Add Trivet Water And Squash Into Instant Pot
The water;is what allows the Instant Pot;to pressure cook the squash so it comes out tender! Adding the trivet simply keeps the squash out of the water and therefore;from getting soggy. Place the deseeded squash in next. The size is completely up to you, as long as you choose one that will fit into your pot! If youre having a bit of trouble fitting it in, cut a little bit off the top of each squash half until you can comfortably close the lid. The size you can get away with will largely vary depending on the shape of the squash and how big your IP model is.
Instant Pot Butternut Squash Whole
Whenever there is a discussion on Facebook about what foods cook much faster in the instant pot compared to regular cooking methods, whole instant pot butternut squash is always mentioned.
The fact that you can trim down the cook time from 1 hour 15 minutes in the oven to 15 minutes is truly amazing. ;
But thats not what I love most about whole butternut squash. It is the little prep.
Who wants to peel and dice butternut squash and remove all the seeds so that they can have some steamed butternut squash on their dinner plate?
Of course, we do this ourselves sometimes, but overall, the instant pot is there to bring us fast food.
If you have not yet tried instant pot butternut squash whole method. Then I urge you to give it a go and see what you think.
Can I Eat Butternut Squash Seeds
Yes, you can eat butternut squash seeds. All you have to do is dig them out of the butternut squash seeds and place them in a sieve. Rinse them with water and place them on a towel to dry.
Place them on a baking sheet, sprinkle with olive oil, salt, and pepper and Bake for 15-20 minutes at 350ºF or until they are golden brown.
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How To Cook Butternut Squash In An Instant Pot
Instant Pot butternut squash is among the quickest recipes that you can do with this delectable winter squash. The cookers high pressure can soften up the squashs tough flesh in as little as 20 minutes.
You can make Instant Pot butternut squash as a simple side dish for your salads. But you can also seamlessly incorporate it into grander recipes such as butternut squash enchilada or butternut squash casserole.
Heres everything you need to know.
Instant Pot butternut squash is a quick, easy recipe to try at home.
Tools For Instant Pot Acorn Squash
First, rinse and pat dry the acorn squash.
Then, with a very sharp knife cut the acorn squash in half.
*Pro Tip: Acorn squashs skin is a bit hard to cut in at first, so be careful! If necessary, you can stabilize the acorn squash by forming a ring with a kitchen towel at the bottom.
Finally, with a spoon, scrape out seeds and stringy bits in the acorn squash.
*Pro Tip: You can save the acorn squash seeds for later if you want to roast them in the oven.
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How Long To Cook Butternut Squash
There are two fool-proof ways to cook a butternut squash in the Instant Pot. You can cut it in half first, or cut it into smaller, 1-inch cubes.
Here are the cooking times:
- Butternut squash halves: 25 minutes
- Butternut squash cubes: 8 minutes
Keep in mind that it can also take up to 10 minutes for the pot to pressurize, so be sure to add another 10 minutes to either of the times above to get a clear picture of the total cooking time.
The cubes are still faster than roasting the squash in an oven, and theres no risk of burning it if you get distracted.
How To Cut Butternut Squash
The hardest part about making butternut squash is cutting the squash. It can be a workout!
The easiest way to cut the squash is to cut in half lengthwise and then cut each of those into half widthwise.
Scoop out the seeds in the center cavity of the squash and then cut those halves in half again–leaving you with a total of 6 sections that are similar in size.
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How To Serve Cooked Butternut Squash
Its easy to love butternut squash. Incredibly healthy, butternut squash is fat-free, full of fiber, and jam-packed with Vitamin A. There are a million ways to dish it up.;
Unless you are watching your sodium intake, I highly recommend a nice sprinkle of salt. A little salt helps bring out the natural sweetness, amplifying the flavors. Serve it as a healthy side dish or use it with other awesome recipes.
If youre looking to add a little extra flavor without a whole lot of fuss, try:
- Drizzle with maple syrup, melted butter, and ground cinnamon
- Mash with sweet potatoes, tahini, and lemon juice
- Puree with a little coconut milk, chicken stock, or vegetable broth for a luscious, healthy, creamy Instant Pot butternut squash soup
- Sneak into oatmeal, sauces, or smoothies
Or, enjoy it plain, by the spoonful.
Easy Air Fryer Butternut Squash Recipe
Looking for an easy side dish for fall? My family loves all the varieties of squash you can get now that its squash season!;Delicata, kabocha, spaghetti squash and of course butternut squash.
