Spaghetti squash & meat sauce is a healthy, one-pot alternative to a classic spaghetti dish. Everything cooks together in this easy slow cooker or Instant pot recipe.
What Is Spaghetti Squash?
Spaghetti squash is a cucurbita pepo vegetable. In other words, it’s a squash. The seeds inside spaghetti squash are similar to pumpkin seeds. When cooked, the inside flesh is scraped into spaghetti-like strands. Hence why spaghetti squash exploded on the scene a few years ago as a popular, healthy, alternative to spaghetti. You can cook spaghetti squash several ways, including in the slow cooker; either by itself or as a part of a recipe like you see here.
What Is Meat Sauce?
Meat sauce is a tomato-based sauce that has a spice blend and ground meat (usually meat, pork, or Italian sausage) added to it to make it heartier. This sauce is great on pasta, veggie spirals, or rice when you need to make something quick and easy. You can make meat sauce in the Instant Pot for a quick sauce or you can let it cook low & slow in the slow cooker.
Ingredients for Spaghetti Squash & Meat Sauce
I make this all the time when I’m not feeling creative because it only uses a few key ingredients: spaghetti squash, tomatoes, Italian seasoning. I usually keep it simple but I encourage you to make this recipe your own.
- Spaghetti Squash: Purchase a spaghetti squash that will fit your appliance. Most 6-quart slow cookers or Instant Pots can hold a 2-pound squash.
- Ground meat: Use your preferred ground meet for the meat sauce. What you see in the pics is ground beef.
- Tomatoes: Crushed or diced tomatoes, what you see here is crushed tomatoes.
- Garlic: One garlic, use more if you like garlicky meat sauce.
- Seasonings: Keep it simple. Italian seasoning, salt & pepper. Substitute your preferred herbs for Italian seasoning. Suggestions include parsley, basil, or oregano.
How To Make Spaghetti Squash & Meat Sauce In The Slow Cooker
Making spaghetti squash & meat sauce is easy, especially when you use the slow cooker or Instant Pot.
Prepare The Spaghetti Squash:
Cut spaghetti squash in half, crosswise. Scoop out the seeds.
Slow Cooker
- In a large skillet, add ground meat and cook over medium-high heat until browned. Drain grease. Add the ground meat to the slow cooker.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Stir to mix well. Add the prepared spaghetti squash the slow cooker, hole side down.
- Cook HIGH 2-3 hours or LOW 4-6, or until the spaghetti squash is soft.
- Carefully remove the spaghetti squash from the slow cooker, it will be hot.
- To serve – using a fork, scrape the side of the spaghetti squash so you have long, spaghetti-like strands. Top with the meat sauce from the slow cooker.
Instant Pot
- Turn on the pressure cooker and select sauté. Once hot add the oil and ground meat. Cook 5-7 minutes until the ground meat is browned. Crumble the ground meat as it cooks. Add garlic and cook an additional minute. Drain excess grease from the pressure cooker if needed.
- Turn off the pressure cooker. Pour in the broth & deglaze the bottom of the pressure cooker by scraping all the bits off with a wooden spoon. Stir in the Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- Place the trivet in the base of the pressure cooker. Place the prepared squash pieces on top of the trivet, hole side up or down.
- Close lid and seal valve. Set high pressure and cook for 7 minutes.
- When cooking time is complete, quick release the pressure. If the squash is tender to the touch, it’s done. If this is the case, cook an additional 2 minutes.
- Carefully remove the spaghetti squash (it will be hot) from the Instant Pot and let cool.
- To serve – using a fork, scrape the side of the spaghetti squash so you have long, spaghetti-like strands. Top with the meat sauce from the Instant Pot.
FAQs & Tips
- Use your preferred ground meat whether it be beef, turkey, chicken, or pork.
- Be careful when you go to remove the squash once it’s done cooking. It will very hot. I recommend using tongs or oven mitts.
- This makes for a meaty meat sauce. If you want more tomatoes, add in an additional 15 ounces of crushed or diced tomatoes.
Other Spaghetti Squash Recipes
You will need a large 6-quart slow cooker or Instant Pot for this recipe.
PrintSlow Cooker Spaghetti Squash & Meat Sauce
- Total Time: 3 hours 10 mins
- Yield: 3-4 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 1 spaghetti squash (approximately 2 pounds)
- 1 pound ground meat
- 24 ounces crushed tomatoes or marinara sauce
- 1 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt (or more)
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon oil (for Instant Pot only)
- 1 cup broth (for Instant Pot only)
Instructions
Prepare The Spaghetti Squash:
Cut spaghetti squash in half, crosswise. Scoop out the seeds.
Slow Cooker
- In a large skillet, add ground meat and cook over medium-high heat until browned. Drain grease. Add the ground meat to the slow cooker.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Stir to mix well. Add the prepared spaghetti squash the slow cooker, hole side down.
- Cook HIGH 2-3 hours or LOW 4-6, or until the spaghetti squash is soft.
- Carefully remove the spaghetti squash from the slow cooker, it will be hot.
- To serve – using a fork, scrape the side of the spaghetti squash so you have long, spaghetti-like strands. Top with the meat sauce from the slow cooker.
- Turn on the pressure cooker and select sauté. Once hot add the oil and ground meat. Cook 5-7 minutes until the ground meat is browned. Crumble the ground meat as it cooks. Add garlic and cook an additional minute. Drain excess grease from the pressure cooker if needed.
- Turn off the pressure cooker. Pour in the broth & deglaze the bottom of the pressure cooker by scraping all the bits off with a wooden spoon. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- Place the trivet in the base of the pressure cooker. Place the prepared squash pieces on top of the trivet, hole side up or down.
- Close lid and seal valve. Set high pressure and cook for 7 minutes.
- When cooking time is complete, quick release the pressure. If the squash is tender to the touch, it’s done. If this is the case, cook an additional 2 minutes.
- Carefully remove the spaghetti squash (it will be hot) from the Instant Pot and let cool.
- To serve – using a fork, scrape the side of the spaghetti squash so you have long, spaghetti-like strands. Top with the meat sauce from the Instant Pot.
Notes
Cook time will vary depending on the size of your spaghetti squash.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 3 hours
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Peri
Friday 22nd of March 2024
This is SO good and the leftovers just tasted better the next day!
Jessica R
Friday 14th of October 2022
For the instant pot version, when pressure cooking the spaghetti squash, do you leave the meat sauce in the instant pot?
CatW
Sunday 12th of June 2022
Love this - how creative and easy to make the squash in the slow cooker. Yumm!!! Thx for the great way to make healthy spaghetti and meat sauce.
Lorenzo
Sunday 12th of June 2022
I love this healthy carb free recipe!
Loretta
Thursday 21st of November 2019
Hi Sorry that i am asking again but I dont know if my questions to you went thru, I would like to add onion and mushrooms ,How much of each should i add? Thanks
Fit SlowCooker Queen
Thursday 21st of November 2019
Hello! I like to use 80/20 ground beef but 90/10 works as well. For the onion I would use 1/4 cup and 2 ounces of mushrooms. Enjoy!