I had never tasted spaghetti squash, much less cooked one. I now understand all the hype that’s been happening in the Instant Pot group on Facebook.
Equip!
1 3-lb. spaghetti squash
6 Italian sausages (sweet, hot or mixed)
1 28-oz. can Tuttorosso Crushed Tomatoes With Basil
3 tbs. tomato paste
1 tbs. crushed garlic
2 tbs. Italian seasoning
1 cup cottage cheese
1 cup sour cream
1 egg
3 c. shredded Mozzarella cheese
olive oil
Prep!
Preheat oven to 350℉.
The Squash…
Cut the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise.
It’s easier if you score the squash with a sharp knife and microwave for 5 minutes.
Remove the seeds and pulp.
Add 1 1/2 c. water to the Instant Pot’s inner pot, insert the trivet and place the spaghetti squash cut side up on the trivet.
A 3-lb. (8″) squash will fit in an 8 qt. pot. You’ll have to use a smaller squash for a smaller pot. Cook times will be the same, but you may need to decrease the amounts of the remaining ingredients when you assemble the lasagna.
Cook at high pressure for 8 minutes with a quick release. Leave the lid on and let the squash steam for an additional 10 minutes. Set aside until cool enough to handle.
Use a spoon to scrape the squash out of its shell and set aside. Use a fork to separate the strands.
You can cook the squash ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator until ready to use.
The Sausage…
Place the sausages on a baking pan. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning. Air fry at 380℉ until the skin is slightly crispy, about 15 minutes.
When the sausage is cool enough to handle, crumble and set aside.
I cut each sausage into 4 pieces and use the pulse setting on my food processor.
The Sauces…
Whisk the tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, garlic and remaining Italian seasoning until well blended. Set aside.
I use a tall 4-cup measuring cup with my food processor’s stick blender. It’s faster.
Whisk the cottage cheese, sour cream and egg until well blended. Set aside.
The Lasagna…
Grease a 9″ x 13″ lasagna pan with a drizzle of olive oil. Cover the bottom of the pan with a thin layer of tomato sauce.
Use about 1/2 of the prepped ingredients to build the first layer in order: squash, sausage, cottage cheese mixture, tomato sauce, mozzarella.
Each ingredient layer should be thin so they blend while baking.
Repeat to build the second layer.
If your pan is smaller than 9″ x 13″, you can use fewer ingredients or build more layers if the pan is tall enough.
Cook!
Place pan on a cookie sheet to catch any overflow and bake for 35-40 minutes.
The pan will be full and heavy. Use caution when handling.
Allow to cool for 10-15 mins before serving.
Resources
I have the older 26 Liter version of this air fryer. It is no longer available.
My Food Processor: Braun MultiQuick MQ7077 4-in-1 Immersion Hand, Powerful 500W Stainless Steel Stick Blender, Variable Speed + 6-Cup Food Processor, Whisk, Beaker, Masher, Faster Blend