This spaghetti squash recipe is cheesy and earthy, almost like a creamy mushroom risotto! It’s an easy low-carb meal to serve on a busy weeknight that’s full of flavor but won’t weigh you down.
This spaghetti squash recipe is savory, cozy, and very simple to make. I like to think of it as Italian-style because of the salty and umami taste of parmesan cheese and earthiness of mushrooms. Tender strands of spaghetti squash are tossed with sautéed mushrooms, garlic, and herbs, creating a comforting dish that’s both kid friendly and perfect for vegetarians.
Spaghetti squash is commonly used in place of traditional pasta, like in this spaghetti squash alfredo recipe, because it’s lower in calories and carbohydrates and contains dietary fiber. When paired with vegetables like mushrooms and cooked with olive oil, it creates a dish that feels satisfying while still being relatively light. Rather than relying on heavy sauces, this recipe gets its flavor from sauteed mushrooms, garlic, and herbs, which helps keep the dish light and balanced.
If you like Italian flavors, add this spaghetti squash shrimp scampi recipe to your must-try list.
Why This Spaghetti Squash Recipe Works
- Uses simple, easy-to-find ingredients
- Naturally gluten-free and vegetarian
- Savory and comforting without the use of rich sauces
- Easy to customize with proteins or extra vegetables
Table of contents
Ingredients Needed
Scroll down to the recipe card for the full recipe.
- Spaghetti squash: Look for a spaghetti squash that’s bright yellow, and with a skin firm enough that you can’t push your fingernail through it (if you can it means that the squash is still too young to eat). The skin should not have any bruises or damage either, otherwise it’s a sign that’s it’s over-ripe.
- Olive oil: Olive oil is needed to cook the mushrooms. I like the fruitiness of olive oil but feel free to use another type of oil with a high smoke point such as avocado oil or grapeseed oil.
- Mushrooms: Any type of mushrooms can technically be used for this recipe. Button mushrooms are easy to find and affordable, but other types like maitake mushrooms and oysters mushrooms are excellent options because they too, caramelize well.
- Garlic: A little garlic is used to flavor the olive oil and give the dish a slight floral element.
- Thyme: I recommend using fresh thyme over dried thyme because of its strong herbaceous aroma.
- Parmesan cheese: I highly recommend using freshly grated parmesan cheese over pre-shredded. That’s because you will get better quality, better texture, and better tasting parmesan cheese. If you can, buy the blocks that have been freshly cut from a wheel. Those are the best by far!
- Parsley: I prefer the texture of Italian parsley (also called flat leaf parsley), but curly parsley also works.
Kitchen Equipment Needed
- Sharp chef’s knife: Necessary to slice the spaghetti squash in half. The skin can be very tough to cut through so make sure your chef’s knife has been sharpened.
- Microwave safe plate: This is a quick recipe so we are using a microwave instead of the oven to cook the spaghetti squash.
- Deep skillet: A deep skillet can be used just like a wok. It’s better for cooking food that need to be tossed and mixed, like in this recipe.
How to Make Spaghetti Squash with Mushrooms
- Cut the squash in half, lengthwise, and scrape the seeds with a spoon.
- Cover a plate or a microwave safe container with a damp paper towel and place the spaghetti squash cut side down (skin facing up) on top. Microwave on high for 10 minutes.
- Saute the mushrooms with the olive oil, garlic, and thyme, until they are a deep golden brown color. Set them aside in a bowl.
- When the spaghetti squash has cooled down, shred the flesh into strings, using a fork.
- Place a deep skillet on the stove and turn the heat to medium high. When the skillet is hot, add the spaghetti squash and mushrooms and saute for 1 minute.
- Add the parmesan cheese and fold it into the mixture.
- Turn the heat off and serve the squash topped with fresh parsley.
Recipe Tips & Variation
Remove as much moisture as you can. Since spaghetti squash can be very high in water, gently dab the strands with paper towel once you are done shredding it. This helps the squash from getting soggy once it’s added to the skillet.
To get beautiful long strands, scrape the flesh all the way to the skin very gently, to avoid breaking them.
- Protein boost: Top with grilled chicken, shrimp, or crispy tofu, to turn it into a main.
- Vegan: Use a dairy-free Parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast. Or for a recipe with Asian flavors, try this yakisoba-style spaghetti squash.
