Instant Pot Garlic Parmesan Spaghetti Squash
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!
Instant Pot Garlic Parmesan Spaghetti Squash
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 tablespoon (1 oz) unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2-3 garlic cloves, minced (depending on how garlicky you like it)
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon 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.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 2 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 403Total Fat: 27gSaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 52mgSodium: 609mgCarbohydrates: 23gFiber: 7gSugar: 12gProtein: 11g
I tried this recipe and the squash was over cooked. Next time I will decrease the cook time by either one or two minutes.
Thanks for your feedback, Leslie. I have updated the recipe accordingly. I hope you enjoyed the flavours.
This looks like a delicious + healthy dinner, right up my alley!
Thanks Marie!
This is so perfect for 2 people , delicious and so quick to make too !
Definitely! Thanks Linda.
Oh what a delicious looking dish! I just know my whole family would love this - it's tasty and healthy!
Thank you Bintu!
Wow, this looks amazing! We just bought a modern instant pot (we had a stove one for years which I was scared to use!!) and I've been looking for lots of recipes to make in it - this is being added to the list!
Awesome! I hope you try this one.
I've never seen spaghetti squash over here in the UK. It looks amazing!
Thanks Jem. I had no idea they are hard to find in the UK. It's common here in Canada.
Looks delicious. Spaghetti squash is my most favourite way to use my Instant pot... saves so much cooking time!
Thanks! I agree, it's so easy to make in the IP!
Okay, I followed ALL the instructions & only half my squash cooked. Any suggestions??
Did you have a particularly large spaghetti squash? The larger the squash the more time it will need to cook. I would place the squash back into the IP and cook at high pressure for an additional 2-3 minutes until it gets to your desired texture.
This is the first time I even tried spaghetti squash!! It was so good. Thank you
I'm so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks Maura!
I tried this tonight. I hate spaghetti squash and wanted to give it another try...this was AMAZING!!!
So happy to hear! I'm glad you give spaghetti squash another try. Thanks Dustin!
I'm a huge fan of spaghetti squash but I've never tried it in the Instant Pot. I really need to add that to my list. It looks delicious!
Thanks so much Leanne. I can't believe how much time I save from making it in the IP instead of the oven. I hope you give it a try.
Love spaghetti squash! This looks super comforting, perfect for Sunday supper with a glass of vino!
Thanks Dawn!
I love spaghetti squash and have never thought of cooking it in a pot! Brilliant! This is an absolutely scrimptious meal that the mom in me is going to print this for a great way to get the preschooler to eat squash!
I hope you give it a try! Thanks!
This was delicious! I added a 1/4 cup marinara sauce. It was like a meal. Will be having this regularly.
Thanks so much Anita! Great idea to add the marinara sauce!
This was amazing. We added shrimp for a healthy protein. Never having had spaghetti squash before, I wasn’t sure was to expect. This meal exceeded our expectations and my husband cleaned his plate!!
Thank you for the kind words Kristi! I'm glad you and your husband enjoyed this spaghetti squash dish!