In The Fresh & Healthy Instant Pot Cookbook, Megan Gilmore shares nutritious recipes for everyone’s favorite counter top appliance.
Spaghetti squash is one of my favorite low-carb noodle alternatives because you don’t need a spiralizer or any other special equipment to create the noodlelike strands. You can cook the spaghetti squash whole, but scooping out the seeds is a lot easier when you cut the squash in half before cooking. This has become my go-to method for cooking spaghetti squash, as the Instant Pot cooks it in just a fraction of the time it would take in an oven.
Prep: 5 minutes
Pressurize: 5 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Quick Release
Total: 20 minutes
Directions
- Pour 1 cup water into the Instant Pot and arrange the handled trivet on the bottom. Cut the spaghetti squash in half crosswise (for longer spaghetti strands) and use a spoon to scoop out and discard the seeds. Place the two cut halves on the Instant Pot trivet (they may have to face each other to fit in the pot as if the squash were still whole) and secure the lid.
- Move the steam release valve to Sealing and select Manual/Pressure Cook to cook on high pressure for 7 minutes. When the cooking cycle is complete, immediately move the steam release valve to Venting to quickly release any remaining steam pressure. When the floating valve drops, remove the lid and press Cancel to stop the cooking cycle.
- Use oven mitts to transfer the squash halves to a cutting board. Remove the trivet and drain the water from the pot, then dry the pot and return it to the Instant Pot housing.
- Press Sauté and add the olive oil to the pot. Once the oil is hot but not smoking, add the garlic and stir just until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Hold one half of the spaghetti squash with an oven mitt and use a fork to scrape the cooked squash out of the shell directly into the pot. Repeat with the other squash half, then stir in the salt and several grinds of pepper. Stir in the Parmesan cheese. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed, then serve warm with a sprinkling of parsley. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 5 days.
Reprinted with permission from The Fresh & Healthy Instant Pot Cookbook by Megan Gilmore, copyright © 2018. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House.
