Instant Pot Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
Published 1/16/2020 โข Updated 2/3/2020
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Make this Instant Pot Stuffed Spaghetti Squash next time you’re looking for a vegetarian meal prep idea that you can enjoy all week long! It’s ready in 30-minutes!
Vegetarian Meals Made Easy
You don’t need meat to have a balanced meal. We have so many delicious vegetarian recipes on Fit Foodie Finds that are great for a quick healthy dinner idea or even for meal prep throughout the week. I understand that sometimes it can be hard to make a vegetable a main dish, but it can be fun to take a vegetable you usually use as a side dish and turn it into the main meal! Squash is a hearty vegetable that is very versatile and compliments flavors just like any other protein or pasta. Our Instant Pot Butternut Squash can be a delicious addition to any vegetarian salad! Spaghetti squash is a whole other ball game, but no doubt makes a delicious alternative to PASTA. Yes, I said it. PASTA. Let’s get started.How to Make Instant Pot Spaghetti Squash
If there is one thing I absolutely love about the Instant Pot, it’s that it cooks things that usually take hours, in minutes! Our Instant Pot Pork Roast and Instant Pot Butternut Squash are two Fit Foodie Favorites that we turned into meals and they take no time at all! This Stuffed Instant Pot Spaghetti Squash is going to be your new favorite meal prep lunch recipe.Step 1: Gut the Squash
Step one is to prep the squash to be cooked in the Instant Pot. The key to cutting the squash is to have a good, sharp knife! Also, make sure you have a solid and steady cutting board. Next, carefully cut off the stem of the squash so that you have a flat surface. Flip the squash on its flattest end and cut the squash lengthwise (hotdog style). Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and slimy innards and discard them. Now your squash is ready!Step 2: Sauté the Veggies
There are two different times during this recipe where you will have to use the sauté feature. The first time you sauté the onions, garlic, and mushrooms. You sauté these vegetables first to cook down the mushrooms and to make a delicious base for the sauce that you will eventually mix with your spaghetti squash. The mushrooms create moisture that works with the broth to steam the spaghetti squash until perfectly cooked. After sautéing the first round of vegetables, place the trivet on top of the vegetables and then place the seasoning spaghetti squash on top of the trivet and cook on high for 6 minutes. Why do I need a trivet? If you are planning on using the squash skins as the “bowls” to serve this stuffed spaghetti squash in, you don’t want the squash skins to get to mushy. Keeping them from cooking in the moisture of the mushrooms will help the skin keep its integrity.Step 3: Shred Spaghetti Squash
After the cook time is up, carefully remove the spaghetti squash from the Instant Pot as well as the trivet. When the spaghetti squash has cooled a bit, take two forks and gently shred the squash into noodle-like pieces (similar to how you shred chicken). Be extra gentle and try not to mash the squash and try to keep the integrity of the squash skins (you’ll be using them as bowls after the recipe is done). You are going to prepare this spaghetti squash as you would prepare noodles and sauce.Step 4: Sauté Again + Make the Sauce
Finally, you turn the sauté feature on again and you add the kale, sun-dried tomatoes, tomato paste to the Instant Pot. Sauté everything together until the kale softens. Why add tomato paste? The tomato paste thickens the broth when heated. It helps to make a flavorful sauce that will cover all the vegetables and spaghetti squash. YUM.Step 5: Mix it All Together
After all of the vegetables are sautéd and there is a thicker sauce at the bottom of the Instant Pot, its time to add the spaghetti squash to the Instant Pot. Slowly fold the spaghetti squash with all of the other ingredients until the spaghetti squash is covered in the tomato sauce. After everything is mixed together, serve the spaghetti squash in the hollowed-out spaghetti squash skins as bowls or any bowl of your choice. Top with optional toasted pine nuts and parmesan.How to Meal Prep this Recipe
Want to make this recipe a meal prep lunch recipe? Take the stuffed spaghetti out of the squash skin and place in four meal prep containers. Cover the containers when the squash has completely cooled and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To reheat the stuffed spaghetti squash, simply remove the cover of the meal prep container and reheat in the microwave or add the stuffed squash to a skillet pan and cook over medium/high heat until it reaches your desired temperature.More Vegetarian Meal Prep Recipes
- General Tso’s Cauliflower
- Moroccan Quinoa Salad with Crispy Chickpeas
- Mediterranean Vegan Buddha Bowl Recipe
Instant Pot Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
Ingredients
- 1 2-lb. spaghetti squash
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 medium white onion, minced
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 8 oz. crimini mushrooms, chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1/2 cup vegetable broth, but any kind works!
- 4 cups chopped kale, deboned
- 1/2 cup julienned sun-dried tomatoes, in oil
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1/4 cup shaved parmesan
- Optional: 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
Instructions
- First, prepare the spaghetti squash by cutting off the stem end of the squash with a sharp knife. Set the spaghetti squash flat on a cutting board and carefully cut the squash in half (hot dog style).
- Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and then discard the seeds. Lightly season squash halves with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Next, turn the on Instant Pot's saute feature and add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the bottom of the pot.
- When the olive oil is fragrant, add onion to the pot and saute for 1 minute. Then, add garlic, chopped mushrooms, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
- Next, pour broth into the bottom of the pot and set the trivet on top of all of the vegetables.
- Place spaghetti squash halves on top of the trivet and cover the Instant Pot.
- Turn the pressure valve to seal and set the Instant Pot to manual >> high pressure for 6 minutes.
- It will take a few minutes for the Instant Pot to build pressure, but eventually it will count down from 6 minutes. When the timer goes off, quick release the Instant Pot.
- Then, carefully remove the squash and trivet from the Instant Pot and set aside.
- Turn the saute feature back on and add chopped kale, sun-dried tomatoes, and tomato paste to the pot. Saute everything together for 2-3 minutes or until the kale becomes softer and bright green.
- While the veggies are sauteeing, carefully scoop out the innards of the spaghetti squash. We like to use a fork to fluff the "squash noodles" and then scoop everything out. If you are serving this dish immediately, make sure to keep the squash skin intact so that you can serve it inside the squash half.
- Spoon the squash innards into the Instant Pot and saute everything together.
- Last, add parmesan cheese and mix again.
- Serve with toasted pine nuts and enjoy!
Tips & Notes
Watch It
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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This is amazing! Totally loved the dish as did my meat and potatoes husband. Question about the calories in the nutrition. Calories state 1/2. Is that 1/2 of a cup or 1/2 of the recipe? I made the 2-4 servings.
1/2 the recipe!
Awesome! That was what i was hoping you would say ๐ Totally making this again! Thank you!
Love the sausage add!
Made this for my lunches for the week and I am in love!! This will definitely be a repeat recipe!
Literally my favorite FFF recipe Iโve ever made! This will be a dinner we come back to again and again.
YESSSS. I love this one too. So much flavor!
Came out Delicious and was so easy to make!
Sooo good and flavorful! Super easy to make. Highly recommend
I’m not even a mushroom girl and love this recipe!