Roasted spaghetti squash with bacon and Parmesan cheese is a great way to top spaghetti squash for an easy, tasty, low-carb side dish.
Roasted Spaghetti Squash with Bacon
Although there are several methods to cook this winter squash, my favorite is roasted spaghetti squash. To roast the squash, I cut it on half lengthwise, remove the seeds and cook it for about one hour. Some of my favorite spaghetti squash recipes, besides this one are Baked Spaghetti Squash and Cheese and Spaghetti Squash Lasagna Boats.
Roasted spaghetti squash with bacon is a delicious side dish. Spaghetti squash is a type of winter squash that, when cooked, has strands that resemble spaghetti. When roasted, it becomes tender and takes on a sweet, nutty flavor. Adding bacon to the dish can add a salty and savory component, as well as a crunchy texture.
Variations
- Try this with Pancetta in place of bacon.
- Swap bacon for turkey bacon if you don’t eat pork.
- Make it dairy-free with vegan Parmesan.
Tips for preparing spaghetti squash:
If you are baking this winter squash, you don’t have to peel it. Cut the squash in half lengthwise or down the middle for longer strands, scoop out the seeds and bake. Alternatively you can leave the squash whole, pierce a few times with a paring knife, and microwave until the skin is soft and gives, about 8 to 10 minutes depending on the size.
For more easy spaghetti squash recipes, try:
- Spaghetti Squash Primavera
- Spaghetti Squash Turkey Taco Boats
- Spaghetti Squash with Meat Ragu
- Baked Spaghetti with Cheese
- Spaghetti Squash Enchilada Bowls
Bacon Parmesan Spaghetti Squash
Ingredients
- 4 slices center cut bacon, sliced
- 1 medium spaghetti squash, yields 3 cups cooked
- pinch Kosher salt
- 1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup course grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- fresh black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Heat a medium skillet over medium heat.
- Add the bacon and cook until crisp, about 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer bacon to a paper towel with a slotted spoon.
- Preheat oven to 400F degrees.
- Line a baking sheet with foil. Cut the squash in half lengthwise, and use a spoon to scrape out the seeds and soft yellow strands. Lightly season with salt and pepper, place the squash face down on the baking sheet and bake for 60 to 65 minutes or until the flesh easily pierces with a fork.
- When soft, transfer to a bowl and combine with olive oil, parmesan, and bacon.
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Tried it last night and it’s amazing!! One of my new favorites and so easy to make.
This was amazing! I know it may seem weird, but I actually had this for breakfast. I have an egg intolerance, so finding new breakfast items can be really challenging. This was fantastic. I will definitely have this again.
Yum!!! I had leftover spaghetti squash I needed to use and found this recipe. It was fabulous!!! I didn’t have any parmesan on hand, but mizthra worked just as well. I think the next time I make this, it will be for breakfast with an egg on top! Love your recipes, website, and cookbooks, Gina! Thank you!!
We found it a little mushy after baking in oven and did not come out stringy like spaghetti however it was nice mixed with rice
if you cut it crosswise the “spaghetti” threads will be longer.
I just made this for lunch and it was fantastic… I adapted a bit to make this recipe for 1 portion – 1 slice of bacon, 2 cloves of garlic, 1 tbsp of onion. Once cooked, I added 1.5 cup spaghetti squash, 1 cup of spinach, some Parmesan on top. Omitted olive oil and used bacon grease instead. Delicious and only 200 calories based on LOSE IT app calculation. 🙂
Hi Gina, I tried this with a regular squash and it was fantastic!! I have a spaghetti squash to make another batch but am wonder if it can be made ahead of time and frozen?
What would you think about using the bacon grease in lieu of the olive oil? Or at least part of the olive oil amount if less than 1 1/2 tbsp? I would think it would add some great bacon flavor without increasing the points, since the full bacon strips are used in the points calculation.
sure
I’m pretty sure the point calculation for the bacon doesn’t include drinking the fat Left behind in the pan.
Utilizing the bacon grease in lieu of the olive oil would add amazing flavor!! And contrary to the “drinking fat left behind” comment, if you are counting carbs it would not affect the carb count at all. Go for it!! I’m cooking this today exactly as you suggested! Lauren! Great suggestion!!
