Instant Pot Spaghetti Squash

Healthy “Spaghetti”

Spaghetti squash is the magical squash that separates into spaghetti-like strands when you scrape the cooked insides with a fork. Spaghetti squash is lower in calories and carbs than traditional spaghetti, and it has more nutrition.

There are at least three ways to cook it (and all of them are easy!).

• Instant Pot: This is the fastest method. You don’t have to cut the squash before cooking it. It’s done in about half the time of baked spaghetti squash, and a fraction of the time of making it in a crockpot. Keep reading for the how-to’s.
• Slow cooker spaghetti squash: This is a hands-off cooking method that can be started in the morning and it’s ready when you get home from work.
• Baked spaghetti squash: You have more options with this method. You can slice the squash into rings or halves before roasting it, or roast it whole. This method works best if you plan on “stuffing” the spaghetti squash.

You’ll Love Instant Pot Spaghetti Squash

Easy hands-off method. When you use your Instant Pot to cook spaghetti squash, it requires very little monitoring, AND you don’t have to slice the squash until the end of the cooking time. When it’s cooked, a spaghetti squash is soft and easy to cut. It’s much easier than cutting into the hard shell of an uncooked spaghetti squash. Sometimes I feel like I need a chainsaw or machete to cut that hard squash!

A low-carb alternative. Spaghetti squash isn’t just a stand-in for pasta. You can serve it as a tasty alternative to rice and other grains. We love to stuff spaghetti squash. Try chicken fajita stuffed spaghetti squash or pizza stuffed spaghetti squash. It can be used to make vegetable fritters, and so much more.

Ingredient Notes

• Spaghetti squash: I have a 6 quart pressure cooker and when we tested this recipe, my squash was 3.75 pounds. The squash pretty much filled my Instant Pot to capacity, so if you have a 6-quart Instant Pot, be sure to keep this in mind when selecting a squash. I wouldn’t go any larger than 3.75 pounds for this cooking method. If you choose a smaller squash, you can decrease cooking time slightly.

How to Make Instant Pot Spaghetti Squash

Prep the squash. Scrub the outside of the squash well. Use a small sharp knife to pierce the skin in several spots. You don’t need to go deeply, just through the outer peeling, about a half inch or so. (Similar to how you prick a potato before baking it—you need to let the steam escape so it doesn’t explode!)

Set up the Instant Pot. Place the wire rack (preferred) or steamer basket (pictured) into your pressure cooker and pour in a cup of water. Set the squash on the wire rack or in the steamer basket.

Cook. Secure the lid, turn the valve to seal if necessary, and set to Pressure Cook (or Manual, high pressure, depending on your model) for 20 minutes. How long it takes to come to pressure depends on the size of the squash. When the timer goes off, do a quick release by turning the valve to vent. This will release the pressure safely before you take off the lid.

Make the “spaghetti.” Remove the squash and let cool until you can handle it comfortably. Slice it in half, either stem to end or crosswise. If you cut it crosswise, you’ll have longer strands. Scoop out the seeds, then use a fork to separate the flesh into strands. You can either leave it in the shell or take it out. Serve it as desired. Take a look at the suggestions below.

Serve spaghetti squash with a sauce

• Vegan Bolognese or Turkey Bolognese
• Spaghetti Sauce 
• Arugula Pesto, Cilantro Pesto, or Basil Pesto
• Tomato Cream Sauce
• Arrabbiata Sauce

Serve spaghetti squash as a side

• Spaghetti Squash with Parmesan and Herbs
• Firecracker Shrimp
• Chicken Florentine
• Honey Garlic Pork Chops
• Porcupine Meatballs

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerate: Instant Pot spaghetti squash will keep for about a week stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Freeze: You can freeze Instant Pot spaghetti squash for up to six months. After you’ve separated it into strands, set the strands in a colander over a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 12 hours, then transfer the drained squash to freezer bags. Press out the air and freeze; thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.

Reheat: Enjoy spaghetti squash cold or at room temperature, or heat it up in the microwave or a skillet set over medium heat.