Cooking butternut squash in the Instant Pot creates perfectly tender morsels ready to use in your favorite recipes or on their own. Cooking the squash in the Instant Pot makes the process super easy.
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How to cook Butternut Squash in Instant Pot Video
Instant Pot Butternut Squash Recipe
Instant Pot butternut squash is the perfect way to cook up that butternut squash you grew in your garden all summer or that you found at the farmer’s market. The Instant Pot allows you to either par boil the chunks to add to other recipes or fully cook the squash so you can easily mash it.
When you use the Instant Pot, it speeds the cooking process up a lot. You can use the butternut squash within 15 minutes.
Is butternut squash healthy to eat?
The Instant Pot creates a steamed or boiled version of butternut squash, which is one of the healthiest ways to eat it. By itself, butternut squash is loaded with nutrients, like vitamin C, vitamin B6, and magnesium.
Also, butternut squash is low in calories, which makes it the perfect addition to nearly any meal where you want a bit more nutrients and not a lot of extra calories.
Easy Instant Pot Butternut Squash Ingredients
When you are you to make butternut squash in the Instant Pot, you won’t need much to get started. Here’s a list of ingredients you’ll need:
- Butternut Squash - When picking a squash, look for ones with a uniform color with little to no cuts, bruising, or other discoloration. Also, avoid ones with punctures since this can let bacteria into the squash. Finally, look for ones that feel heavy for their weight.
- Salt - You can completely omit the salt if you like, it is not needed to cook the butternut squash in the Instant Pot.
For garnish, we use both crushed black pepper and fresh Thyme springs.
How to cut butternut squash?
First, use a sharp knife to slice off the ends. Before cutting make sure the squash is steady on your cutting board.
Next, hold the squash in one hand and use a vegetable peeler to peel squash in a downward direction away from your hand and body.
Once you remove the peel, carefully cut the squash in half from top to bottom. You can easily do this by placing it on the cutting board and sitting it on the wider cut off end.
When the squash is cut in half, you should see seeds and some stringy pulp. You can use a sturdy spoon to scoop out the seeds and pulp. If you like, you can save the seeds to roast laster to add as a topping to a butternut squash soup.
Lay the squash halves with their cut side down on the cutting board and then cut even slices lengthwise.
Finally, dice the slices into roughly 1 inch cubes.
How to cook butternut squash in Instant Pot?
First, add one cup of water to the inner pot of the Instant pot. Next, place a steamer basket into the pot and then add the cubed butternut squash.
When the cubes are in the basket, close the lid, seal the vent, and then pressure cook for 3 minutes followed by a quick release. Cooking for 3 minutes will yield firmer cubes that are perfect for adding to other recipes.
If you prefer creamier, easy to mash chunks, then pressure cook for 5 minutes followed by a quick release.
Finally, garnish with salt, crushed black pepper, and a sprig of thyme. You can serve them warm on their own, as a side, or add it to your favorite recipe.
Pro tips and tricks
Follow these tips and tricks to help make your life easier when making butternut squash in the Instant Pot.
- Slice about ½ to an inch off the top and bottom of the squash before peeling. You can set the squash on cutting board to help keep it stable as you peel and slice it in half.
- After removing the seeds, wash them and save them to make toasted squash seeds, perfect for garnishing soups and salads.
- Don’t overcook the squash unless you really want to make it into a mash. Three minutes is all you need for a firmer cube that is perfect for adding to your favorite recipes.
How long to cook butternut squash in Instant Pot?
When cooking butternut squash in the Instant Pot, you can follow two different times.
For a firmer texture, cook the squash for 3 minutes in the Instant Pot followed by an immediate quick release of pressure.
For a soft texture, increase the cook time to 5 minutes followed by an immediate release of pressure.
What flavors go well with butternut squash?
Butternut squash has a bit of a naturally sweet, but mild flavor when cooked. It pairs well with both traditional fall flavors, like cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and brown sugar.
And you can use it easily in more savory dishes. The subtle sweetness can help balance out spicier sauces and seasonings.
How do you get rid of bitter taste in butternut squash?
Butternut squash shouldn’t have a bitter taste to it. Chances are, if it does, it could be due to a it having a large amount of a chemical known as cucurbitacins. If your butternut squash tastes bitter, it is best to get another squash.
