Instant Pot Spaghetti Squash With Sage Brown Butter Sauce

Written by
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Diana Rattray
Updated 12/11/19
spaghetti squash with brown butter and sage sauce

 The Spruce / Diana Rattray
  • Total: 25 mins
  • Prep: 10 mins
  • Cook: 15 mins
  • Pressure Build: 10 mins
  • Servings: 4 servings

Spaghetti squash is an excellent option for low-carb diets and the Instant Pot makes it a snap to cook. It's ready in as little as 7 minutes and lends itself to a variety of flavor combinations—plus, there's no need to peel the squash!

The sage brown butter sauce is wonderful with the spaghetti squash, but feel free to use a simple Parmesan cream sauce or Alfredo sauce with chopped basil or parsley for color. For a hearty "spaghetti" dinner, serve the squash with your favorite Italian-style meat sauce.

Ingredients

  • 1 (1 1/2- to 2-pound) spaghetti squash
  • 15 fresh sage leaves (plus more for garnish)
  • 1 large clove garlic (or 2 small)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt (plus more to taste)
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (crushed)
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (freshly ground)
  • Optional: Parmesan cheese (for serving)

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    ingredients for instant pot spaghetti squash
     The Spruce / Diana Rattray

  2. Cut the squash in half crosswise and chop the sage leaves. Cut the garlic clove in half. With the flat side of the knife—the sharp edge facing away from you—crush the halves lightly.

    cut the squash, garlic and chopped sage
     The Spruce / Diana Rattray

  3. With a spoon, scoop the seeds out of the squash halves. Place the halves on a trivet in the Instant Pot and add 1 cup of water to the pot. Add 1/2 teaspoon of the salt to the water and sprinkle the squash with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Secure the lid and turn the steam pressure knob to the sealing position. Choose the pressure cook function (high) and set the timer for 7 minutes. It will take approximately 10 minutes to reach high pressure.

    spaghetti squash in the instant pot
     The Spruce / Diana Rattray

  4. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, and black pepper to the butter.

    melted butter and garlic in pan
     The Spruce / Diana Rattray

  5. Cook the butter and garlic mixture, swirling the pan occasionally until the foaming subsides and the solids are golden brown. Add the chopped sage and remove the butter from the heat.

    brown butter and sage sauce in pan
     The Spruce / Diana Rattray

  6. When the Instant Pot time is up, carefully move the pressure release knob to the venting position for a quick release. Remove the halves and use a fork to scrape out the strands.

    removing strands from spaghetti squash
     The Spruce / Diana Rattray

  7. Add the squash to the hot brown butter mixture and toss to coat the strands thoroughly. Taste and add salt as needed.

    mixing spaghetti squash with brown butter sauce
     The Spruce / Diana Rattray

  8. Transfer the squash to a serving dish and garnish with fresh or fried sage leaves and fresh grated Parmesan or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, if desired.

    spaghetti squash in a serving dish with Instant Pot
     The Spruce / Diana Rattray

Tips

  • The squash can be cut in half lengthwise, but the strands will be longer if it is cut in half crosswise.
  • The squash strands maintain their shape after 7 minutes of cooking time. If you prefer softer strands, add a minute or two to the cooking time.