Hello there! I hope you enjoy this recipe for Instant Pot Garlic Parmesan Spaghetti Squash!
It’s comes together quickly and easily, uses healthy spaghetti squash (you’ll see a bunch in store as they are coming into season soon – around early fall to winter), and features common pantry staples as well as a few choice ingredients that are big on flavour!
How to make this Instant Pot Spaghetti Squash Recipe?
Place a halved and seeded spaghetti squash cut side up on a metal trivet in the Instant Pot. Fill the bottom of the pot with a cup of water. Ingredient amounts and full instructions in the recipe card below.
Seal and cook the squash for 7 minutes at high pressure before applying a quick release.
As the spaghetti squash cooks, prepare the remaining ingredients.
After the spaghetti squash is ready, use a fork to remove the flesh from the squash. If it’s too hot, let it cool a little before doing this step.
Melt the butter in olive oil and sauté the garlic and spices before adding back in the spaghetti squash.
Mix in the parmesan cheese and parsley until the cheese is melted. Enjoy!
What’s in this Instant Pot recipe?
The star ingredient in this recipe is spaghetti squash, which is a winter squash with a hard, pale yellow skin and yellow flesh with a mild, slightly sweet, nutty taste.
Cooking spaghetti squash in the Instant Pot is so easy and quick – way faster than an oven.
Simply place halved and seeded spaghetti squash on the trivet with some water on the bottom of pot and pressure cook for only 7 minutes (depending how soft you like your spaghetti squash) before a quick release.
Yep, there is a little time for pressurizing, but not as long as it takes to heat up the oven and cook it in there.
Then you use a fork to easily pull at the yellow flesh to get the thin spaghetti-like strands. No spiralizer required.
It’s a delicious alternative to spaghetti; although it doesn’t have the same texture or flavour, the shape (long strands) is close enough.
It’s also healthier. Spaghetti squash is low in calories and a good source of fiber, vitamins A and C, and potassium.
Olive oil, butter, fresh minced garlic, freshly cracked black pepper, sea salt, and red pepper flakes (this ingredient is optional) are combined together to form a delicious, simple sauce that’s rich, pungent (from the garlic), salty, and a little spicy from the black pepper, but even more so from the red pepper flakes if you chose to add them.
Sharp, nutty, salty, and slightly fruity in flavour, Parmesan cheese (I highly recommend using Parmigiano Reggiano; it’s the best!) along with fresh chopped parsley is tossed into the cooked spaghetti squash and garlicky butter sauce, until melted and distributed throughout.
Important TIP: Use parmesan from a block to ensure that it melts properly. Often, pre-grated/shredded cheeses have an anti-caking ingredient (or stabilizer) added, which can affect how it melts. In particular, cheese clumps tend to form when added to hot foods.
Place it back into the hollowed spaghetti squash skins or in a bowl or plate and you’ve got a scrumptious meal in less than 30 minutes!
Looking for more easy Instant Pot Meal Ideas? Take a look at these ones:
- Mushroom Pasta with Creamy Cheese Sauce
- Bangers and Mash with Onion Gravy
- Lemon Pepper Orzo and Chicken Thighs
This tasty spaghetti squash recipe is:
- Delicious: full of garlicky and cheesy flavour!
- A great meal for two.
- A great pasta substitute: making this meal a little bit healthier too (i.e. way less carbs!).
- Simple and easy to make: Everything is made in the Instant Pot.
- Made with minimal ingredients that are pantry staples (e.g. salt, pepper, and oil) or easily found in most supermarkets.
- Perfect to have as an easy weeknight meal.
I hope you try this recipe! If you do, please leave me a rating and comment down below or tag me on any of my social media. I’m @yay_for_food on Instagram. I’ll love a picture!
Yield: 2
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes
Total Time: 23 minutes
The classic combination of garlic and parmesan create the perfect sauce for this quick and easy Instant Pot spaghetti squash recipe. A lower carb alternative to pasta that’s ready in under 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 2 lb. spaghetti squash, cut lengthwise and seeded
- 1 cup water
- 2 tbsp (1 oz) unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2-3 garlic cloves, minced (depending on how garlicky you like it)
- ½ tsp sea salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- ½ cup parmesan cheese (Parmigiano Reggiano), finely grated *(see first note)
- ½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Pour water into the Instant Pot and then place the metal trivet (handles side up) into the pot.
- Place the spaghetti squash halves cut side up on top of the trivet. Seal the Instant Pot and cook at high pressure (“manual"/"pressure cook" function) for 7 minutes (for a tender texture)** before applying a quick pressure release to completely depressurize (until floating valve drops).
- Carefully remove the spaghetti squash from the Instant Pot. Place on a clean flat surface and shred the squash using a fork to remove the spaghetti-like strands into a bowl (if it is too hot, let it cool a little first).
- Empty the water out of the Instant Pot and wipe dry before returning the pot back to the device. Set the Instant Pot to “sauté.”
- Place the butter and olive oil into the Instant Pot and let the butter completely melt. Then stir in the garlic cloves, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Let it cook for 1-2 minutes until the garlic is lightly browned (careful to not burn it).
- Press “cancel” to turn off the Instant Pot. Return the spaghetti squash to the Instant Pot along with the parmesan cheese and parsley. Toss together to evenly coat the spaghetti squash with everything. Best served immediately.
Notes
- *Use cheese from a block to ensure that it melts properly. Often, pre-grated/shredded cheeses have an anti-caking ingredient (or stabilizer) added, which can affect how it melts. In particular, cheese clumps tend to form when added to hot foods.
- ** If you prefer an al dente texture, decrease the pressure time to 5-6 minutes.
Recommended Products
As a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, I only link to products that I use and/or highly recommend. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases if you purchase through these links at no additional cost to you.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 2Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 403Total Fat: 27gSaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 52mgSodium: 609mgCarbohydrates: 23gFiber: 7gSugar: 12gProtein: 11g
