In a surprise to absolutely no one, spaghetti squash—unfairly maligned as bland and watery—tastes amazing when smothered in flavorful tomato sauce and blanketed under a layer of melty cheese. Here the tomato sauce cooks in the oven at the same time the squash roasts; combine the two, return the dish to the oven, and you’ve got a hands-off dinner with minimal cleanup. Serve this with bread and a green salad one night, then mix leftovers into pasta for “noodles” on noodles the next.
Halving the squash crosswise is a tip we learned from cookbook writer and food blogger Alexandra Stafford; it involves easier (and safer!) knife work and results in longer, more noodle-like strands. The bake time of the squash depends on the squash itself—anecdotally and with no scientific backing, I’ve found that smaller, yellower spaghetti squashes tend to cook faster and taste better. —Sarah Jampel
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What you’ll need
Metal Baking Pan
$28 $26 At Amazon
Microplane Grater
$17 At Amazon
Silicone Spatula
$13 At Amazon
Rimmed Baking Sheet
$28 At Amazon
Recipe information
Yield
4–6 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Heat oven to 425°. Line a rimmed baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Place squash on baking sheet and drizzle with oil; rub to coat. Season with salt and black pepper. Turn cut side down and bake until a paring knife easily pierces skin and squash collapses easily under the pressure of tongs, 40–60 minutes, depending on your squash.
Step 2
Meanwhile, place tomatoes in a 3-qt. baking dish (any shape, such as an oval or a 13x9" rectangle works!) and squish with your hands to break tomatoes apart. Add garlic, sugar, ¼ cup oil, ¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes, ¼ tsp. kosher salt, and season with black pepper; stir to combine. Bake, stirring once or twice, until sauce thickens slightly and is bright red and bubbly, 35–40 minutes. Using a rubber spatula or spoon, coarsely mash garlic and any tomato pieces.
Step 3
Let squash cool slightly, then, using a fork, tease out flesh; discard skin. Add to baking dish with tomato sauce along with Parmesan. Stir to combine, breaking up squash further into strands. Season with salt and top with mozzarella.
Step 4
Return baking dish to oven and bake squash until cheese is melted, 5–7 minutes.
Step 5
Heat broiler. Broil, watching closely, until cheese is bubbly and browned, 1–2 minutes. Top with basil, more crushed red pepper flakes, and black pepper.
