7-Minute Spaghetti Squash {Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker}

Spaghetti squash has never been easier! This Instant Pot spaghetti squash cooks in less than 10 minutes, and is simple, healthy, and delicious as can be!

I heart spaghetti squash big time.

Whenever Costco starts selling their 2-packs of spaghetti squash, it finds its way into my cart every visit. And it is on my garden plan for next year.

There are a lot of recipes starring spaghetti squash, but most of the time, I’m making it to serve alongside recipes that call for a topping served over rice or potatoes or noodles.

In the interest of full disclosure, I’ll give you one guess how many people at the table actually reach for the spaghetti squash over the rice.

Not very many. Mostly, me.

But, occasionally my vegetable-loving 11-year old grabs a helping, too – and so will Brian if I shoot him the side-eye encouragement to be-a-good-example-for-the-kids.

But honestly, I don’t personally choose it as an option just because it’s low-carb and healthy; I legitimately love the stuff.

Does it taste like spaghetti? Heck, no.

But its unique texture and ability to adapt to almost any flavor makes it tasty enough to pair with my favorite spaghetti sauce, stroganoff,  quick curry, stir fry, and a million other things.

Spaghetti squash for the win…especially now that I can make Instant Pot spaghetti squash with zero hassle.

Seriously, it’s amazing. Quite similar to the pumpkin puree in the Instant Pot method I posted last fall with just a few minor changes.

For the step-by-step tutorial below, I’m using the popular 6-quart Instant Pot. Unless you have a particularly small spaghetti squash, it will need to be cut in half lengthwise to fit in the Instant Pot.

As a quick sidenote, my 8-quart Instant Pot and stovetop pressure cooker can fit a whole spaghetti squash (about 3 pounds and 17 inches circumference at the thickest part).

This is an advantage in that you don’t have to battle through cutting the tough squash in half before cooking. Just toss it in with water, and once it’s cooked, it’s like cutting through butter to slice it in half get to the good stuff.

Keep in mind you’ll have to remove the seeds and stringy center after cooking. If you do it this way, pierce the skin a few times with a paring knife and increase the cooking time to 11 minutes.

Ok, on to this quick little tutorial. 

Carefully cut the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise (notice my very even, exact, beautiful cutting technique – ha!

Don’t worry, I won’t quit my day job). Scrape out the seeds and strings, taking care not to cut too deeply into the smooth flesh. That area of the squash will become the sought-after strands of spaghetti squash after it is cooked!

Place the rack in the bottom of the Instant Pot and pour in one cup of water or broth.

Place the cut and scraped spaghetti squash halves on the rack, nestling them in so they fit well below the top of the pot.

Secure the lid and make sure the valve is pointing up to “sealing” and not down toward “venting.”

Select Manual. Then dial up or down using the – or + buttons to get to 7 minutes (this is for ultra-tender squash; if you like it a bit more toothsome, decrease the time to 5 minutes).

The Instant Pot will start doing it’s thing – first showing ON and then counting down the time once pressure is reached.

Once the cooking time is done, the Instant Pot will beep and show L followed by some zeros.

This just means it will continue keeping the food warm inside the Instant Pot (while still releasing pressure slowly) and will count up the number of minutes you got distracted watching Netflix instead of remembering your Instant Pot.

Hit Cancel. And then using a long-handled spoon or other device that will prevent you from getting in the way of hot steam (a little too intense for a morning facial, I’m afraid), flip the knob down to “venting.”

Steam will rush out until the pressure is released, the silver float valve will drop, and you can safely open the Instant Pot.

The Instant Pot spaghetti squash will be piping hot. Using tongs or a fork jabbed into the side of the squash, remove the squash to a cutting board.

Let it cool a bit (or not) and then scrape the tender squash away from the sides to form a jumble of spaghetti squash strands (you can scoop it entirely out of the “shell” into a tupperware or other container and use immediately or refrigerate for up to a week).

There you have it! Easy peasy Instant Pot spaghetti squash.

Now if you don’t have a pressure cooker, never fear! While you add an Instant Pot to your wish list, keep in mind you can also make spaghetti squash in the oven.

For oven baked spaghetti squash:
Cut it in half just like in this tutorial and place cut-side down in a 9X13-inch baking dish. Pour in about a cup of water, just to cover the bottom of the pan and the squash and roast at 400 degrees for 40 minutes or so, until a fork can easily pierce the outside of the squash.

This simple Instant Pot spaghetti squash “recipe” today is serving as a placeholder because next week, I’m going to be sharing a real, live recipe for a main dish dinner that is so delicious, it’ll make you cry, and it involves spaghetti squash (obviously).

Instant Pot Spaghetti Squash

Yield: 1 spaghetti squash

Prep Time: 23 minutes mins

Cook Time: 7 minutes mins

Total Time: 30 minutes mins

5 stars (11 ratings)

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Ingredients

• 3 to 3 ½ pound spaghetti squash
• 1 cup water

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions 

• Carefully cut the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise. Scrape out the seeds and strings, taking care not to cut too deeply into the smooth flesh (which will become the sought-after strands of spaghetti squash after it is cooked!).
• Place the rack in the bottom of the Instant Pot and pour in one cup of water or broth.
• Place the cut and scraped spaghetti squash halves on the rack, nestling them in so they fit well below the top of the pot. Secure the lid and make sure the valve is pointing up to “sealing” and not down toward “venting.”
• Select Manual. Then dial up or down using the – or + buttons to get to 7 minutes (this is for ultra-tender squash; if you like it a bit more toothsome, decrease the time to 5 minutes).
• The Instant Pot will start doing it’s thing – first showing ON and then counting down the time once pressure is reached.
• Once the Instant Pot beeps to signal end of cooking time, hit Cancel.
• Quick release the pressure by using a long-handled spoon or other device to flip the knob down to “venting.” Steam will rush out until the pressure is released, the silver float valve will drop, and you can safely open the Instant Pot.
• The squash will be piping hot. Using tongs or a fork jabbed into the side of the squash, remove the squash to a cutting board. Let it cool a bit (or not) and then scrape the tender squash away from the sides to form a jumble of spaghetti squash strands (you can scoop it entirely out of the “shell” into a tupperware or other container and use immediately or refrigerate for up to a week).

Author: Mel

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Method: Instant Pot

Recommended Products

6-quart Instant Pot

8-Inch Chef’s Knife

Liquid Measuring Cup

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