Easy Spaghetti Squash in Sage Butter Sauce
Although most vegetables need about 5 minutes at pressure – don’t let the size of this squash fool you into thinking it needs more. The three minutes I recommend are plenty. Pressure cook this squash for too long and its long spaghetti-like strands break into an unimpressive shaggy pulp. The only time you should pressure cook Spaghetti Squash more is if the strands do not easily tease apart when lightly scraped with a fork. Make this vegan, by replacing the butter in this recipe with olive oil!
Although most vegetables need about 5 minutes at pressure – don’t let the size of this squash fool you into thinking it needs more. The three minutes I recommend are plenty. Pressure cook this squash for too long and its long spaghetti-like strands break into an unimpressive shaggy pulp. The only time you should pressure cook Spaghetti Squash more is if the strands do not easily tease apart when lightly scraped with a fork. Make this vegan, by replacing the butter in this recipe with olive oil!
- Carbohydrate 0.314451666666667 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 1.751793334057 g
- Fiber 0.205916662851969 g
- Protein 0.054975 g
- Saturated Fat 0.268323333433258 g
- Serving Size 1 1 serving (91g)
- Sodium 3.65108333635303 mg
- Sugar 0.108535003814697 g
- Trans Fat 0.0561708333529305 g
- Calories 17 calories
Step-by-step
- Halve the squash and scoop out the seeds.
- Add water into the pressure cooker and lower the squash halves facing up - stacking them one on top of the other, if needed.
- Close and lock the lid of the pressure cooker. Set the valve on the lid to "seal". Pressure cook for 3 minutes 3 minutes at high pressure.
- In the meantime, in a cold saute pan add the sage, garlic and olive oil. Cook the oil mixture on low heat, stirring very occasionally to fry-up the sage leaves. The leaves will turn dark green when they're crispy - keep an eye on it to ensure the garlic slices do not burn.
- When time is up, open the cooker by releasing the pressure through the valve.
- Tease the squash fibers out of the shell using a fork and plop them into the saute' pan.
- Once all of the squash is there turn off the heat, sprinkle with salt and nutmeg, then swoosh everything around to mix well.
- Serve as-is or with a generous sprinkle of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.
Overcooking is the primary error committed when preparing spaghetti squash under pressure. Extended exposure to high heat degrades the cell walls, transforming distinct strands into a watery, shaggy pulp that lacks structural integrity. Restricting the cooking duration to three minutes at high pressure preserves the characteristic strands while ensuring the flesh is tender enough to scrape.
Infusing Aromatics and Texture
Starting aromatics in a cold pan allows the olive oil and garlic to warm gradually alongside the sage leaves, extracting maximum flavor without scorching the minced allium. As the temperature rises, the moisture in the sage leaves evaporates, yielding a crisp, dark green garnish and an infused fat that coats each individual strand evenly.
- If the squash resists when scraped with a fork, return the halves to the pressure cooker for one additional minute before attempting to separate the fibers again.
- Substitute olive oil with an equal measure of unsalted butter to achieve a richer sauce, noting that dairy fats burn faster than plant-based oils during the infusion phase.