We make butternut squash at our home weekly and besides just having roasted butternut squash made in the oven, we love all the different ways you can cook it.
Sometimes well toss a whole butternut squash in the slow cooker or instant pot when we dont feel like cutting it. But did you know you can air fry butternut squash? Making butternut squash in the air fryer is;the best and our new favorite way! It comes out tender, crispy and perfectly caramelized!
All you really need is just butternut squash, oil and salt and pepper and you have yourself a simple and delicious and healthy side dish the whole family will love!
Quick and simple enough for busy weeknights and you can easily double up the recipe if you plan on serving it at Thanksgiving or any holiday dinner. Plus you can serve it with any mains or add it to harvest salads or cozy and comforting autumn soups.
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Butternut Squash Is Nutritious
Cooking A Whole Butternut Squash In The Instant Pot
Butternut squash are known for their difficulty to chop and peel. In fact, one of our contributing writers often enlists the help of a rubber mallet when trying to cut one.
For that reason, if you can find a butternut squash that will fit in your Instant Pot, this may actually be the best way to cook this hard to chop veggie!
By increasing the time under pressure, you can thoroughly cook the squash to be used as a puree. Just use the manual button to set the Instant Pot to high pressure for 30 minutes.
Or if you would rather cube the squash to roast it later or use it in other recipes in its still solid form, you can cook it just long enough to make the chopping and peeling WAY easier to do.;
I love this genius hack manual setting, high pressure, 8 minutes, and voila butternut squash that doesnt require garage tools to chop.
RELATED: Use butternut squash in this nutritious squash milk for kids and butternut squash gluten-free biscuits
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How To Cook Butternut Squash In A Slow Cooker
Ive already done a post on how to cook butternut squash in the slow cooker so check that out if youre looking to cook it slowly while youre off taking care of other business! This method is great for mashes and soup recipes. It would be a great way to cook the squash if you were planning to make this butternut squash mash with smoked paprika.
You can also use the slow cooker for some complete recipes that include squash, like this slow cooker creamy chicken soup with quinoa and squash, or these slow cooker Moroccan chicken thighs.;
Instant Pot Butternut Squash Paleo
Our love for butternut squash halves started when we first found the paleo diet back in early 2015. Back then we were carb lovers and were looking for a low carb version of a lot of our favourite meals.
Instead of baked potatoes we made butternut squash halves. Then loaded the butternut squash with bolognese and had it for lunch. Perfect for the two of us and a butternut squash half each.
If you follow paleo or another low carb diet, then instant pot butternut squash is ideal for you.
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Shaved Brussels Sprouts How
For this recipe, you dont want chunks of the fall classic, Brussels sprouts. You want them shaved. Think of it almost like a slaw that you cook down.
I have the Breville sous chef food processor, and it has a blade attachment to do this. If you dont have a food processor, have no fear, you can cut them thin with a very sharp knife .
Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup Recipe
Butternut squash soup is a favorite part of fall, like cozy slippers, fluffy throws, scented candles, and warm spiced apple cider. It is comfort food at its finest, creamy, and the most delightful marriage of flavors! Great news! An instant pot makes butternut squash soup easy and quick enough to be a weeknight meal!
Butternut squash has a bowling pin shape, and it grows on a vine. The wide portion is the blossom end and where the seeds are stored.
The outer skin is yellowish tan, but inside, the flesh is orange in color. It has a sweet, nutty taste. As it ripens, the flesh darkens to a deeper shade of orange and becomes even sweeter. It is a good source of;fiber,;vitamins C and A,;magnesium, and;potassium.
The skin of butternut squash is notoriously tough, so you will need a sturdy cutting board and a sharp knife to cut it into cubes for this soup. You can soften the squash a little by piercing it with a fork or knife tip in several places and cooking it for two minutes or so in the microwave oven, but this step is optional.
Begin by cutting off both ends of one medium-sized butternut squash, then cut the squash in half at about the waist. Its much easier to peel in two smaller sections. Use a knife or a vegetable peeler to remove the tough skin. You may find it easier to do with a wide straight vegetable peeler than a swively peeler like you use for potatoes or carrots. Look in the kitchen section of your favorite retailer or find one online.
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A Pressure Cooker Makes Quick Work Of Butternut Squash Risotto
One of the things that has most amazed me since I joined Serious Eats and started digging deep into recipes and techniques is how frequently a cooking method that works perfectly in one application can fail so miserably in another. Take this pressure-cooked butternut squash risotto as a prime example.
