Air Fryer Spaghetti Squash (Perfect Every Time)
Learn how to make Air Fryer Spaghetti Squash for a quick and efficient method. Spaghetti squash is a great low-carb alternative to cooked pasta that is nutritious and delicious. Learn how to make it using your air fryer if you don’t want to use a regular oven.
Spaghetti squash is one of my favorite veggies to air fry. I love its mild flavor and spaghetti-like texture. Although it doesn’t taste exactly like pasta, it is a perfect low-carb substitute.
You don’t want to overcook spaghetti squash or it becomes mushy which is why I prefer to cook it in the air fryer. The texture is exactly what you want – cooked but not too soft.
Air Fryer Spaghetti Squash Benefits
- Spaghetti squash is a perfect low-carb base for so many dishes or as a delicious side dish. You can stuff it with Italian sausage, taco meat, or chili for a quick and easy dinner. Or you can toss it with alfredo or marinara sauce. The opportunities are endless. Dress it up however you like!
- It’s a no-fail way to cook it. Perfectly cooked squash comes out in slightly al dente strands. You can stir in olive oil/butter and salt for a super quick side dish or add protein and make it a meal.
- Spaghetti squash only has about 8 net carbs per cup and almost no fat. It’s low in calories but loaded with antioxidants. It’s perfect for a low-carb diet, or if you want a great substitute for wheat noodles. It’s naturally gluten-free, vegan, dairy-free, keto, and Whole30 friendly!
Ingredients
- Spaghetti squash – Look for a spaghetti squash at the grocery store that is golden or darker yellow. It should be heavy for it’s size with no soft spots or bruising. Make sure to buy a spaghetti squash that once cut in half will fit inside the basket of your air fryer. They vary in size.
- Olive oil – Olive oil will caramelize the outside of the squash a bit and add good flavor. You can use another neutral oil in it’s place if needed.
- Sea salt & black pepper – Sea salt and pepper add tons of flavor to roasted vegetables and spaghetti squash is no different. Don’t forget to season the inside of the spaghetti squash before you air fry it.
Please see the recipe card at the end of this post for the exact ingredients and measurements.
Recipe Steps
Step One
Cut both ends off the spaghetti squash with a sharp knife, then cut it in half lengthwise. Use a large spoon to scoop out the seeds.
If you hate cutting into the hard squash (or if it makes you nervous like it makes me, see my related recipe for Instant Pot Spaghetti Squash or Crockpot Spaghetti Squash).
Please see the recipe card at the end of this post for the exact ingredients and measurements.
Step Two
Place the raw squash halves into your air fryer basket, cut side up.
Drizzle the olive oil onto the halves and sprinkle the inside of the squash with salt and pepper.
Step Three
Set the temperature to 360 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 minutes.
Step Four
Once the cooking time is up use tongs to transfer the hot squash to a cutting board. The inside should be fork tender.
Step Five
Use a fork to loosen the long strands from the skin and transfer the strands to a serving bowl.
Step Six
Serve the spaghetti squash hot with your favorite toppings, or even plain. One of my favorite ways to eat this easy Air Fryer Spaghetti Squash is just with jarred marinara sauce and cooked ground beef.
I hope you agree that this is the best air fryer spaghetti squash recipe! It’s a great way to prepare this low carb spaghetti that can be served in different ways.
Recipe Tips & Substitutions
- If you have a small air fryer basket, choose a small spaghetti squash so that it will fit. If you find that both halves of the squash won’t fit into the basket at one time, you may need to cook the halves in two batches.
- Feel free to get creative with your seasonings. Garlic powder, smoked paprika or Italian seasoning would be great too.
- Store any leftover cooked spaghetti squash in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can also freeze it for up to 2 months. Reheat before serving.
- Cooked spaghetti squash can be served with any sauce that you would serve regular spaghetti noodles with (such as alfredo sauce or tomato sauce). Heat the sauce in a separate pan and then toss with the cooked spaghetti squash noodles before serving.
- If you would prefer to use a slow-cooker, be sure to see my recipe for Crockpot Spaghetti Squash.
Recipe FAQs
Yes if you cook spaghetti squash too long it becomes watery and loses its texture. You can check the squash by running a fork down the flesh and seeing if it makes a strand like texture without turning to mush.
The short answer is yes but the difficulty is fitting the spaghetti squash into the air fryer. Unless you have a very large air fryer it will be hard to close the air fryer which is why I prefer to cut them in half first.
Everyone does it a bit differently but I find the perfect temperature to cook spaghetti squash in the air fryer is 360 degrees Fahrenheit for around 25 minutes.
More Healthy Air Fryer Recipes You Might Like
- Air Fryer Acorn Squash
- Air Fryer Baby Carrots
- Frozen Brussel Sprouts in Air Fryer
- Air Fryer Delicata Squash
- Air Fryer Butternut Squash with Cinnamon
- Air Fryer Roasted Pumpkin
- Air Fryer Pumpkin Seeds
Or, see my entire index of gluten-free air fryer recipes.
Don’t Miss These Air Fryer Resources!
Air Fryer Spaghetti Squash
Learn how to make Air Fryer Spaghetti Squash for a quick and efficient method. Spaghetti squash is a great low-carb alternative to cooked pasta that is nutritious and delicious.
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Ingredients
- 1 spaghetti squash
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Cut the ends off of your spaghetti squash. Then, use a sharp knife to cut it in half lengthwise.
- Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds.
- Place the squash halves inside your air fryer basket, cut side up. Drizzle the olive oil between the squash halves, along with the salt and pepper.
- Set the temperature to 360°F for 25 minutes.
- When the cook time is up, use tongs to transfer the cooked squash to a cutting board or plate.
- Use a fork to break up the flesh of the cooked squash into spaghetti shaped strands, transferring the strands to a serving bowl.
- Serve the cooked spaghetti squash hot with your choice of marinara sauce or plain.
Notes
- If you have a small air fryer basket, choose a small spaghetti squash so that it will fit. If you find that both halves of the squash won’t fit into the basket at one time, you may need to cook the halves in two batches.
- Store any leftover cooked spaghetti squash in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can also freeze it for up to 2 months. Reheat before serving.
- Cooked spaghetti squash can be served with any sauce that you would serve regular spaghetti noodles with. Heat the sauce in a separate pan and then toss the toss with the cooked spaghetti squash noodles before serving.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Side dish
- Method: Air fryer
- Cuisine: Healthy
- Diet: Vegetarian
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 54
- Sugar: 2.1 g
- Sodium: 303.6 mg
- Fat: 3.9 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 5.4 g
- Fiber: 1.2 g
- Protein: 0.5 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
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About the Author: Carrie Forrest has a master’s degree in public health with a specialty in nutrition. She is a top wellness and food blogger with nearly 10 million annual visitors to her site. Carrie has an incredible story of recovery from chronic illness and is passionate about helping other women transform their health. Send Carrie a message through her contact form.
I love how easy the air fryer makes it to cook spaghetti squash! Easy peasy!