Instant Pot Spaghetti Squash With Sage Brown Butter Sauce
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The Spruce / Diana Rattray
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
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Gather the ingredients.
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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.
The Spruce / Diana Rattray -
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.
The Spruce / Diana Rattray -
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, and black pepper to the butter.
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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.
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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.
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Add the squash to the hot brown butter mixture and toss to coat the strands thoroughly. Taste and add salt as needed.
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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.
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.
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