Earlier this year, I did some tests on pressure-cooked grains, and found that in most cases, the pressure cooker didn’t cut down drastically on cooking time, nor did it significantly improve the taste or texture of the cooked grains.
Meanwhile, I’ve had some success in the past with using a pressure cooker and baking soda to rapidly brown vegetables. It’s a trick that I first saw published in the Modernist Cuisine cookbooks. In the book, they use the baking soda to increase the alkalinity of carrots, then cook them in a pressure cooker before turning them into a rich soupthe combination of high pH and high heat greatly speeds up the Maillard reactions that are responsible for much of the good flavor of deeply browned foods. Kenji has also used the technique with success in his French onion dip recipe.
Actually, I take that back. I do want to get started on the baking soda. Here goes:
How To Store And Freeze Cooked Butternut Squash
Store cooked squash in an airtight container in the fridge, or a zip-top bag or other airtight container in the freezer. If you want to freeze cooked butternut squash cubes, place them on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and freeze until solid before moving them to a freezer bag or container. This will prevent them from sticking to each other.;
How long does butternut squash last?
Cooked butternut squash will keep for 3-4 days in the fridge in a covered container, or 3-4 months in the freezer. Uncooked, uncut squash will keep for 3-4 months in a cool, dry place. Discard if it becomes soft, squishy, or moldy.
PS: If youre still here at the bottom of this post, I am impressed! You must love squash as much as I do. Make sure to check out our ultimate guide to winter squash, plus over 17 great recipes using winter squash.
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @rachelcooksblog on , , or !
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How To Roast Butternut Squash Cubes
The best way to roast butternut squash cubes is with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper. Of course, you can add any seasonings you like. Roasted butternut squash cubes are a fantastic side dish to any meal, but are also perfect on salads. They are tasty on a vegetarian taco or this fall-inspired flatbread. Roasting the squash brings out the flavor, so you can also use this method of cooking squash if youre making squash soup. Its an extra step, but its often worth it; its amazing in this roasted butternut squash soup.
Can I Freeze A Whole Butternut Squash
You should not freeze a whole butternut squash. Actually, it is best to cut the ends, and then slice it into circles about a quarter of an inch thick.;
However, you should also blanch it first by boiling it for one minute. Then drain and put into freezer bags. Hence, blanching before freezing will kill the enzyme that preserves the veggie.;
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How To Use Instant Pot Butternut Squash
Once your butternut squash is cooked and ready to DEVOUR, there are so many ways you can use it! Puree it into soups or chop it up and throw it into a balsamic butternut squash with bacon. You could even sub it for acorn squash and toss it into a roasted acorn squash salad for a tasty side or even a full meal!
Instant Pot Butternut Squash Cubed Or Halved
Whats even better is that we are going to offer you three different ways to make this super easy recipe. With option one, all you need is the squash and water. This option only takes three minutes too!;
Option two is just as quick but you need the oil to brown the squash first. And option three is even easier because all you have to do is halve the squash instead of cutting it into cubes. But it does take a few more minutes.
Whether you make this delicious dish using options one, two, or three, it only takes a few minutes and a couple of ingredients. As long as you have butternut squash and oil along with your instant pot, you can have this healthy and decadent dish as a side or an entrée in less than 10 minutes. This will end up being one of your favorite side dishes.;
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How To Cook Butternut Squash In The Instant Pot
Youll want a small to medium butternut squash that can fit in your Instant Pot. When I was taking photos for this post, my butternut squash ended up being a little too big, so I just cut the top and bottom off so it would fit.
Use your trivet and pour 1 cup of water into the Instant Pot. Place the whole butternut squash in the Instant Pot.
Cook the butternut squash on high pressure for 25 minutes. Use the quick release function and carefully remove the squash.
Then something magical happens. Theres no need to peel your butternut squash as the skin basically pulls right off. Yes, the butternut squash looks a little strange, but it could not be easier to remove that skin!
Now you just need to cut it in half. Yes, my arm looks awkward here because its not easy to handle a knife and a camera at the same time.
Once you cut the butternut squash in half, just scoop out those seeds.
Now you have a cooked butternut squash that you can do a number of things with! You can cut it into cubes and drizzle with olive oil for a simple side dish. Or you can turn it into a decadent and crowd-pleasing butternut squash purée.;
When you learn how to make butternut squash in the Instant Pot, you can use it for a number of different recipes that need cooked squash. Here are some of my favorite recipes that need cooked butternut squash:
- Cook Time:25 minutes
- Total Time:27 minutes
- Yield:1 cooked squash 1x
