Instant Pot Spaghetti Squash

This easy Instant Pot spaghetti squash recipe involves steaming a whole spaghetti squash in an Instant Pot pressure cooker until tender. The cooked squash strands or noodles are perfect for adding your favourite pasta sauce, pesto, or peanut sauce.

How to Choose the Right Spaghetti Squash

There is nothing quite like in-season spaghetti squash with a mild and slightly sweet taste. If you would like to serve squash to family members or friends who are less than enthused by it, this is the perfect squash to choose. It doesn't have the same robust flavour as something like butternut squash, so it may be much more palatable for those who are new to squash.

Spaghetti squash is firm and oblong in shape. Moreover, when you make spaghetti squash, you can separate the inside flesh into spaghetti-type strands. Spaghetti squash, like zucchini noodles, is perfect when you need a low carb pasta or simply would like to get another serving of fruit/veggies in.

When shopping for spaghetti squash at the grocery store or farmer's market, look for one that is a beautiful yellow colour. If there is any green on it, it likely isn't ripe and won't have as sweet of a taste. You should also look for a squash that doesn't have any cracks or disfigurations if possible.

Spaghetti squash will keep for quite a while, so you may want to stock up on a few when they are at their peak in the fall. In fact, they should stay fresh for up to 3 months in a dark environment that is cool.

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How to Make Instant Pot Spaghetti Squash

Pressure cooking is a wonderful way to make squash. To cook spaghetti squash in this Instant Pot spaghetti squash recipe, you should start by poking it all over. When cooking a spaghetti squash whole, this helps it cook more evenly by allowing the steam to penetrate.

Next, you place 1 cup of water into the Instant Pot bowl and place the trivet inside. The spaghetti squash should fit perfectly on the trivet. (Extra large spaghetti squash will only fit in an 8-quart pressure cooker model)

Once the lid is closed, you should ensure that you set the valve of the pressure cooker to the sealing position so that the pressure cooker comes under high pressure. You can use either a small, medium or large spaghetti squash for this pressure cooker spaghetti squash recipe, so you should adjust the timings accordingly. A medium to large squash should take a total time of 25 minutes in the pressure cooker under high pressure.

After pressure cooking the squash, you should release the steam via quick release. This is where you push the valve from the sealing to venting position to release the steam. If you are uncomfortable with this step, wearing oven gloves can help ensure you don't burn your hands. I also recommend that you operate your Instant Pot in an open space so that you don't get steam all over your cupboards.

Once you have removed the squash to a cutting board with tongs, you can leave it to cool a little before handling it. The next step depends on how you will be serving your squash. For example, you can cut the squash in half along the width to scoop out the strands for spaghetti. Alternatively, you can cut the squash in half lengthwise to serve as squash boats.

In this case, using a fork, you can shred the pressure cooker spaghetti squash while leaving it in the squash hollows. Then, you can top it with your favourite sauce. In both cases, be sure to remove the seeds. While edible, they may not be very appealing to eat.

The Benefits of Steaming Squash Whole

If you pressure cook spaghetti squash halves, it will result in a quicker cooking time. However, steaming a whole squash is much easier. For one thing, you don't have to work on cutting the spaghetti squash in half if that makes you uncomfortable. For another, the interior stays protected from the steam, which can make spaghetti squash watery and less appealing to eat.

The one disadvantage is that the whole squash will take longer to cook than squash halves, even under high pressure. However, a lengthier cook time is a reasonable trade-off for easier prep and less watery results.

How to Serve Instant Pot Spaghetti Squash

At its simplest, you can scoop the spaghetti squash strands out of the squash halves into a bowl, and simply season them with some salt and pepper, nutmeg, and olive oil or butter if desired. This combination is great as a side dish on a Thanksgiving table or just a regular meal alongside roasted chicken.

Another way of serving spaghetti squash would be on a plate and dolloped with pasta sauce, like Bolognese, pesto, marinara, or even peanut sauce for an Asian spin. You can also add the shredded squash to casseroles, replace traditional potatoes with the squash for latkes, or bake it with cheese for a gratin. The possibilities are endless when you have a food as good as this!

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