microwave and cook on high setting for 4 minutes; let the squash cool a bit before removing it (it will be HOT!); then, wrap a dish towel around it to remove it from the microwave or use a pair of heavy-duty tongs
- With a super sharp knife, cut off the ends and discard
- Cut squash in half lengthwise; use a big spoon and remove the seeds and dark orange strands; discard
- Place the squash halves cut side up in a microwave-safe baking dish; Add ½ cup water to the baking dish; cover with plastic and return to microwave; cook for 8-10 minutes (until you can easily pierce the pulp with a fork)
Assemble the recipe
- Use a fork and scrape the strands of pulp out of the squash halves; transfer to a medium size mixing bowl
- Add butter and combine until the strands are coated; add in goat cheese crumbles and combine well2 tablespoons softened unsalted butter (for the recipe), ¼ cup crumbled goat cheese
- Season with onion powder, ground thyme, black pepper, salt⅛ teaspoon onion powder, ⅛ teaspoon ground thyme, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon salt
- Scoop ½ cup of squash mixture into prepared ramekins or baking dish; top each with 1 tablespoon of grated cheese then place ¼ tablespoon of butter on each ramekin¼ cup grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese
- Place ramekins in microwave and cook 1-2 minutes on high, until the butter starts to melt; remove and allow to cool slightly before serving
