IN ROTATION

Put this spaghetti squash fall side dish in your rotation to keep nutrients high, and heavy meals at a minimum, before the much heavier holiday meals take over.

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ABOUT THIS EASY SPAGHETTI SQUASH FALL SIDE DISH

A light, simple side dish recipe for weeknight dinners.

No need to stand over the stove for this one. The pressure cooker does the work while you rest, cook something to go alongside it, or complete those few extra tasks you just needed twenty more minutes for.

When it’s done cooking, manually de-pressurize the electric pressure cooker. Add the healthy fats and seasonings and that’s that.

Serve it hot. Slice a piece of artisan einkorn sourdough bread to go with it. They pair well. Whatever you pair the squash with, keep it craveable. Keep it nourishing!

Also, don’t be shy. Browse around HoneySalt and Olive for more meal pairing ideas. You’re welcome here!

HELPFUL EQUIPMENT FOR SPAGHETTI SQUASH SIDE DISH
Instant Pot – an electric pressure cooker. If you don’t have one you can also steam the squash in a pan on the stove
Steaming insert – or a rack that fits in the instant pot insert. Lifts the squash up so it’s not sitting in the water while it steams
Mortar and pestle – for the peppercorns. hope you have one. I use this a lot. Fresh ground spices taste best

grind black peppercorns with mortar and pestle

INGREDIENTS
1 medium spaghetti squash – it needs to fit in the instant pot insert without cutting it
Filtered water – skip the tap whenever possible
Ghee – if you haven’t tried ghee before let me know what you think. It’s added after the squash cooks so you’ll get full flavor. Get organic, no additives
Parmesan shreds – or a parmesan-style cheese, again watch out for additives
Dried parsley flakes – if you prefer you can use fresh, but chop it ultra fine if you do
Sea salt – with minerals
Ground nutmeg – make sure it’s not outdated. Get high-quality nutmeg for the best side dish
Whole black peppercorns – grind using mortar and pestle. worth the extra effort for the taste of fresh ground pepper

PREP BEFORE COOKING SPAGHETTI SQUASH

When it comes to large produce with a tough exterior, we often forget to wash it. Rinse the spaghetti squash before placing it in the instant pot.

REMINDER!

I developed this recipe for use with an Instant Pot electric pressure cooker

HOW TO MAKE A SPAGHETTI SQUASH FALL SIDE DISH

After prepping the ingredients, and pressure cooking the sunshine yellow squash for twenty-two minutes, there’s not much left to do.

Use a fork to pull apart the tasty spaghetti as you place it in a large serving bowl. Add ghee, cheese, and spices to the spaghetti squash strands while they’re still warm. Use a fork to keep the strands intact while you mix in the flavorful fall ingredients.

HOW TO SERVE

Serve this immediately after making it for the best results. Or, keep it warm until you serve it.

TIPS FOR SUCCESS

If your squash looks like it’s on the small side lower the pressure-cooking time so it’s not mushy.

making spaghetti squash for easy healthy dinner side dish

WHAT TO AVOID

Avoid stirring with a spoon. Separate with a fork instead. Use a fork even when adding the ghee, parmesan, and spices.
Avoid overcooking. It may get mushy.
If you use fresh parsley, avoid leaving the pieces too large. Chop it fine for the best taste.

LEFTOVER TIPS

Store leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator. Eat it cold or reheat it—whatever you prefer.

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Spaghetti Squash Fall Side Dish

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Author: Erika
Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: Serves: 6-8 as a side

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Description

Pairs well with a slice of whole wheat artisan einkorn sourdough bread. Recipe developed for use with an instant pot.

Ingredients

Units Scale

1 medium spaghetti squash
2 cups filtered water
2 tablespoons ghee
1/4 cup parmesan shreds or parmesan-style cheese
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes (or 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon whole black peppercorns, grind using mortar and pestle

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Instructions

Rinse 1 medium spaghetti squash. Place the squash and 2 cups filtered water in an Instant Pot. “Pressure cook” on high for 22 minutes.
Remove the squash. Slice it in half on a cutting board that has a juice groove. Scoop out the seeds. Drain the spaghetti squash by turning the halves upside down and letting them rest for two minutes.
Place the spaghetti squash strands in a large mixing bowl. Separate with a fork.
Add 2 tablespoons ghee, ¼ cup parmesan shreds, 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes (or 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley), ½ teaspoon sea salt, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, and 1/8 teaspoon whole black peppercorns (grind using mortar and pestle). Mix with a fork.
Serve hot.

Notes

Avoid making it mushy. If necessary, adjust the time according to the spaghetti squash size.

Cook Spaghetti Squash Whole | Fall Side Dish