Nature’s noodles are the base of this spaghetti squash pad Thai recipe that’s better than takeout and ready faster than your Uber Eats order can get there! Balanced with veggies and protein and extra fun to eat right out of the spaghetti squash!

I could go for Thai takeout any time, but when I’m looking for a healthier alternative I’m all about this spaghetti squash pad Thai recipe that’s ready in about 35 minutes and is super flavorful, fresh and fun.

Packed with veggies like carrots, peppers, and purple cabbage (which you can totally adapt based on what you have at home) with a tangy peanut butter pad Thai sauce, I know you will love having this recipe in your back pocket to make anytime.

In 2019 I was lucky enough to go on a trip of a lifetime to Thailand visiting 3 different parts and immersing myself in the culture, cuisine and beauty of the country. Since then Thai flavors are ones that I constantly crave, especially in the winter when I want something warm and flavorful.

This recipe is inspired by traditional pad Thai but I wouldn’t call it authentic as I did make substitutions for ingredients that I already had at home and omitted a couple things that might be in traditional pad Thai.

What You’ll Need: Ingredients For Spaghetti Squash Pad Thai

• Spaghetti Squash
• Carrot —
• Purple Cabbage
• Red Pepper
• Other veggies you can add: snow peas or pea pods, mushrooms
• Chicken Breast — shrimp would also be great here.
• Eggs
• Coconut Aminos — I love using coconut aminos as an alternative to soy sauce. It’s thicker making it perfect for sauces, marinades and dressings.
• Creamy Unsweetened Peanut Butter — to keep this recipe nut free, you can use sun butter or tahini, although I have not tried it.
• Honey — honey will naturally sweeten the sauce and balance the flavors.
• Rice Wine Vinegar
• Lime Juice
• Fresh Ginger
• Fresh Garlic
• Red Pepper Flakes
• Sriracha
• Peanuts
• Cilantro
• Green Onion
• Sesame Seeds

Equipment / Utensils:

• Baking Sheet
• Parchment Papper
• Cutting Board
• Saute Pan
• Wooden Spoon
• Tongs

How to Roast Spaghetti Squash In The Oven

Roasting a spaghetti squash is easy! Here’s how to cut and roast a spaghetti squash in the oven in about 30 minutes:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Place the spaghetti squash on a cutting board. Make sure you have a dish towel underneath the cutting board so it doesn’t move around while you’re cutting.
3. Use a sharp knife to cut the squash lengthwise into two halves.
4. Use a spoon to scoop out the stringy insides and the seeds. Technically you can roast and eat the seeds of a spaghetti squash just like you would with a pumpkin, but I’ve never tried!
5. Drizzle less than a tablespoon of olive oil on top of the two halves and season with salt. It’s important not to over olive oil the squash because you don’t want the noodles to be soggy.
6. Place spaghetti squash cut side down on the baking sheet and cook for about 30 minutes for al dente spaghetti squash. Please note every oven is different and the size of the squash may increase the cooking time.
7. Remove from the oven and using your oven mitt, flip the squash over and let it rest on the baking sheet for 10-15 minutes. This will make it easier for you to get the noodles out.
8. Once the squash has slightly cooled use a fork to scoop out the noodles. Place your fork at the top of the squash and pull down to release long stringy noodles!

How to Make Spaghetti Squash Pad Thai

Spaghetti squash is a nutritious and low-carb squash that is super versatile and easy to roast. It’s amazing how an unsuspecting squash can suddenly turn into long stringy noodles that look like pasta, and while I’m not against having real pasta or making pad Thai with rice noodles, using spaghetti squash is a great alternative if you’re looking for a low-carb option, gluten free option, or just want to add more veggies to your life.

Made gluten and dairy free, this spaghetti squash recipe is also soy free as I used coconut aminos (a soy sauce alternative) instead. While the spaghetti squash is roasting, you’ll prep everything else and then once you scoop the noodles out of the squash you’ll put everything together and put it back in the squash for a delicious, balanced and fun meal.

And be sure to follow along on Instagram for more FUN ways to eat veggies and healthy treats!

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A post shared by Maggie Michalczyk, RDN | Dietitian (@onceuponapumpkin)

Spaghetti Squash Pad Thai

Maggie Michalczyk, RDN

Takeout has nothing on this spaghetti squash pad Thai recipe that's balanced with veggies and protein and super fresh and flavorful!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Servings 3 servings

Equipment

• 1 baking sheet
• 1 knife
• 1 cutting board
• 1 sauté pan
• 1 tongs
• 1 wooden spoon

Ingredients

  

• 1 Spaghetti Squash medium-sized
• 2 tsp. Olive Oil
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp Pepper
• 2 Chicken breast thinly sliced or cubed
• 1 cup Carrot shredded
• 1 cup Purple Cabbage shredded
• 1 cup Red Pepper thinly sliced
• 2 Eggs scrambled
• 1/4 cup Cilantro roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp Green Onion chopped
• 1 tbsp Peanuts roughly chopped
• 1/2 tbsp Sesame Seeds

For the Sauce:

• 1/3 cup Coconut Aminos
• 1/4 cup Rice Wine Vinegar
• 1 1/2 tbsp Creamy Unsweetened Peanut Butter
• 2 tbsp. Lime Juice about half of a lime
• 1/2 tbsp Sriracha add more if you prefer it spicier
• 2 cloves Garlic minced
• 1 1/2 tsp Ginger grated
• 1/2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Cut and scoop out the seeds of the spaghetti squash ( see above in the blog post for my method for cutting a spaghetti squash). Season with olive oil and salt and pepper and bake cut side down for about 30 minutes.
• Remove the squash from oven and flip the squash pieces over to cool. Once slightly cooled use a fork to scrape out the noodles and set aside.
• While the spaghetti squash is cooking prepare the chicken and veggies and make the sauce.
• Whisk all of the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl. Set aside. Wash and chop the veggies and cube chicken breast.
• Heat a saute pan over medium heat and add olive oil. Add chicken. Cook, flipping every so often until chicken pieces are somewhat golden brown and has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
• Remove the chicken from the pan and add in the veggies including the spaghetti squash noodle to the pan over medium-low heat. Scramble eggs in a separate pan or you can scramble them directly in the pan with the veggies before adding chicken.
• Add the chicken back in and pour the sauce over top mixing until everything is combined, heating for an additional 3-4 minutes. Top with cilantro and remove from heat.
• Use tongs to scoop the mixture back into the spaghetti squash. Top with eggs and garnish with green onion, more cilantro, peanuts, sesame seeds and a lime wedge. Enjoy!

Keyword spaghetti squash pad thai

This recipe was originally posted in 2021, and has been updated in 2025.

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