- Veggie loaded: Toss in spinach, kale, or bell peppers.
- Tomato forward: Top with marinara sauce.
- Autumn twist: Finish with toasted walnuts or pine nuts for crunch.
- French twist: Use Gruyère cheese instead of parmesan cheese.
- Mexican Style: Top with black beans, avocado, and lime. Or try my Mexican spaghetti squash casserole with avocado salsa.
- More aromatic: Use other herbs like rosemary, basil, and oregano to play with the aromatics of this dish.
Storage
Keep the leftovers in an airtight storage container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Unfortunately this recipe cannot be frozen as the quality of the spaghetti squash will deteriorate and get watery and mushy.
How to Serve Spaghetti Squash
Spaghetti squash is extremely versatile and pairs well with just about any flavor combination. You can even use spaghetti squash to make savory croquettes, finished with a simple lemon sauce. Depending on the seasoning, they can accompany a comforting meal made for the holiday season, or a table full of light and summery dishes.
Personally, I find that it marries beautifully with other Mediterranean dishes like this hearty Tuscan soup, ribollita, or a colorful vegetable ricotta pie. Or, it can be served on its own with a baguette on the side.
Savory Spaghetti Squash with Mushrooms
Cheesy, earthy, and savory, this spaghetti squash with mushrooms recipes is a comforting dish that’s perfect for kids and adults.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main
- Method: Microwave
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 2 pounds spaghetti squash
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cups button mushrooms, chopped bite size
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoons fresh thyme
- 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- Handful of flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prep the spaghetti squash. Wash the spaghetti squash under water and dry it. Slice it in half, lengthwise, and remove the seeds with a spoon.
- Microwave the spaghetti squash. Place the spaghetti squash halves on a microwave safe plate or other microwave safe container, cut side down (skin facing up). Cover with a damp cloth or a couple of paper towels. Microwave on high for 10 minutes.
- Cook the mushrooms. In a deep skillet over medium high heat, add the olive oil, garlic, and thyme. When the garlic becomes fragrant – after 1 minute or so – add the mushrooms. Stir fry the mushrooms until they are caramelized (a golden brown color) – about 7 to 8 minutes. Turn off the heat and set aside.
- Shred the flesh. Take the spaghetti squash out of the microwave and shred the flesh with a fork. If the squash is still hard, microwave for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, until the flesh is tender.
- Put everything together in a skillet. Place a large skillet over medium high heat and let it warm up. When the skillet is hot, add the spaghetti squash and mushrooms and cook for 1 minute. Add the parmesan cheese and fold the ingredients a few times to combine everything.
- Garnish and serve. Turn the heat off and transfer the dish to a serving plate. Top with parsley and season with salt and pepper if needed.
Notes
Store the leftovers in an airtight storage container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 170
- Sugar: 8.6g
- Sodium: 147.9mg
- Fat: 9.8g
- Saturated Fat: 2.2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1.4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 19.4g
- Fiber: 3.9g
- Protein: 4.6g
- Cholesterol: 3.6mg
Frequently Asked Question
Yes you can! Place the spaghetti squash, whole (no need to slice it in half), on a baking tray and pierce the skin several times with a sharp knife. Roast it at 375ºF for about 1 hour, or until the skin can easily be sliced through with a knife.
Yes, this recipe is 100% gluten-free!
Of course! Brands like Violife and Follow Your Heart offer dairy-free vegan parmesan options that are pretty amazing!
Hi, this is a great recipe! I’m skipping Parmesan but I’m making it all the time & this time I’m adding spinach! Thank u!
Spinach sounds delicious! Thank you Polina for sharing 🙂
I’d love to make this tonight but would like to use some eggs – do you think a fried egg or poached egg on top would go well with the flavors?
Absolutely! Either option sounds great!
Compiled your recommendations and cooked squash in the microwave; added onions, grape tomatoes, and spinach; and used goat cheese intead of parmesan. Also added some Bragg’s liquid aminos and red pepper flakes. YUM!
That sounds amazing Liz! Happy it turned out Yummy 🙂
Best way to cut through a spaghetti squash pierce it in several places and put it into the microwave on hight 8-10 minutes depending on how hot it gets. Then slice it in half.
Thank you Linda for the tip!
