Spaghetti squash is one of those miracle veggies that turn into something so not-veggie like (other examples: zoodles, cauliflower pizza, cauliflower anything!). You just pop it in the oven for a bit, take it out and shred it with a fork, and then you have something that so resembles pasta, it’s scary. And not only that, it is delicious! I am definitely not against eating pasta when you want pasta, however, sometimes it’s nice to have a veggie-fied version. When you mix it with some cheese and toppings, as a result, you have a wonderful hybrid of pizza and pasta: spaghetti squash pizza boats! The perfect little vehicle to stuff all of your favorite pizza toppings into.
how to cut and cook a spaghetti squash
While it may seem intimidating to know how to cut and cook spaghetti squash, it’s actually fairly easy. I love this post from Cookie + Kate about cooking spaghetti squash, which also has a handy video. Basically, you should first cut the top and bottom off of the squash so you can stand it on one end. Carefully slice through, lengthwise. Remove all seeds and stringy bits. Rub with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Should look like this:
Now, you’re not going to pop it in the oven like that. You need to flip them over!! This part is crucial. If you leave them like the photo, the moisture will pool in the squash. We want the cut side down to avoid this, as well as to achieve those lovely crisped and caramelized edges. So flip those spaghetti squash over!
Next, bake them (cut-side down, remember!) in the oven at 400 F for 40-60 minutes. Differences in time arise with your oven strength and with the size of the spaghetti squash! You know it’s done when you can pierce through the squash with a fork, easily. Almost time to make them into spaghetti squash pizza boats! Finished squashes should look like this:
Now, the fun part! It’s super easy to make noodles out of the squash. Just take two forks and go crazy with scraping the sides of the squash. It should be very easy and come apart quickly; keep going until you get all the squash off the sides of the skin. Take a look:
spaghetti squash pizza boat toppings
Now you could go ahead and remove the squash from the skin and use it in any recipe that calls for spaghetti. Or you could make fun little boats and keep the squash inside their natural bowls! For my spaghetti squash pizza boats, I added artichoke hearts, mozzarella cheese, olives, tomatoes, basil, and oregano. If you want a super saucy bowl, add marinara sauce, or any other pizza sauce you enjoy! I would love to make this with a pesto sauce mixed in. Check out this post for three pesto recipes!
Spaghetti Squash Pizza Boats
Ingredients
- 2 spaghetti squash medium to large
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 1/2 cup black olives sliced
- 1/2 cup marinated artichoke hearts chopped
- 1/4 tsp dried basil
- 1/4 tsp dried oregano
- Dash of Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Cut the top and bottom off of each spaghetti squash, then stand on one end and slice through the squash carefully.
- Scoop out seeds and stringy bits.
- Rub with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Place cut-side down on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 40-60 minutes, depending on squash size and oven strength.
- Once you can pierce the squash with a fork easily, shred and 'fluff' the squash with a fork until you get strings of 'spaghetti'. Keep the squash noodles inside its boat.
- Add a drizzle of olive oil into the squash noodles, and about half of the mozzarella cheese. Mix well.
- Add other toppings, and the rest of the cheese. Place back in the oven for 5-8 minutes, broiling at the end if desired, until cheese is melted
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