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    Home » Recipes » Healthy Recipes » Instant Pot Butternut Squash

    Instant Pot Butternut Squash

    Published: May 7, 2019 · Modified: Oct 4, 2022 by Sherri · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

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    Instant Pot Butternut Squash is an easy, healthy side dish to add to your week. Cook the whole thing without having to peel and dice it.

    Making butternut squash in the Instant Pot is a super-easy way to make one of my favorite vegetables. I love to have a starchy vegetable on hand for meal prepping. So either these or Instant Pot sweet potatoes are my go-to for making sure I have healthy options to choose from in my refrigerator.

    a bowl of cubed butternut squash in a white bowl

    Butternut squash is loaded with Vitamin A as well as potassium. They have lower carbs than sweet potatoes too.

    My favorite way to eat butternut squash is mashed with a dollop of coconut oil or butter and sprinkled with cinnamon. If you want to sweeten them a little bit, a little maple syrup or honey is amazing!  I also love it in a bowl like this quinoa bowl too. Or you can even use it to make this fabulous butternut squash soup too.

    I did a little experiment with putting that squash right in the pressure cooker instead of cutting it up into pieces. Well, I did have to cut it in half but that was pretty easy.

    I don’t know about you, but anytime I can get away with not having to cut a butternut squash I am game. They can be tough to cut sometimes.

     

     

    Cubes of butternut squash on a countertop

    Depending on if you go my route and cook the whole butternut squash or if you have diced/cubed pieces, the time will obviously vary. From about 15 minutes for a whole but in half squash down to 3 minutes for one inch diced cubes versions.

    Either way, it’s a huge time saver when using cooking butternut squash in a pressure cooker.  It the oven, diced butternut takes about half an hour. A whole one can take up to an hour.

    How to Make Butternut Squash in an Instant Pot

    Wash the squash on the outside.

    whole butternut squash and a knife on a countertop

    Place the squash on the counter or a cutting board and slice across the middle. (not lengthwise)

     

    Place the metal rack (that comes with the Instant Pot) into the bottom of the pot. (for cubes, place a stainless steel steamer basket inside instead.butternut squash cut in half on a wood cutting board with a knife beside

    Pour 1 cup of water into the bottom.
    cut butternut squash in an instant pot without lid

    Place the butternut squash halves into pot.

    Secure the lid and turn the pressure valve to seal.

    Set the timer using the manual mode of the Instant Pot and use the + or – sign to set to cook on high pressure for 15 minutes. (if you have cubed the squash, set the timer for just 3 minutes)

    Allow pressure to “release naturally” for 10 minutes. (for cubes, quick release all the pressure immediately.)

    Carefully release any remaining pressure with a towel over top and remove the lid.

    cooked halves of butternut squash inside an instant pot

    Place cooked squash on a cutting board and let cool for a few minutes.

     

    Slice each half down the middle and scoop out the seeds.cut butternut squash halves on a countertop with a spoon scooping seeds and pulp

    Gently pull the skin off each piece by scraping with the blade of a knife.

    Cut into pieces or mash with a fork.

    ENJOY!!

    If you like butternut squash, check out these other healthy vegetable recipes too:

    Parmesan Garlic Spaghetti Squash

    Roasted Green Beans with Almonds

    Zucchini Squash Tomato Bake

    Simple Roasted Turnips

    Balsamic Brussel Sprouts

    More Instant Pot recipes to try:

    Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs

    Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes

    Instant Pot Pot Roast

    closeup of cooked butternut squash cut into cubes

    Instant Pot Butternut Squash

    Instant Pot Butternut Squash is an easy, healthy side dish to add to your week. Cook the whole thing without having to peel and dice it.
    5 from 1 vote
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    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 2 minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes
    Natural Release: 10 minutes
    Total Time: 17 minutes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 102kcal
    Author: Sherri Hagymas

    Ingredients

    • 2 pound butternut squash
    • 1 cup water

    Instructions

    • Wash the squash on the outside well.
    • Place the squash on the counter or a cutting board and slice across the middle. (not lengthwise)
    • Place the medal rack (that comes with the Instant Pot) into the bottom of the pot. (for cubes, place a stainless steel steamer basketinside instead.
    • Pour 1 cup of water into the bottom.
    • Place the butternut squash halves into pot.
    • Secure the lid and turn pressure valve to seal.
    • Set the timer using the manual mode of the Instant Pot and use the + or – sign to set to cook on high pressure for 15 minutes. (if you have cubed the squash, set the timer for just 3 minutes)
    • Allow pressure to “release naturally†for 10 minutes. (for cubes, quick release all the pressure immediately.)
    • Carefully release any remaining pressure with a towel over top and remove lid.
    • Place cooked squash on a cutting board and let cool for a few minutes.
    • Slice each half down the middle and scoop out the seeds.
    • Gently pull the skin off each piece by scraping with the blade of a knife.
    • Dice into pieces or mash with a fork.
    • ENJOY!!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 102kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 2g | Sodium: 12mg | Potassium: 798mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 24110IU | Vitamin C: 47.6mg | Calcium: 109mg | Iron: 1.6mg

    Nutritional Disclosure

    Nutritional facts are estimates and are provided as a courtesy to the reader. Please utilize your own brand nutritional values to double check against our estimates. Nutritional values are calculated via a third party. Changing ingredients, amounts or cooking technique will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.

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    Filed Under: Healthy Recipes, Holiday Recipes, Instant Pot Recipes, Main Dishes, Recipes, Side Dishes, Vegetables

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    Sherri Hagymas leaning on a counter with a white coffee mug

    Hi there! I’m Sherri I love creating a variety of easy recipes that anyone can make and enjoy! From healthy to comforting, I hope you find something that inspires you!.

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