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After cooking several spaghetti squashes in the slow cooker this week, I’m surprised to tell you that I have a strong opinion on the best way to do it. I’ll share the details with you below so you don’t waste any spaghetti squashes like I did.
While I love a good time-saving hack, there’s simply no getting around cutting a spaghetti squash in half if you want to cook it in a slow cooker. If you attempt to cook it whole, you’ll get mushy results. And you may end up with water spilling all over your counter when you slice into it. (That’s what happened to me—twice!)
Now that I know what I’m doing, I get perfectly cooked spaghetti squash every time I use the slow cooker. I think you’ll love it this way, too!
The Best Way to Cook Spaghetti Squash in a Slow Cooker
Step 1:
Cut the spaghetti squash in half, crosswise. You might be used to seeing spaghetti squash cut lengthwise, from stem to the blossom end, but that is not the easiest or the best way to cut a squash.
It’s easier to cut a squash where it’s hollow, and it’s hollow in the center where the seeds are, so it makes more sense to only cut in that area. As a bonus, the strands of the spaghetti squash are longer when you cut it this way, so it’s a win-win. It’s easier to cut, and you get to enjoy longer strands, like spaghetti noodles.
Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and stringy pieces in the center. (You can roast spaghetti squash seeds later, if you like.)
Step 2:
Pour a half cup of water into the bowl of your slow cooker. Mine is a 6-quart slow cooker, but any size that fits your squash should work.
Arrange the squash halves cut-side-down in the bowl with the water. You want the squash facing down so any liquid inside can drip into the pot as it cooks. (This means no watery or soggy squash later!)
Secure the lid and cook on high heat for 2 to 3 hours, or low heat for 4 to 6 hours. This is sufficient for a 3-pound squash. If your slow cooker switches to a “keep warm” setting after the cooking cycle, the squash should be okay for another hour or so.
Step 3:
When the cooking cycle is complete, test the squash by piercing the skin with a fork. If it easily slides in, the squash should be tender.
Use oven mitts to carefully remove each squash half. Let them cool on a cutting board until they are comfortable to handle. Or, if you want to serve this right away, hold onto the squash with the oven mitt as you use a fork to scrape out the spaghetti squash strands.
It can be enjoyed warm right away or stored for later.
Cooking a Whole Spaghetti Squash in a Crockpot
If you’re like me and don’t love cutting into squash, my first few attempts at cooking a spaghetti squash in a slow cooker aimed to help us do just that— not cut it at all. I was not nearly as happy with the texture of the squash when I attempted this (in two different slow cookers, just to be sure) but I’ll walk you through the process in case you want to try it for yourself.
- Wash and dry the squash, then pierce it several times with a knife to help it vent as it cooks.
- Pour a half cup of water into the slow cooker, add the whole squash, cover with a lid and cook on high for 3 hours or low for up to 6 hours.
- You’ll know the squash is done when it’s easily pierced with a fork, or you can press a dent into the shell with your finger. Cut it open (with a butter knife if you like because it’s so tender) and let it cool. Then scoop out the seeds in the center and enjoy the cooked squash.
As I mentioned above, I tried this on two different occasions and both times there was a significant amount of water that leaked out of the squash when I cut into it after cooking it whole. The squash was very mushy with this method, and not nearly as appealing in texture compared to the method I described above, cooking the squash in halves.
But, it does “work”— as in, it’s tender— if you prefer not to cut through the tough shell first.
Storage Tips And How to Use It
I usually cook spaghetti squash on the weekend and store it in the fridge, so it’s ready to use in a recipe for a fast weeknight meal. You can cook spaghetti squash up to 5 days in advance and store it in an airtight container in the fridge until you’re ready to use it.
Here are some recipes that call for spaghetti squash:
- Healthy Breakfast Casserole
- Cheesy Spaghetti Squash Casserole
- Stuffed Spaghetti Squash (no need to bake first)
- Spaghetti Squash Chow Mein
- Southwest Spaghetti Squash with Black Beans
Slow Cooker Spaghetti Squash
Ingredients
- One spaghetti squash (~3 pounds)
Instructions
- To prepare the squash, cut it in half crosswise. This means cutting through the center of the squash, only where it's hollow, rather than through the top and bottom where the stem is. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and stringy pieces in the center.
- In the bowl of your slow cooker add a half cup of water. Then place the squash halves cut-side-down in the slow cooker. Cover the pot with a lid and cook on high heat for 2 hours, or low heat for up to 4 hours.
- When the cooking cycle is complete, test the squash to see if it's done by piercing the outside with a fork. It should easily go through the skin when the squash is tender. Use oven mitts to remove the squash halves from the slow cooker. Then use a fork to pull the spaghetti-like strands out of each squash half.
- Enjoy it warm as a side dish or save it to use in your favorite spaghetti squash recipe. We usually prepare this as a meal prep option to add to recipes during the week— spaghetti squash can be stored for up to 5 days in an airtight container in the fridge.
Notes
Nutrition
More Slow Cooker Recipes to Try
- Slow Cooker Pumpkin Soup
- Healthy Chicken Tacos in a Slow Cooker
- Slow Cooker Applesauce
- Kung Pao Chickpeas
If you try this recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below to let me know how it works for you.
