Air fryer spaghetti squash: Low Carb, Quick and simple!

Name: Air fryer spaghetti squash
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 17 min
Total time: 22 min
Ingredients: 1 spaghetti squash about 1lb; 2 tbsp Olive oil; 1 tsp salt; ½ tsp chili powder; 1 tsp ground black pepper; 1 tsp garlic powder

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I love the ease and convenience of this air fryer spaghetti squash recipe. Spaghetti squash is hands down the fanciest squash. The boring-looking squash converts into a mine of low-carb noodles on cooking.

The easiest and the best way to cook spaghetti squash in the air fryer. Let us, deep-dive, into that today.

Why should you try cooking spaghetti squash in air fryer?

It is an easy, hassle-free, hands-off recipe. Your air fryer will do the job.
The quickest and most efficient way to cook spaghetti squash is in the air fryer.
Low calorie and high fiber recipe.
This healthy squash recipe that is very versatile. You can enjoy it as your heart desires. What we are discussing here is the base recipe that can be made Italian, Mexican, or Indian.
It is texture and flavor-packed recipe.

air fried spaghetti squash noodles in a plate

Why use an air fryer for making spaghetti squash?

In my opinion, an air fryer is the best equipment to cook spaghetti squash. Ever since I got an air fryer, I have never baked squashes. The most common way used is oven-roasted spaghetti squash. But today we are going to make spaghetti squash in an air fryer. Why? Does that question enter your mind? Let us try to answer that.

Because it cooks much faster than the oven and even better. The air fryer cooks the food faster than the ovens. There is no need to wait until the oven preheats. Air fryers preheat very instantly and quickly that you barely notice the preheating time.
Cooking squash in an instant pot is much more energy-efficient than baking. You do not need to heat the entire oven. Conventional ovens are huge and highly inefficient. On the other hand, cooking spaghetti squash in an air fryer is one of the efficient ways of cooking.

Ingredients needed to air fry the spaghetti squash

image of ingredients for air frying spaghetti squash

1. Spaghetti squash

How to choose the best spaghetti squash?

When buying a spaghetti squash, we need to take care of some factors. Sometimes they are very young or very old. You can eliminate the young ones by their pale and not fully deepened yellow color, but there is no way to tell if the Spaghetti squash that you are buying has been around for long.

It is only on opening that you see that they have sprouted seeds in their gut.

This usually is not an issue but if the sprouted leaves start to get greenish-yellow, the squash may develop a bitter taste and off-flavor. And in such a case, it could not be consumed.

Some are beyond our control but a few that we can control are:

Choose the right-sized spaghetti squash. You need to select the one that can fit into your air fryer basket. If you have an 8 qt air fryer you might be able to fit most sized squashes but if you own a smaller air fryer, you need to select a smaller spaghetti squash.

If you have already got a spaghetti squash with you that is larger in size than what your air fryer can accommodate, try cutting the squash into three t (instead of two halves) for air frying.

Choose a ripe and mature spaghetti squash. The ripe squash will have a deep yellow color and feel heavy for its size. On the contrary, the ones that will look pale yellow are generally unripe and not mature.

Select a spaghetti squash that is clean, healthy, and does not have any blemishes or spot spots on its surface. Soft spots are a clear indication of flesh rot in squashes.

Sometimes the skin and surface might appear firm and fine but the stem might have some soft spots around it.

Now that we have selected the spaghetti squash, now let you see how it can be cooked.

2. Olive oil

We need some olive oil to rub onto the cut portion of the spaghetti squash. It helps the spaghetti squash to cook faster and get a nice char in an air fryer. Also, we get these nicely separated strands of spaghetti.

You can use the oil of your choice. Any vegetable oil will work as well.

3.Spices

Salt and freshly ground black pepper are going to be the basic spices. But you can add more flavoring if you want. I have used garlic powder and chili powder for some flavor enhancement here.

Cheese mix ( optional)

You can add some grated cheese mix ( cheddar and parmesan cheese)with some herbs to top the spaghetti squash in an air fryer.