Full of flavor! Was a hit in my house and the leftovers were great too. Super easy to make.
I am not sure this calorie count is correct. 6 servings of 109 equals 654 in the whole dish. I know brands can vary but this seems like too much. 180 calories in the oil, 140 calories in the center cut bacon, 240 in the cheese, which leaves less than 100 calories for a whole spaghetti squash. At 31kcal per 100 grams, that’s only a 300gram or 10.5oz squash, which is about the size of an onion. I would recommend doubling the given calorie count to anyone else who is calorie conscious.
All that aside, this is what I am planning to make for dinner tonight! I’ve loved all these spaghetti squash recipes, Gina, please make more! 🙂
Perfect – easy to prepare, and oh so nutritious. There are various “spicing” opportunities, but I made this as the recipe is written, and used top-notch uncured bacon. Yum. This is a new fall-winter staple!
Recipe sounds delicious! What do you eat with it on the side for dinner?
This is soooo yummy! Just enough cheese and bacon to add great flavor!
I think that you’ll get more flavor if you roast it with a little olive oil, salt and pepper. I do It for 40 minutes at 400 degrees.
First time having or trying to cook spaghetti squash. When cleaning inside squash do you clean out seeds and mussy stuff inside?
I have always microwaved spaghetti squash. Gina, I assume you prefer the oven method, is there a reason why?
Yes, it’s less watery, and tastes better.
Thanks for the great recipe! What would you recommend as a substitute for parmesan cheese, as I am allergic to dairy?
Nutritional yeast is a recommended substitute for parm cheese and so is non dairy vegan Parmesan cheese substitute called Parma. I have not tried either of these so I can’t recommend what to use but it’s a start.
I have always boiled my spaghetti squash. I put it in a large pan with lid. Make sure there is enough water to cover. Boil it for 45 – 60 minutes. Let cool then cut the squash in half. You can cut easily and it is now cooked.
It came out kind of watery for me. Did anyone else run into this?
Yes, mine was very watery; I googled what may have gone wrong and it may happen when it is overcooked.
I just made this. Did I maybe bake my squash to long? it is really wet and not good strands
So yummy! Made this tonight and threw in some whole garlic for the last few minutes of to asting. Chopped it up with oil and put it on top along with some red pepper flakes. awesome recipe Gina!
I made this as a final attempt to like spaghetti squash. Alas, not even bacon changed my mind. I won’t give this recipe a bad rating (what’s bad about cheese and bacon?) but will warn readers that if you already don’t like spaghetti squash, this may not be your salvation.
1/2 a cup for 4 point(new freestyle system) is not a diet bargain!
I see 2 points for 1/2 a cup…
I “stab” the squash straight through the middle with a sharp butcher knife, then wiggle it around to cut it in half. Remove seeds and cook for 7 minutes in an Instant Pot. It comes out sooo tender!
Thank you! So smart points on your site means freestyle?
Yes.
Do you happen to know how this translate to the new weight watchers
point system.
everything on my blog is updated with the new points
Using the nutrtional value info provided it is 4 SP, not 2.
I made this yesterday to eat as a side for lunch and for the next few days. This was SO good! The only thing I’d do different next time is keep the bacon separate for the leftover servings I plan to eat during the week to keep it more crisp. But even as I eat it now, with my bacon a tad soggy and at room temp (because I’m too busy at work to run to the microwave) it is still very delicious. Glad I bought 2 squashes yesterday as this is going in the regular rotation!
What am I adding wrong (or am I)? I put all of the ingredients in the WW calculator and I come up with 2 SP for 6 servings.
The calculator accounts for the calories in the squash.
To make this easier, prick the squash a few times and put it in the microwave for 6 to 8 minutes.
Make sure you prick it or it will explode. Take it out and it’s much easier to cut. Then either micro till done or finish in the oven.
I find it difficult to cut a squash. And it’s dangerous with a sharp knife. I prefer to precook my squash to facilitate easier cutting and less risk of injury. They are very difficult to cut otherwise.
My hands are what they used to be SO I cook the squash whole. Let it cool then cut in half and remove the innards SUPER EASY cook a little longer that’s all
I use a fork to put some holes all around the squash then put the whole spaghetti squash in the microwave for 8 to 12 minutes depending on the size. It is easy to cut and scrape the seeds out once it has cooked. You can also cook whole in the over as well.
