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This roasted spaghetti squash is topped with bacon, garlic, and Parmesan for a simple family friendly dinner. Let me show you how to cook spaghetti squash that your whole family will devour!
Alright, look…I know that I’m here to share family-friendly, kid-friendly, easy peasy recipes for busy moms.
Then I go and throw up a roasted spaghetti squash recipe. If you’re side-eyeing me like, yeah right, my kids aren’t going to eat this…well I feel ya.
But have you TRIED? Because y’all, my kids LOVE roasted spaghetti squash.
Sure, it took a bit of selling when they first saw the dish, but after that first bite they were all in…probably thanks, in part, to the bacon and Parmesan. 😉
Cooking spaghetti squash is easy and so tasty!
It’s beyond simple to roast a spaghetti squash.
The hardest part is cutting it in half…use a sharp knife and lots of muscles. Many people will even poke holes with a fork in a circle around the squash and then microwave it for 5 minutes. Makes it much easier to cut this way!
Scrape out the seeds from the center of the squash and place it cut side down on a greased baking sheet.
Roast for about 45 minutes and then use a fork to scrape out long strands of ‘noodles.’
Spaghetti squash with bacon:
Once your noodles are all scraped out, fry up a little bacon, add some garlic, and toss with your squash.
Season with salt and pepper and top it all of with some shaved Parmesan.
The squash has this slightly sweet, earthy flavor that pairs so well with the bacon and Parmesan!
This is so filling and would easily feed my family of four as a main dish. Add in a salad with homemade Italian dressing and some garlic bread, and you have a healthy, scrumptious dinner.
You should try this spaghetti squash casserole too!
I can’t wait to experiment with more spaghetti squash recipes. It has such a great earthy flavor and it’s really quite easy to prepare. Love it!!
For more of my favorite fall recipes, check out this pumpkin bread, turkey chili, and baked spaghetti!
Spaghetti Squash with Bacon, Garlic, and Parmesan
Ingredients
- 1 spaghetti squash around 4 pounds
- 4 slices bacon diced
- 3 cloves garlic chopped
- Parmesan cheese shaved or grated, as much as you like
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray or olive oil.
- Wash the spaghetti squash and slice off the end with the stem. Stand it up with the flat cut side down. Slice the squash in half lengthwise. (Use your muscles, squash can be difficult to cut!)
- Scrape the seeds from the center of the squash and discard (or save for roasting and eating as a snack). Sprinkle the inside of the squash with salt and pepper.
- Place on the prepared pan cut side down and bake for 30-45 minutes or until a sharp knife can be easily inserted with only a little resistance.
- Set aside.
- Fry the bacon over medium heat until crisp. Add the garlic to the bacon and continue cooking one minute or until fragrant.
- Use a fork to scrape the flesh from the squash in long strings. Place in a bowl.
- Add the bacon and garlic to the bowl of squash. You can drain the bacon first or add the grease right to the squash if you're feeling naughty.
- Salt and pepper to taste and sprinkle on some Parmesan cheese.
Joanna says
Thank you so much for this recipe! My 6 y/o LOVES it!
meatballs & milkshakes says
Looks delicious!
Becky B says
I love spaghetti squash and am always looking for new ways to try it! Thanks! Also if you throw it in the microwave whole for five minutes it is much easier to cut through.
Adriane says
This sounds soo good! You can also cook the squash in the microwave. Cook whole squash for a minute. Remove from micro, cut in half, and remove seeds. Put a 1/4 inch water in bottom of microwave safe bowl. Place squash inside facing down and cook for about 8 minutes. Check for tenderness. Fork out the insides and you’ve got “spaghetti “. Mmm. Of course, next tine i make it, thete will be bacon involved!!
Fay says
@Adriane,
I also cook the spaghetti squash in the micro, for 2 min. , I cut it in half, seed it and pour apple juice in a micro safe dish, (Never Plastic) place the squash cut side down, and cook it until fork tender,( I cover it with Non clorine bleached paper towe)l, cool it slightly , and toss it with either sweet butter, avacado oil or coconut oil melted, and cinnamon.
In fact this works for just about any squash!
Kelli says
YUM. My kids love spaghetti squash and actually request it- I can only imagine how much better it will be with bacon.
Elizabeth@ Food Ramblings says
yum, yum, yum!
Ashley @ Wishes and Dishes says
I love my pasta! i’ll have to try this, I know it won’t taste just like pasta but I bet it’s still yummy!
Kelly Senyei says
Wow! This looks awesome! I just made a butternut squash risotto with parmesan and I can’t wait to give this twist a try. Yum!
Joanne says
I always convince myself to like strange veggies at first by smothering them with something I know I love. usually cheese. It’s always a good idea.
Cheryl says
Spaghetti squash is a huge favorite here. I make a homemade spaghetti sauce with diced tomatoes, ground beef, onions, etc. and add that to the cooked squash, then put in a baking dish with mozza cheese on top and bake. So yummy.
I also find it easier to bake the squash before trying to cut it in half – so much easier. Just poke it full of holes (I use a metal BBQ skewer) and bake till soft. Easy-peasy!!!
Definitely gonna try the bacon one – bacon and spaghetti squash seem to be a match made in heaven!!
Jennifer @ Not Your Momma's Cookie says
You’ve given me the courage to try this out…I’ve always been a bit skeered of spaghetti squash!
Hayley @ The Domestic Rebel says
Why have I never had spaghetti squash? A vegetable that tastes like pasta? Is that real life or is this some kind of sick teaser joke?
Bacon makes my heart happy. And so does this dish. I want this in my mouth now please.
Karly says
@Hayley @ The Domestic Rebel,
Personally, I think it LOOKS like pasta more than it tastes like it. It’s definitely similar in taste, but it does have this earthiness that isn’t there in regular old spaghetti. It’s yummy, but don’t expect a big bowl o’noodles, cuz it’s not that.
DessertForTwo says
My coworkers & I were just talking yesterday about how we need to make spaghetti squash soon! Thanks for the timely recipe 🙂
Jocelyn says
I cannot tell you how many times I have picked one of those up thinking I would try it…but put it back on the shelf before i check out because it scares me! I think you have me totally convinced it needs to stay in the cart next shopping trip!!!
Karly says
@Jocelyn,
It is so much easier and tastier than you would think!
Katrina @ In Katrina's Kitchen says
Yum! spaghetti squash is one of my favorite fall dishes! Add bacon? Wins at life.