4. Equipment: Air fryer for cooking spaghetti squash

The only equipment that you will need is an air fryer. Bigger the better. Some smaller air fryers take double the time to cook stuff. It is a good idea to invest in a larger and premium air fryer. I am using an 8 qt Bella professional air fryer for making this recipe.

If you are using a smaller air fryer, its heating capacity may be limited, and based on that it may take longer to cook. So, adjust for the size factor when cooking the spaghetti squash in an air fryer.

Now that we have all that we need. Let us start with this spaghetti squash air fryer recipe.

Instructions: How to make air fryer spaghetti squash recipe

Step 1 Preparing the spaghetti squash: cutting and removing the seeds

For making air fried spaghetti squash, first, we need to slice it into two halves. If we cut it horizontally, it will take longer to cook. But cutting the spaghetti squash vertically into two equal halves ensures quick and even cooking on all sides. Now take a strong spoon to extract all the seeds and core from the squash.

How to cut spaghetti squash for obtaining the best strands or noodles?

You can also cut spaghetti squash into 4-5 horizontal rings and rub all sides with olive oil and spices. The horizontal rings yield the longest strands of spaghetti. But I do not recommend this method as cutting spaghetti squash be tricky sometimes. Cutting even and equal rings could be challenging. You do not want to chop off your fingers.

How to cut spaghetti squash safely?

images showing cutting and deseeding the squash

Spaghetti squash is a very thick and sturdy skinned vegetable. It is not easy to cut it. To cut it safely without hurting yourself, place a kitchen towel underneath it. Then, use a small knife to score through the outer hard skin. Then grab a sharp heavy-duty knife and slice through the scored skin. It will cut through more easily. Now take a spoon and scoop out the seeds.

Step 2 Rub oil and spices

Now brush the cut portion of the spaghetti squash with olive oil. Then, sprinkle the spices on it. Use a pastry brush or your hands to rub it all over the surface.

Step 3 Air fry spaghetti squash

Lastly, place the spaghetti squash in the air fryer basket. Air fry the spaghetti squash at 400 ⁰F for 15-20 minutes. Mine took 17 minutes. I suggest opening the basket at 15 minutes and going from there.

I always suggest pulling out the air fryer basket before the lowest given cook time in a recipe and seeing for yourself, how much more time do you need. Your spaghetti squash might need lesser than the suggested time. This way you will know the cooking time that works best for you.

The older squashes are hardier and take longer to cook. So, it is very much possible that some spaghetti squash may take 30 minutes. It has more to do with the sturdiness of the fiber binding in the squash itself.

Step 4 Serve the spaghetti squash

There are two ways to serve the spaghetti squash.

1. Separating the spaghetti squash noodles or stands

First, separate the spaghetti strands from the squash and collect them on a plate, and then, serve with whatever sauces you have.

When the air fried spaghetti squash is ready, take a fork to pull out the spaghetti strands from the squash onto a plate. You can then serve it with whatever type of sauce you want. I used Garlic cilantro sauce to serve mine. Or you can try this Indian inspired pesto. The options are endless.

2. Serving in the squash bowl itself

images showing air fryer temperature and air-fried squash

The second method is to fill the squash with sauces, stuffing’s and top with cheese and put them back into the air fryer to cook for a few minutes. And serve the spaghetti squash straight. Strands could be pulled out with every bite of the delicious goodness!

How to serve the air fried spaghetti squash? : A few suggestions

Consider the spaghetti squash strands a regular spaghetti.

They can be served with pasta sauces.
Stuff them with pilaf and top with cheese.
Serve them mixed in your favorite sauce, like cilantro garlic sauce mix them with pesto and top with some grated parmesan cheese. Then serve it along with the main dishes.
Add chutney and air fried vegetables and enjoy!
Serve with sauted veggies or air fryer vegetable recipes.
Use them in your pho bowl.

Possibilities are endless. Experiment and find your favorite one.

