Cheesy Marinara Spaghetti Squash

I really like spaghetti squash, you guys. It seems I always save my spaghetti squash recipes for autumn weather, but if you dig spaghetti squash as much as me, you need to check out this spaghetti squash sausage bake and this recipe for bbq chicken spaghetti squash boats and of course, this one for spaghetti squash with pumpkin marinara. 

Once I first learned about spaghetti squash, I couldn’t stop making it. I perfected the way to roast it. I obsessed over different flavor combinations that we could paint on our spaghetti squash canvas. I relished in the beauty of these spaghetti like strands and their uncanny likeness to actual spaghetti. 

Spaghetti squash, since it first made its way into my life, made me a forever fan. 

What I realized more recently is that I don’t have a traditional easy spaghetti squash with marinara recipe on my blog. You know, just an easy roast, dump, mix, sprinkle, melt kind of meal that weeknight dinner dreams are made of. 

My kids call this “pizza spaghetti.” I call it “cheesy marinara spaghetti squash.” But either way, I should note that my son gave it a 9 and 3/4 out of 10 scale. This is a scale he made up on a whim and yet gave me an almost perfect score, ate up his whole bowl and left me with the most giant smile on my face. 

So let’s jump in and make this easy Cheesy Marinara Spaghetti Squash! First, cut the ends off your spaghetti squash and then cut it in half lengthwise. Scoop out and discard the seeds. Then, place the spaghetti squash on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, drizzle with avocado oil (or online oil or whatever your favorite oil is) and sprinkle with sea salt and ground pepper. 

Turn the spaghetti squash so the flat side is down on the baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, flip the squash so the flat side is up (I find it easiest to use tongs) and continue to roast for another 15 minutes. Increase the time by another 15 minutes if you have a particularly large spaghetti squash. 

After roasting, use a fork to pull the strands away from the outer shell and transfer to a baking dish or oven-proof skillet. Once all the spaghetti squash strands are in the dish, pour the marinara over top and sprinkle with cheese. Broil on high for 1 – 2 minutes until the cheese is melted and toasty golden brown. Sprinkle with chopped basil and enjoy!

Enjoy!! xo