• 1 medium spaghetti squash
  • 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
  • 1 medium garlic clove
  • 2 tbsp olive oil

This was the first time I’ve ever made baked spaghetti squash and let me tell you – I would do it again and again and again. The spaghetti squash mimics spaghetti noodles perfectly. The texture and the taste are both perfect for mock-pasta dishes and I’m definitely going to be experimenting with this miracle-veggie a lot more often.

Directions for Baked Spaghetti Squash with Garlic and Parmesan

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Picture someone you hate and stab your spaghetti squash – if you don’t stab your spaghetti squash a few times it will literally blow up in your face. Bake your spaghetti squash for 1 hour.

In a pan over medium heat, add olive oil and a finely minced garlic glove. Slice your baked spaghetti squash in half vertically. Remove the seeds and scoop the flesh AKA noodles into the pan.  (This can get pretty messy, I ended up just scooping it all into the pan and picking the seeds out as I found them.) Saute noodles in the pan for about 4-5 minutes.

Plate your baked spaghetti squash and grate a whole lotta parmesan cheese on top.

Baked Spaghetti Squash

Baked Spaghetti Squash

Noodely goodness! Serve with some garlic toast – have 2 pieces, you can afford it with all the carbs you’re saving by not using regular pasta. Comparing the 2 nutritionally, 100 grams of spaghetti squash contains 31 calories and 7 grams of carbohydrates. 100 grams of pasta  contains roughly 370 calories and 75 grams of carbs.

Baked Spaghetti Squash

Baked Spaghetti Squash

Comparing spaghetti squash and pasta cost-wise however, pasta wins every time. I can buy a box of pasta for 99 cents however spaghetti squash usually runs at about 99 cents per lb, and a medium spaghetti squash is around 2-3 pounds. That being said, you can easily make this simple dish with regular spaghetti if you’re just looking for a cheap pasta dish and not that interested in the nutrition aspect of your meal. (What up college kids?!)