How to store air fried spaghetti squash?

If it was too much for you to finish in on sitting, you can always refrigerate or freeze the leftover spaghetti squash. Ways to store the cooked spaghetti squash are:

You can store the air fried spaghetti squash as whole pieces by covering them with cling wrap and refrigerating for 2-3 days.
You can separate the strands and store them in an air-tight jar. They would store well for 3-4 days.
You can store the spaghetti squash strands mixed in the sauce in an airtight container. It will refrigerate well for 2-3 days. Unlike the few other moisture-rich squashes like zucchini, bottle guard, etc., it will not lose the moisture and make the sauce runny.
You can freeze the separated strands in a freezer-safe bag. Squeeze out all the excess air and seal the bag. Then, cover with a foil and label it. It would freeze well for 4-5 months if stored properly.

How to reheat the spaghetti squash?

You can reheat the spaghetti squash in a microwave or in an air fryer or in a pan.

To reheat the refrigerated stands, just empty them in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 1-2 minutes (depending on the quantity).
You can air fry them by putting them in an oven-safe bowl and placing the bowl in an air fryer. Then, air fry the spaghetti squash at 350 ⁰F for 5-6 minutes.
The other way is one of my favorite ways. I like to just empty the frozen or refrigerated spaghetti squash into a pan with the pasta sauce. Mix everything and let it cook for 3-4 minutes. Turn off the flame and serve.

Pro tips

Choose the right-sized and clean squash. A small one if your air fryer is small.
Please be careful while cutting the spaghetti squash. Do not forget to place a towel underneath the squash while cutting, so that it does not roll or slip out of hands.
The exact time taken by every squash will vary with the air fryer and the squash itself. The older squashes are hardier and take longer to cook. So, it is very much possible that some spaghetti squash may take 30 minutes.
Cooking time in most air fryer recipes is dependent on the efficiency of your air fryer. So do not blindly adhere to the given timeline.

Frequesntly Asked Questions

How to make whole spaghetti squash in an air fryer without cutting?

If you are scared of cutting the spaghetti squash, you can cook it as a whole in an air fryer. But the catch is that it will not cook evenly through. The outer skin will char way before the strands are cooked through at the center of the squash. Also, there is no way to spice the spaghetti strands.
The suggested way is to put the entire spaghetti squash in the air fryer and set the air fryer temperature at 400 ⁰F for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes take it out and put on a kitchen towel. Now put on your oven gloves and slice it into two halves. The squash will be tender by now. Scoop out the seeds and gut, and brush oil and spices on the squash surface.
Then put it back to air fry for 10 more minutes at 380 ⁰F.

How to make spaghetti squash in an oven?

Well, the process of making the spaghetti squash in the oven is very similar in preparation to the air fryer method. Read the complete post on how to make spaghetti squash in an oven. I hope you will find all your answers there.
You can also make spaghetti squash in an instant pot or a pressure cooker as well. It is much faster to cook that way, but the spaghetti squash noodles are a bit wet( not the best results). Not the best way for cooking spaghetti squash.

Is spaghetti squash healthy?

Spaghetti squash is a heathier low-carb substitute for spaghetti and noodles. They are rich in vitamins, and fiber. Excellent addition to your diet if you are calorie conscious or watching your weight. This squash has the potential to assist you in your weight loss journey.

Can you eat spaghetti squash if the seeds have sprouted?

Usually sprouted spaghetti squash is safe to eat, but there are. Chances that it might have crossed that stage and could be toxic to eat.
The only way to know that is if the sprouts have become very long and the leaves have started to turn pale greenish. The squash will smell odd and will taste bitter. Sprouted squash at this stage is unfit for consumption.

Spaghetti squash seeds: Can you eat them, or do they need to be removed?

Yes, the spaghetti squash seeds are edible just like a pumpkin and many other squash seeds. But they need to be removed from the gut, washed, and dried. When fully dries, they can be roasted like pumpkin seeds and eaten as a snack or used to top soups or stews.

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Check this one out.

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