Learn how to cook spaghetti squash fast with this easy Instant Pot method, plus bonus tips for cutting spaghetti squash and plenty of sauce options to load on top!
I was late to the Instant Pot party, but once I finally caved and bought one (this is the one I have), I now understand why everyone loves the Instant Pot so much!
While I do make plenty of yummy Instant Pot meals, one of my favorite things to do with the Instant Pot is prepare all sorts of ingredients. Now I regularly make big batches of things, like Instant Pot Beans, Instant Pot Rice, and I even cook Whole Chickens in the Instant Pot!
The Instant Pot is also great for easy sides, like Steamed Veggies, Baked Potatoes, and Cilantro Lime Rice.
Another one of those easy sides? Spaghetti squash in the Instant Pot!
HOW DO I COOK SPAGHETTI SQUASH?
Learning how to cook spaghetti squash is a basic kitchen skill and one that I think many people get stumped on BECAUSE of those long strands.
- You can’t cube it.
- Pureeing it would be weird.
- And spaghetti squash tends to be too big to roast whole and stuff and then eat as an individual serving.
So that’s why I’m showing you how to cook spaghetti squash in the Instant Pot. It’s SO easy, super fast, and you get perfect spaghetti-like strands every time!
HOW TO CUT A SPAGHETTI SQUASH
How you cut spaghetti squash makes a difference in how the spaghetti squash turns out, so let’s talk about it.
First, there are two ways to do it:
- In half from top to bottom, stem to base.
- In half around the middle.
If you use your sharp knife to cut the spaghetti squash from top to bottom, your strands of squash will be short. They’ll still look like spaghetti, but no one will be twirling them around their forks at the dinner table.
If you cut spaghetti squash in half around the middle, you get long, luscious strands of spaghetti squash. And that’s what we want.
- Once you cut your squash in half (around the middle!), use a large spoon to scoop out the seeds.
- If you’re diligent about reducing food waste, save the flesh you scooped out for homemade chicken stock using kitchen scraps.
- You can then clean and roast the seeds, similar to how you would roast pumpkin seeds!
- With your spaghetti squash cut and cleaned, you’re ready to learn how to cook spaghetti squash!
HOW TO COOK SPAGHETTI SQUASH IN THE INSTANT POT
Cooking spaghetti squash takes only 7 minutes in the Instant Pot under high pressure. A quick pressure release ensures you don’t turn your strands into mush.
Step 1. Place the trivet inside the Instant Pot. Pour the water inside.
Step 2. Cut the spaghetti squash in half, around the middle, and scoop out the seeds. Set aside if you’re making chicken stock from kitchen scraps or roasting the seeds.
Step 3. Place the two halves of spaghetti squash inside the Instant Pot. It doesn’t matter how you place them (i.e. facing each other or not), so long as you have enough room to close and seal the Instant Pot.
Step 4. Turn the pressure knob to “seal”, adjust the pressure setting to “high” and set the timer for 7 minutes.
Note: For an extra-large spaghetti squash, you may need 2-3 additional minutes.
Step 5. When the timer beeps, carefully turn the pressure knob to “release” to use the quick pressure release method.
Step 6. Carefully remove the hot squash from the Instant Pot and set it aside, upside down, to cool, for 10-15 minutes.
Step 7. When the squash is cool enough to handle, use a fork to gently pull the spaghetti-like strands of squash from the shell. Serve warm with either butter and salt and pepper, or top with your favorite pasta sauce!
Store any leftover spaghetti squash in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. It may release additional water as it cools.
COOKING SPAGHETTI SQUASH RECIPE TIPS
I’ve been cooking spaghetti squash in Instant Pot a lot recently, since we’re eating way more vegetables after completing the Whole30, and I’ve noticed that there can be some variation in the texture of your spaghetti squash if you change a few variables.
Here’s what I’ve learned:
- 7 minutes cooking on high pressure + quick pressure release = perfect texture spaghetti noodles.
- 7 minutes cooking on high pressure + natural pressure release = very soft spaghetti noodles.
- If you’re not going to be in the kitchen right away to quickly release the pressure, I recommend reducing the time to 5 or 6 minutes to allow for the extra cooking during the natural pressure release. I still don’t recommend using natural pressure release at all, but this way you buy yourself a minute or two if you’re in another room folding laundry or changing a diaper.
- The spaghetti squash will be VERY hot, too hot to handle right away. I recommend using oven mitts or tongs to remove the squash from the Instant Pot. Set it aside to cool slightly (about 15 minutes).
- Spaghetti squash has a lot of liquid (like watermelon), and it can make your meal a bit watery, so I recommend letting the squash halves cool upside down on a baking sheet lined with a cooling rack. This will give air circulation for the squash to cool, and gravity will pull out some of the extra liquid to collect in the baking sheet.
HOW DO I COOK SPAGHETTI SQUASH IN THE OVEN?
If you’re not sold on the Instant Pot method, here’s how to bake spaghetti squash in the oven instead. Roasting spaghetti squash is super easy, it just takes a bit more time.
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 375F.
Step 2. Cut the spaghetti squash in half, around the middle, and scoop out the seeds. Set aside if you’re making chicken stock from kitchen scraps or roasting the seeds.