I would like to make this but use a cheese other than parmesan in order to reduce the sodium. Does anyone have any suggestions as what cheese might work well?
Just discovered your blog when searching for spaghetti squash recipes–made this for dinner tonight and I loved it!! It was so easy and the mushrooms added a deep flavor. I like the idea from the comments of adding sausage to make this a heartier meal, so I’ll try that next time. I did find that after I scraped out the squash, it was pretty watery and I had to use a paper towel to soak up the liquid before I added it to the mushrooms. Is that normal? I think the squash may have been baked too long so next time I’ll reduce the baking time a little. Am going to make your spaghetti squash yakisoba later this week–thanks for the great recipes!
Hi Sarah! I had the same problem the second time I made the spaghetti squash and I think it’s because it was over cooked. Next time, try to keep the strings a little crunchy, I find them much more delicious that way. Let me know how the yakisoba one turns out! Thanks for your comment!
What a fantastic gluten free recipe – I will definitely make this again!
I added Trader Joe’s jalapeno chicken sausage for extra protein.
That sounds delicious Dominika!
Hi this is my first time making spaghetti squash. This recipe is delish. What should the texture of the squash? Mine is a little crunchy?
Hi Pam,
I like my spaghetti squash to be a little crunchy but that’s totally subjective to personal preferences. I did make it softer once, but thought it was almost too mushy.
Made this tonight.
Added chicken and spinach leaves.
Little bit of sour cream mixed in and topped with pine nuts.
Wow!
Instead of taking the seeds out afterwards I scrape them out before baking the squash. I think it’s easier and less work once it’s baked. I also like to bake the quash face down on a baking sheet with a thin layer of water at 350 F for 45 minutes. Makes the squash a little more tender.
Thank you for sharing your cooking tips Megan!
This was very tastey. I know it says it serves 4 but I ate most of it myself, it was so good.
Thanks Chris! I know what you mean, I can eat that pretty much on my own too!
Made this tonight and it was terrific! I had shaved parmesan on hand, so I used that on top…it was such a good flavor with the squash that I definitely want to try it freshly grated next time and cooked in a bit as the recipe calls. The only other slight variant was I added 4 oz of fresh-cooked bacon bits right at the end of the mushrooms sauteing. This was such a great way to serve spaghetti squash – will be making again!
Thanks Erin, I’ll add bacon as a topping variation, sounds great!
Great recipe! Love that it is veggie packed! However, 1 ounce Parmesan cheese (or cheese in general) has the same amount of protein as 1 oz beef (or any meat). Total of 7g per ounce 🙂
So Good!
Thank you Sandy!
Made this tonight, it was excellent. I also stir fried some broccoli, carrots and zucchini up and added to it. We had some fresh marinara sauce on hand, let them add that to their plates, and wow kids and hubby loved it. Will be a family favorite.
Yumm that’s such a great idea to offer the sauce as an option! I’ll try that next time, thank you for sharing Sheila!
How would I reheat this if I made it in advance? Please email me at shackford1@gmail.com Thanks!
That’s wonderful Jacqui! Thank you so much for letting me know!
I’ve loved Spaghetti Squash for years and fix it frequently.The easiest way to perpare it is to cut in half,remove and seeds and MICROWAVE each half on a microwave-safe plate for 10 min. each.The squash should easily shred at this point.If not microwave for 1-2 more min.Trying this recipe tonight !
What a great idea Suzanne! I will definitely be trying your method, sounds so simple and easy!!
I always poke a few holes in my spaghetti squash with a sharp knife making sure I make it to the center of the squash. Then I microwave it for 6-10 mins depending on the size. This sort of steams the squash! Then I cut in half and scrape the seeds out, then the squash. One way to tell if it’s been microwaved long enough is to squeeze the squash. If it is still really hard, it needs a few more mins. If the outer shell has a little give to it, it’s been long enough.
I love your idea of not even cutting the squash in half before microwaving it Kelly! I’ll give it a try next time, thanks for sharing!
I just made this and served it with baked flounder. I was a little unsure how it would be received because my husband isn’t a big fan of spaghetti squash or mushrooms but he really liked it and said the two dishes made a great combination.
I printed it and will make it again! Yum
Thanks
I made this over the weekend and it was great. I also added some goat cheese.
what a great idea I will try that some of my favorite things
This is so delicious. Looking so great. I love this.