Instant Pot Spaghetti Squash

It’s fast and easy to cook this popular veggie in the pressure cooker. Instant Pot spaghetti squash takes half the time of baking and comes out perfectly al dente!

The words “life changing” are overused these days. But if you happen to have a pressure cooker and love spaghetti squash…well, this method might change your life. (Sorry, we had to.) Gone are the days of waiting over 1 hour to roast spaghetti squash. This Instant Pot spaghetti squash method cuts the time in half! The cook time is only 8 minutes. Add in the time for the preheat and draining the squash afterwards, and you’re looking at about 25 minutes total to make spaghetti squash in the Instant Pot. To us, that’s…well, life changing.

What people are saying about this recipe

All Instant Pots are variable, so we sent this pressure cooker spaghetti squash method to a few recipe testers before sharing it with you. It received rave reviews! Here’s what people are saying about this method of how to cook spaghetti squash:

• “The Instant Pot cooking of the spaghetti squash was awesome! It was perfectly cooked, not over. I even had a large spaghetti squash (almost didn’t fit in) and it was thoroughly cooked! I’ll make spaghetti squash spaghetti like this always! Way better than roasting for an hour.” -Kristi
• “The spaghetti squash still had a bit of “crunch” or al dente taste in a good way. It was very easy for me to shred/scoop out after getting it out of the Instant Pot. I will put it in the Instant Pot rotation!” -Claire

How to cook Instant Pot spaghetti squash: a tutorial

What’s the best way to make Instant Pot spaghetti squash? It’s all about the way you cut it! Instead of lengthwise, you’ll cut the spaghetti squash in half width-wise. Keep reading for why, or jump to the recipe below.

Step 1: Cut the squash in half width-wise.

Here’s the trick to getting the longest spaghetti squash strands: and it also makes the squash easier to cut! Cut the squash in half width-wise instead of lengthwise. This is because the strands of the squash actually run around the width of the squash, not the length. It’s also easier to cut this way so the knife doesn’t slip. Here’s how to cut a spaghetti squash:

1. Use a small sharp paring knife. A small knife can cut this large squash! This is the safest method because it helps to prevent the slippage that can happen with a large knife.
2. Cut around the middle width-wise (not lengthwise!). Pierce the knife into the squash and swing down, making small slices around the squash until it breaks in half. Cutting it this way makes the longest strands or “noodles”.
3. Remove the seeds. Use the knife to cut around the seeds, then scoop them out with a spoon.

Step 2: Place the squash in the Instant Pot with 1 cup water.

Place the trivet in the Instant Pot and add 1 cup of water to the bottom of the pot. Place both halves into the pressure cooker. Lock the lid of the Instant Pot (linked is the pressure cooker we use). 

Note: Because spaghetti squash are so large, you can only cook one at a time in a pressure cooker. If you’re looking to cook more than one squash, use the baked method. Go to Roasted Spaghetti Squash.

Step 3: Pressure cook on high for 8 minutes, then quick release.

Press the Pressure Cook button, making sure the “High Pressure” setting is selected, and set the time. It takes about 5 minutes for the pot to “preheat” and come up to pressure before it starts cooking. So this process will take about 15 minutes total. When it’s done, do a quick release and carefully release all the steam from the pressure cooker (see instructions in the recipe below).

Step 4: Scrape the squash into spaghetti strands.

Allow the cooked spaghetti squash to cool slightly. Then use a fork to scrape out the squash into “spaghetti” strands. The noodles should be long and have a slightly al dente texture. But we’re not done yet…

Step 5: Drain to remove any extra moisture.

This step is important! Once you’ve got those beautiful long spaghetti squash noodles, this 10 minutes will save you a big headache. Why?

• Spaghetti noodles have a lot of moisture right after cooking. Serve these strands immediately, and you can end up with a watery mess.
• Draining allows moisture to steam off. Place the noodles in a colander or strainer and let them rest for 10 minutes. This allows extra moisture to steam off and also lets the noodles cool so that the texture sets.

And that’s it! Perfectly cooked spaghetti squash in under 30 minutes using a pressure cooker! What do you think…life changing?

What’s the best Instant Pot to use?

All pressure cooker brands vary! Here’s the brand we use: the Instant Pot 6 Qt Programmable Pressure Cooker. We have been using it for about 2 years and love it! It’s just the right size and works great. We also have 2 Instant Pot sealing rings and use one for savory recipes and one for sweet recipes.

This recipe is customized for a 6 quart pressure cooker. We also can’t speak to other brands and types of pressure cookers. Use them at your own risk!

How to serve Instant Pot spaghetti squash

Let’s talk about how to serve those delicious pressure cooked spaghetti squash noodles! Here are the best ways to eat spaghetti squash:

1. Add pesto: With a little Parmesan and pesto, this Pesto Spaghetti Squash is the perfect side dish.
2. Go classic spaghetti & marinara: Oh yes, you need Spaghetti Squash Spaghetti! Top with easy marinara sauce.
3. Make it a casserole: Turn it into an Italian style casserole with cheese and pesto with our Spaghetti Squash Casserole.
4. Turn it into pad Thai: This Spaghetti Squash Pad Thai is just like your favorite Thai takeout, but with spaghetti squash.
5. Make it into mac and cheese: Try our Spaghetti Squash Mac and Cheese where the squash serves as a bowl.

This spaghetti squash Instant Pot recipe is…

Vegetarian, gluten-free, vegan, plant-based, and dairy-free.

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Last updated: August 2020