I’ve been trying to find a healthy and easy side dish to take to Friendsgiving and I think this may be perfect. Do you think it would still taste great if I made this ahead of time and stuck it in an oven safe dish to reheat? If so, how hot should the oven be and how should it be in there?
Can you do squash in the Instantpot? I did it once but it had a weird texture I thought
maybe it needed more time. Wondering if you have tried to do it and for how long?
It comes out pretty soft, I have one on my site with meat sauce.
Unfortunately, I don’t have the strength to cut the squashes. I love them roasted but last time it took 45 minutes to get it sliced. I’ve been nuking it so it gets soft. Can I nuke it and then roast it??
Yes maam
I made this as a main dish for me and my husband and we went back for 2nds! It was so good and so easy to make! I swapped in turkey bacon and added in some asiago cheese with the parm because it’s what we had on hand. Love this dish. Thanks for sharing Gina!!
Great! Glad you enjoyed it!
I made this as a main dish for me and my husband and we went back for 2nds! It was so good and so easy to make! I swapped in turkey bacon and added in some asiago cheese with the parm because it’s what we had on hand. Love this dish. Thanks for sharing Gina!!
Great!
Sounds delishes . I just can not seem to pass the first step. I can’t cut the squash; it’s too hard. Any ideas how to soften the skin?
If you microwave it 2 minutes it helps.
I tried to do this recipe, but just couldn’t start with an essential step: cut the spaghetti squash!
Tried all my different cutting utensils , no lick; it’s hard as a rock! Any ideas how to cut it !
You need a good sharp knife.
I always ask the produce folks to cut it for me in the back. Just ask and they will do it for you!!!
This is an awesome idea!!
You can also poke holes in it with a knife and microwave it for 5 minutes or so, then cut it. It works a lot better!
This is what I did after looking up on the internet, “How to cut spaghetti squash,” because even with my sharp knife it was like cutting into a stone. But this trick of zapping it first worked really well.
I agree. I didn’t have a knife that would cut through, either, and I have LOTS of knives. My husband took it back to the store and they used a huge cutting tool. Since then, whenever I make spaghetti squash, I have someone from the produce department cut it. They say they do it all the time for people.
Maybe it’s not a spaghetti squash. Usually their skin is not that hard.
Belive it or not I use a pumpkin carving knife from one of thoae kits you can get at Halloween. Cuts the squash easily. The ends are still tough but that stupid little tool works better than my sharpest knives.
i bake mine whole.. just poke holes in it and put some olive oil on it.. About 1 hr in 400 degrees then when its done I cut the squash with ease.
If you microwave it for a few minutes it’s much easier to cut and gives it a head start on cooking. I use this method for other squash also, like butternut and acorn.
If you want to make things even easier, cook your bacon in the oven with the squash. Just don’t cook it for an hour unless you like cinders!
This looks delicious! I will definitely try it but I wanted to share a tip about the preparation of the squash that has worked quite well for me. Hope this is helpful!
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Cut 1/2″ off each end, then cut in half across the WIDTH.
Use a sharp knife to carefully cut around the inside of each half to get out the seeds and other various innards. (you can prick the squash a couple of times and then stick it in the microwave for 5 minutes to soften the skin, if you like) Cut further into rings if you’d like, but it’s not necessary. The cooking time is the same, and by leaving halves intact, you can use them as bowls!
Place the squash “rings or bowls” on a rack fitted over a sheet pan and liberally salt both sides. (I line the sheet pan with foil for easier clean up) Let sit for 15 minutes.(this pulls out excess moisture from the squash!) Wipe off the excess salt and moisture with a clean towel or paper towel onto the sheet pan.
Roast in the oven for approx. 30 minutes or until done.
Once the squash has cooled enough to handle, peel the skin away with your fingers, or if it’s stubborn, use your knife to slice the peel off.
Why do you cut it lengthwise? I cut mine “around the waist” and the strands are much longer, as they grow in circles horizontally, not vertically… Just wondering. Thanks!
I prefer it but either way is fine.
MAde This as a main dish and my husband and I loved I️t! We added Asiago cheese and subbed turkey bacon because it’s what we had on hand. Turned out great. Thanks Gina!!