Spaghetti Squash with Chickpeas

I’ll admit it: I was a little late to the Instant Pot party, but now I love using it, and finding new things to cook in it just delights me. Social media tipped me off to the idea of cooking a whole spaghetti squash in the Instant Pot and since I had one, I thought I’d try it. (Don’t worry, there’s a non-IP method in the recipe below, too) It’s pretty easy: add the trivet and 1 cup of water to the bottom of the pot. Pierce the squash all over with a paring knife then add to the pot. Seal and set it to pressure cook for 15 minutes on high. Use the manual pressure release and proceed with the recipe. This week, I went with a Greek-inspired dish with lots of oregano, feta and olives. Enjoy! 

1 spaghetti squash

1 tsp olive oil

1 large shallot, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 14-oz can diced tomatoes (fire-roasted if you have them!)

1 roasted red pepper, diced

1 can chick peas, rinsed and drained

1 -2 teaspoons dried oregano

salt and pepper to taste

to serve: Feta cheese, chopped fresh mint, and olives 

Cook the spaghetti squash: use the Instant Pot method above, or halve the squash and roast in a 400 degree oven until tender, 30-40 minutes. In either case, allow to cool then remove the seeds. 

In a large skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil, shallot and garlic; sauté a few minutes until tender. Stir in the tomatoes, red pepper, chick peas, oregano, salt and pepper and heat until bubbly. Using a fork, scrape the strands of the spaghetti squash into the mixture and stir until coated. Cook for a few more minutes until everything is heated through and the squash is coated in the sauce. Serve topped with feta cheese, chopped fresh mint and olives. If you’re so inclined, a grilled chicken breast goes perfectly on top of this! Yield: about 4 servings.