Easy Spaghetti Squash Air Fryer Recipe
Easy Spaghetti Squash Air Fryer Recipe
Spaghetti squash cooked in the air fryer is a quick and easy alternative to traditional pasta. With a crispy texture and the ability to hold flavor well, it's a delicious and low-carb noodle alternative for your favorite pasta dishes.
Why You Will Love This!
This air fryer spaghetti squash recipe is a great alternative to noodles - so you can make your favorite pasta dishes without the added carbohydrates. It is lower in calories!
It’s easy to make - the hardest part is cutting it, and that can be done easily when you have a microwave!
Great canvas for different flavors - you can use your favorite pasta sauce, like marinara sauce, alfredo sauce, or even meat sauce for this! It holds flavor really well.
How to Pick the Best Spaghetti Squash?
For best results, grab one that is not too big! If you want to place this in your air fryer basket, keep the size of the squash in mind.
The squash should be firm; don’t pick one that is mushy.
The stem should be firm.
Grab one that is yellow and not pale! The more yellow, the more ripe!
Why Should You Air Fry Spaghetti Squash?
It’s way faster! The traditional oven method takes about 20 minutes longer of cook time, so why not cut time by half with the air fryer?
Tips to Air Frying Spaghetti Squash
Cut the squash in half as evenly as possible.
Different size squashes may cook differently. So check the halves of the squash after 20 minutes to see if it is fork tender.
Different air fryers cook differently!
Can I Cook Spaghetti Squash in the Oven?
If you don’t have an air fryer, you can do this in the oven! Use the same steps. Just place the squash halves on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake them in a preheated oven at 400 degrees F for about 35-40 minutes until fork tender.
Storage
Leftover spaghetti squash can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Tips to Cut the Spaghetti Squash?
Cutting a spaghetti squash can be a hard task, and I like to make it really easy for myself by prepping my squash.
The best way to do this is to cut a few slits down the center of the spaghetti squash, long ways, where you will be making the cut eventually. This is a crucial step before popping into the microwave so the steam can escape!
Pop the spaghetti squash into the microwave for 4 minutes.
Carefully remove the squash from the microwave with a dish towel and place it on a sturdy cutting board. With a sharp knife, cut along the slits length-wise.
What to Serve With the Spaghetti Squash?
Great served with a pesto sauce (directions below).
Homemade Pesto Ingredients
2 cups fresh basil
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup parmesan cheese
1/3 cup toasted walnuts
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoons pepper
2 tablespoons water (to thin out)
How to Make Homemade Pesto
Toast the nuts on medium heat in a skillet for about three to four minutes until fragrant.
Add all of the ingredients (including the toasted walnuts) except for the water to a food processor or high-powered blender.
Blend for 20-30 seconds.
Add 2 tablespoons of water (or more) until the desired consistency is met.
Remember to taste your pesto to ensure it doesn’t need any other seasoning!
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.
*Substitute the parmesan for nutritional yeast if you are dairy-free.
*Substitute the parmesan cheese for asiago or pecorino romano cheese.
*I prefer using fresh garlic, but that is fine if you only have pre-minced garlic or garlic powder.
Air Fryer Spaghetti Squash Ingredients
1 spaghetti squash
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
Chopped parsley for garnish
How to Make Air Fryer Spaghetti Squash
Preheat your air fryer to 360 Fahrenheit while you prepare the squash.
Cutting a spaghetti squash can be a hard task, and I like to make it really easy for myself by prepping my squash. To do this, cut a few slits down the center of the spaghetti squash, long ways, where you will be making the cut eventually. This is a crucial step before popping into the microwave so the steam can escape!
Pop the spaghetti squash into the microwave for 4 minutes.
Carefully remove the squash from the microwave with a dish towel and place it on a sturdy cutting board. With a sharp knife, cut along the slits length-wise.
Remove the seeds with a spoon and discard.
Drizzle the inside of the squash with olive oil. Rub it in with a brush or your fingers to evenly distribute.
Season the inside of the squash with salt and pepper.
Place the spaghetti squash cut side down in the air fryer basket and air fry for 20-25 minutes. This exact timing will depend on the size of your squash. For larger squash, cook for longer, and smaller squash may take less time.
Once the squash is fork tender, carefully remove it from the air fryer basket and flip it over so the open side is facing up.
Use a fork to scrape the inside of the squash into long strands of noodles!
Sprinkle with the parmesan cheese, flakey sea salt, and fresh parsley.
This easy air fryer spaghetti squash recipe is a healthy way to enjoy a low-carb and delicious side dish or main dish. With its shorter cooking time and the ability to hold different flavors, this simple side dish is a must-try for anyone seeking a quick and easy alternative to traditional spaghetti noodles.
Easy Spaghetti Squash Air Fryer Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 spaghetti squash
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- Chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 360 Fahrenheit while you prepare the squash
- Cutting a spaghetti squash can be a hard task, and I like to make it really easy for myself by prepping my squash. To do this, cut a few slits down the center of the spaghetti squash, long ways, where you will be making the cut eventually. This is a crucial step before popping into the microwave so the steam can escape!
- Pop the spaghetti squash into the microwave for 4 minutes.
- Carefully remove the squash from the microwave with a dish towel and place it on a sturdy cutting board. With a sharp knife, cut along the slits, length wise.
- Remove the seeds with a spoon and discard.
- Drizzle the inside of the squash with olive oil. Rub it in with a brush or your fingers to evenly distribute.
- Season the inside of the squash with salt and pepper.
- Place the spaghetti squash cut side down in the air fryer basket, and air fry for 20-25 minutes. This exact timing will depend on the size of your squash. For larger squash, cook for longer, and smaller squash may take less time.
- Once the squash is fork tender, carefully remove from the air fryer basket and flip it over so the open side is facing up.
- Use a fork to scrape the inside of the squash into noodles!
- Sprinkle with the parmesan cheese, flakey sea salt and parsley.
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