Step 3. Place the spaghetti squash halves cut side down in a 13×9 baking dish. Pour 1 cup of water into the dish. You can also use a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil and skip the water. Rub a little bit of olive oil on the inside of the squash and sprinkle with salt.
Step 4. Roast spaghetti squash in the oven until the spaghetti squash strands are soft and flake away easily with a fork, for about 45 minutes. A larger squash may take a bit longer, and a smaller squash may take less time.
Step 5. Remove the roasted spaghetti squash from the 13×9 pan and cool upside down on a rack, until cool enough to handle.
SPAGHETTI SQUASH FOR SPAGHETTI OR OTHER MEALS
Whether you make spaghetti squash for spaghetti or other meals, it’s an easy, yummy way to add another veggie to your plate!
Here are my favorite ways to serve it:
- Plain with butter, salt and pepper, and fresh herbs
- Topped with a yummy pasta sauce, like:
- Or serve it as a side dish with Almond Crusted Baked Chicken and Homemade Tomato Sauce (which is a PERFECT way to make a gluten free Whole30 chicken parmesan!)
SPAGHETTI SQUASH FAQS
Can you use regular squash for spaghetti squash?
It really depends on your recipe, since the flesh of spaghetti squash is very different from the flesh of other squash. For example, if you’re cooking a spaghetti squash casserole, you will have a very different result if you use other types of squash like butternut squash.
Spaghetti squash actually makes a better substitution for pasta than for other types of squash. Inside it, you see what looks like little strands of spaghetti, hence the name! (You can see how I used spaghetti squash instead of pasta in my Giant Italian Meatball Recipe!)
Is spaghetti squash supposed to be crunchy or soft?
Cooked spaghetti squash will have a similar texture to cooked pasta. If you like your pasta more on the al dente side, you’ll probably want to use the quick pressure release when cooking spaghetti squash in Instant Pot. If you like softer noodles, use the natural pressure release.
How do I know what size Instant Pot to buy?
I have the 8-quart DUO 7 in 1 Instant Pot. I choose the larger Instant Pot for a few reasons. My slow cooker is 6 quarts and can barely fit some of my favorite recipes. Having the larger Instant Pot gives me more room to double recipes, too. Cooking once and eating twice is key for saving time in the kitchen.
You also have to leave a certain amount of space in the pressure cooker when using it. There is a maximum fill line for liquids. And the general rule is to not fill the Instant Pot more than ⅔ full. The 8-quart gives me more room to cook.
You can easily cook a 6-quart Instant Pot recipe in an 8-quart. It’s better to have a little extra space than to wish you had a bigger Instant Pot.
MORE SIMPLE INSTANT POT VEGGIES AND SIDES
- Instant Pot Steamed Veggies
- Fajita Veggies
- Instant Pot Brown Rice
- Instant Pot Lentils
- How to Cook Quinoa in the Instant Pot
- Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
- Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes
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Learn how to cook spaghetti squash fast with this easy Instant Pot method, plus bonus tips for cutting spaghetti squash and plenty of sauce options to load on top!
- Prep Time: 1 minute
- Cook Time: 7 minutes
- Total Time: 8 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 1x
- Category: Sides
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 1 spaghetti squash (small enough to fit inside your Instant Pot)
Instructions
- Place the trivet inside the Instant Pot. Pour the water inside.
- Cut the spaghetti squash in half, around the middle, and scoop out the seeds. Set aside if you’re making chicken stock from kitchen scraps or roasting the seeds.
- Place the two halves of spaghetti squash inside the Instant Pot. It doesn’t matter how you place them (i.e. facing each other or not), so long as you have enough room to close and seal the Instant Pot.
- Turn the pressure knob to “seal,” adjust the pressure setting to “high” and set the timer for 7 minutes.
- When the timer beeps, carefully turn the pressure knob to “release” to use the quick pressure release method.
- Carefully remove the hot squash from the Instant Pot and set aside, upside down, to cool, about 10 minutes.
- When the squash is cool enough to handle, use a fork to gently pull the spaghetti-like strands of squash from the shell. Serve warm with either butter and salt and pepper, or top with your favorite pasta sauce!
Notes
Roasting spaghetti squash is super easy, it just takes a bit more time.
- Preheat the oven to 375F.
- Cut the spaghetti squash in half, around the middle, and scoop out the seeds. Set aside if you’re making chicken stock from kitchen scraps or roasting the seeds.
- Place the spaghetti squash halves cut side down in a 13×9 baking dish. Pour 1 cup of water into the dish. You can also use a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil and skip the water. Rub a little bit of olive oil on the inside of the squash and sprinkle with salt.
- Roast spaghetti squash in the oven until the spaghetti squash strands are soft and flake away easily with a fork, for about 45 minutes. A larger squash may take a bit longer, and a smaller squash may take less time.
- Remove the roasted spaghetti squash from the 13×9 pan and cool upside down on a rack, until cool enough to handle.
Nutrition
- Calories: 42
Rubi
i only got problem in removing the hot squash and also in adjusting the pressure setting and adjusting knob. i also had the same problem with ordinary pressure cookers.
Tiffany
I let it cool slightly and then use oven mitts to remove the squash.