How can you tell if butternut squash has gone bad?
Butternut squash should have a firm texture and hard peel around it. If you pick it up and it feels soft in spots, it probably has gone bad.
Also, your squash should have a mild, sweet flavor. If it has a bitter flavor, it is likely contaminated and should be thrown out.
What goes well with butternut squash?
Butternut squash pairs well with a variety of dishes. You can easily add it to your fall line up of food or add it into soups, pastas, and other dishes.
Some of our favorite ways to use butternut squash include:
Can you freeze butternut squash?
Yes, you can freeze either raw or cooked butternut squash. We recommend cutting it up into chunks first.
If you cook it first, allow it to cool completely before placing it in a freezer bag or container. You could also mash it up and freeze it as a butternut squash mash if you like.
You can then let the butternut thaw in the fridge overnight and then either cook or use the thawed squash when it's ready.
Some of our favorite ways to use butternut squash include:
Let us know what you think
If you make this delicious recipe, let us know how it went! When you make this, be sure to take a pic and tag us on Instagram @dbellyrulesdmind or Facebook @thebellyrulesthemind!
How to cook Butternut Sqaush in Instant Pot
How to cook Butternut Squash in Instant Pot
Cooking butternut squash in the Instant Pot creates perfectly tender morsels ready to use in your favorite recipes or on their own. Cooking the squash in the Instant Pot makes the process super easy.
Ingredients
- 1 Butternut Squash , peeled, gutted and cut into inch cubes.
- Salt to taste
- Crushed black pepper to garnish
- Thyme spring to garnish
Instructions
How to cut butternut squash?
First, use a sharp knife to slice off the ends. Before cutting make sure the squash is steady on your cutting board.
Next, hold the squash in one hand and use a vegetable peeler to peel squash in a downward direction away from your hand and body.
Once you remove the peel, carefully cut the squash in half from top to bottom. You can easily do this by placing it on the cutting board and sitting it on the wider cut off end.
When the squash is cut in half, you should see seeds and some stringy pulp. You can use a sturdy spoon to scoop out the seeds and pulp. If you like, you can save the seeds to roast laster to add as a topping to a butternut squash soup.
Lay the squash halves with their cut side down on the cutting board and then cut even slices lengthwise.
Finally, dice the slices into roughly 1 inch cubes.
How to cook butternut squash in Instant Pot?
First, add one cup of water to the inner pot of the Instant pot. Next, place a steamer basket into the pot and then add the cubed butternut squash.
When the cubes are in the basket, close the lid, seal the vent, and then pressure cook for 3 minutes followed by a quick release. Cooking for 3 minutes will yield firmer cubes that are perfect for adding to other recipes.
If you prefer creamier, easy to mash chunks, then pressure cook for 5 minutes followed by a quick release.
Finally, garnish with salt, crushed black pepper, and a sprig of thyme. You can serve them warm on their own, as a side, or add it to your favorite recipe.
How long to cook butternut squash in Instant Pot?
When cooking butternut squash in the Instant Pot, you can follow two different times.
For a firmer texture, cook the squash for 3 minutes in the Instant Pot followed by an immediate quick release of pressure.
For a soft texture, increase the cook time to 5 minutes followed by an immediate release of pressure.
Notes
Pro tips and tricks
Follow these tips and tricks to help make your life easier when making butternut squash in the Instant Pot.
Slice about ½ to an inch off the top and bottom of the squash before peeling. You can set the squash on cutting board to help keep it stable as you peel and slice it in half.
After removing the seeds, wash them and save them to make toasted squash seeds, perfect for garnishing soups and salads.
Don’t overcook the squash unless you really want to make it into a mash. Three minutes is all you need for a firmer cube that is perfect for adding to your favorite recipes.
Recommended Products
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Nutrition Information
Yield 4 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 22Total Fat 0gSaturated Fat 0gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 0gCholesterol 0mgSodium 148mgCarbohydrates 6gFiber 2gSugar 1gProtein 1g
All information and tools presented and written within this site are intended for informational purposes only. We are not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on TheBellyRulesTheMind.net should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. Even though we try to provide accurate nutritional information to the best of our ability, these figures should still be considered estimates.
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