Instant Pot Butternut Squash is so quick and easy to make and can then be used to make butternut squash soup or any number of other side dishes that require butternut squash.
Why You’ll Like It
- Skip the oven or microwave and cook a whole butternut squash quickly in the Instant Pot. It takes just 15 minutes compared to over an hour to become tender in the oven.
- The Instant Pot was made for tasks like steaming a whole butternut squash. It cooks the squash in a fraction of the time, and it turns out perfectly tender without being overly roasted or soggy.
- It’s the easiest possible way to cook butternut squash.
Julie says: 
Excellent and simple! Thank you! I cranked out processing 4 squash in one evening!
» You might like How to Cook a Whole Pumpkin in the Instant Pot and Instant Pot Delicata Squash.
Ingredients You Need
This is probably one of the easiest recipes you will come across. Only 2 ingredients needed! Use this perfectly cooked butternut squash to make things like homemade ravioli filling, pizza, or warm and hearty soup.
- Butternut squash – When picking one out go for a squash with a solid beige color without cuts or bruises. Avoid brown patches or punctures.
- Water – You need water in the Instant Pot to help the pot come up to pressure. Use 1 cup in the 6-quart pot and 1 1/2 cups in the 8-quart pot.
- Optional – Salt, pepper, butter, seasonings
Equipment Needed
- Instant Pot – I use a 6-quart Instant Pot Duo Plus to make all of my recipes, but you can use any size or brand of electric pressure cooker. If you’re using an 8-quart pot, you will need to adjust the amount of liquid accordingly, as it requires more water to build steam.
- Trivet – Set the squash on the trivet to keep it out of the water. You could also use a steamer basket if you don’t have the trivet.
- Sharp knife – It can be difficult to cut through the peel of the squash, so be sure to use a very sharp knife.
Expert Tips
- Leaving the skin on the butternut squash makes it easy to scoop out the flesh once it’s cooked. But if you want to cube the squash once cooked, remove the skin first.
- If you’re cooking more than one squash at a time, you can cut the squash into fourths instead of half so the pieces fit easier into the pot.
- If you’re planning to cube the squash and eat it as a side dish, only cook it for 8 minutes, which will be a perfect tenderness for cubes.
- If you’re going to mash the squash or use it to make pureed butternut squash soup, you should cook it for 15 minutes, so the flesh is much softer.
How to Make Butternut Squash in the Instant Pot
Step One: Prepare the Squash
Wash and scrub the exterior of the squash. With a sharp chef’s knife, cut the butternut squash in half. Also remove the hard stem and the bottom piece, if it’s tough. Use a spoon to scrape out the seeds and stuff.
Place the trivet in the Instant Pot inner pot. Pour in 1 cup of water. Set the butternut squash halves face up on the trivet. It’s okay if they overlap.
Step Two: Pressure Cook the Squash
Lock the lid and set the vent to sealing. Press the pressure cook button and set the timer to 10 minutes if you plan to cube the squash for a side dish, or 15 minutes if you plan to use it as a puree or soup.
When the time is up, manually release the pressure. This will keep the squash from getting too soft, if you are planning to cube or slice it. If you’re using the squash for a puree or soup, you can allow a natural pressure release.
How to Use Butternut Squash
The butternut squash is perfectly tender when removed from the Instant Pot. It can be scooped out of the skin and used to make many different side dishes. Scoop it out in once piece and cube it, or mash it.
The most common side dishes are mashed butternut squash and butternut squash soup. But you can also use the flesh to make a filling for homemade ravioli. It also works as a puree for eating with pork chops, or to make a savory pie.
Seasonings & Flavors to Add
Butternut squash is a great part of the Mediterranean diet and is one of the healthy recipes you should have in your diet. It makes a fantastic side dish. It also fits well into many meal plans, especially when you flavor or season it in different ways to keep it fresh.
If you want to add some extra flavor to your butternut squash, you can add spices besides salt and pepper to the flesh of the squash before or after cooking. Some I like to use are:
- Seasoned salt
- Cumin and chili powder
- Onion powder
- Cinnamon/sugar for a sweet treat
- Butter and sage or thyme
- Drizzle on honey and sprinkle it with toasted coconut
- Crumbled bacon
How Long To Cook Butternut Squash in the Pressure Cooker
Halved butternut squash needs to cook for 15 minutes to become soft enough to use for a puree or soup. If you want it to still have some bite to it, it needs to cook for 10 minutes on high pressure.
If you want to peel it and cube it first, then pressure cook it, you only need to cook it for 3 minutes on high pressure.
Please remember that cooking times can vary based on the specific Instant Pot model, altitude, and the size of the butternut squash cubes. You might find that you need to adjust the cooking time the second time around to get the perfect outcome in your environment.
Questions About the Recipe
What is the best cooking method for butternut squash?
The best cooking method depends on the final dish you aim to create. We like cooking in the Instant Pot when using it for soup, puree, or cubed. Roasting it offers a delicious caramelized flavor while steaming it preserves its natural flavor the best. Baked butternut squash is also an easy way to cook it.
Do you have to peel butternut squash before cooking?
Leaving the skin on the butternut squash makes it easy to scoop out the flesh once it’s cooked. But if you want to cube the squash once cooked, you can remove the skin first. In my opinion, it’s just as easy to cube the squash after cooking, if you leave the skin on.
What can I do with the butternut squash seeds?
Did you know that you can bake the seeds of a butternut squash just like you can a pumpkin’s seeds? Clean off the seeds and dry them. Toss them in a little melted butter or oil, salt and pepper and bake them at 325 degrees F for 15 minutes.
Other Butternut Squash Recipes to Try
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Instant Pot Butternut Squash
Note: Made in a 6-qt Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 1 butternut squash
- 1 cup (237 ml) water
Instructions
- Wash and scrub the exterior of the squash. With a sharp chef’s knife, cut the butternut squash in half. You can also remove the stem.
- Place the trivet in the Instant Pot inner pot. Pour in 1 cup of water. Set the butternut squash halves face up on the trivet.
- Lock the lid and set the vent to sealing. Press the pressure cook button and set the timer to 8 minutes if you plan to cube it or 11 minutes if you plan to mash it or use it for soup or a puree.
- When the time is up, do a quick pressure release.
Video
Notes
- Leaving the skin on the butternut squash makes it easy to scoop out the flesh once it’s cooked. But if you want to cube the squash once cooked, remove the skin first.
- If you’re cooking more than one squash at a time, you can cut the squash into fourths instead of half so the pieces fit easier into the pot.
- If you’re planning to cube the squash and eat it as a side dish, only cook it for 8 minutes, which will be a perfect tenderness for cubes.
- If you’re going to mash the squash or use it to make pureed butternut squash soup, you should cook it for 11 minutes, so the flesh is much softer.
Nutrition
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Laura is a passionate home cook and the owner of A Pressure Cooker Kitchen. She is dedicated to helping people create delicious Instant Pot meals with ease. Laura is an expert at developing recipes that can be prepared quickly and easily using a pressure cooker.
Excellent and simple! Thank you! I cranked out processing 4 squash in one evening!
That’s impressive!
Turned out great. Quick,easy.
Thanks for the feedback, Marge!