Instant Pot Spaghetti Squash & Short-Cut Bolognese is a one-pot wonder, since the meat sauce and spaghetti squash cook together for a simple, delicious meal with minimal clean up.

A gluten-free, dairy-free, paleo, whole30 recipe the whole family will love.

If there’s one meal I fall back on again and again to get a dinner on the table I know my whole family will love, it’s pasta with a super simple and tasty sauce.

I’ve shared a few of our favorite sauces over the years (20-minute dairy-free tomato cream sauce, weeknight mushroom & beef ragout, and weeknight zucchini & beef ragout are a some of our favs), but lately I’ve turned into a serious Instant Pot fan, and find myself using the electric pressure cooker more often than not to pull together a slow cooked sauce on a weeknight.

One of my favorite ways to serve a good sauce is atop spaghetti squash, since it adds a huge boost of veggies to any meal, plus cuts the carbs pretty significantly as well.

On pasta night I usually roast a spaghetti squash and boil up a pot of pasta so that each family member can make a plate based on his or her preferences.

But honestly? That’s a lot of dishes at the end of the night!

So lately I’ve been determined how to use the Instant Pot to make the entire meal in one pot.

And guess what? I’ve figured it out!

The beauty of this recipe is that the spaghetti squash cooks in the Instant Pot, right with the meat sauce, so most of the cook time is hands-off and clean up is much simpler.

I like to use a mixture of pastured pork and grass-fed beef for the best flavor and texture, but if that combo doesn’t work for you, ground beef or even turkey will be just fine as a substitute.

You’ll also want to make sure your spaghetti squash is spread in an even layer, without much overlap to ensure even cooking.

And, since all squashes are slightly different, if you yours isn’t quite cooked when the timer goes off, go ahead and pop the lid back on, add a few more minutes, and you should be good to go.

I hope you’ll make this one soon. If you do, be sure to share it on Instagram and tag me at @realfoodwholelife so I can see!

recipe & kid friendly adaptations

1 | Boil up some spaghetti to serve in addition to or mixed into the spaghetti squash.

2 | Don’t want to use pork? Skip it and use all beef instead.

3 | This sauce can also be made with turkey in place of the beef and pork.

this recipe is…

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Instant Pot Spaghetti Squash & Short-Cut Bolognese

Servings: 4 -6
Instant Pot Spaghetti Squash & Short-Cut Bolognese is a one-pot wonder, since the meat sauce and spaghetti squash cook together for a simple, delicious meal with minimal clean up. A gluten-free, dairy-free, paleo, whole30 recipe the whole family will love.
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Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1 pound 15% ground beef, grass-fed if possible
  • 1 pound pastured ground pork
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon no-salt added Italian seasoning
  • 1 28-oz can or jar no-sugar added tomato sauce
  • 1 medium spaghetti squash, halved lengthwise and seeds removed
  • Basil and red pepper to top, optional

Equipment

Instructions 

  • Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to an electric pressure cooker. Turn to saute for 14 minutes, add the beef and pork, sprinkle with the salt, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning, and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned.
  • Add the tomato sauce and stir to combine, scrapping any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
  • Add the steamer rack trivet on top of the sauce. Drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over the spaghetti squash halves. Place the spaghetti squash halves in the steamer trivet, avoiding any significant overlap. If the pieces are too big, cut each in half and arrange in the basket, avoiding overlap.
  • Secure the lid, select the manual setting, and set it to high pressure for 25 minutes.
  • When the pressure cooker timer is done, quick release the pressure.
  • Carefully remove the steamer trivet, and place the cooked squash on a cutting board. When cool enough to handle, use a fork to scrape the inside of the squash against the grain, so it separates into strands. If the squash seems watery, place it in a strainer and gently press down to remove any excess liquid.
  • Serve the spaghetti squash topped with meat sauce, plus basil and red pepper flakes to taste.

Notes

Boil up some spaghetti to serve in addition to or mixed into the spaghetti squash.
Don’t want to use pork? Skip it and use all beef instead.
This sauce can also be made with turkey in place of the beef and pork.
Author: Robyn Conley Downs

Nutrition Information:

Nutrition disclaimer
Did you make this recipe?If you do, be sure to share it on Instagram and tag me at @realfoodwholelife so I can see!

 

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