Spaghetti Squash Lasagna Style (Instant Pot, Air Fryer & Oven)

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

My Instant Pot: Instant Pot Ultra 3 Qt 10-in-1 Multi- Use Programmable Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Rice Cooker, Yogurt Maker, Egg Cooker, Sauté, Steamer, Warmer, and Sterilizer, Silver

Instant Omni Plus 10-in-1 Air Fryer Toaster Oven, Rotisserie Oven, Convection Oven, Dehydrator, Roaster, Warmer, Reheater, Pizza Oven, 18 Liter

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

Posted in food.

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