How Do You Steam Butternut Squash in the Instant Pot?
The Instant Pot cooks with steam pressure, so you’ll need to start by pouring a cup of water into the bottom of the stainless steel pot. The water will heat up during the cooking cycle, to create the steam pressure that seals the pot. Place a trivet or steamer basket in the bottom of the pot, to help keep the squash lifted out of the water. Then add the squash on top of that! It really couldn’t be easier.
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. (Be sure to save the seeds! Roasted squash seeds are a delicious snack.) Here are the cooking times:
Butternut squash halves: 25 minutes (+ 10 minute natural release) Butternut squash cubes: 8 minutes (+ quick release)
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 there’s no risk of burning it if you get distracted.
Are you supposed to peel butternut squash before cooking?
You do not have to peel a butternut squash before cooking it. If you don’t want to peel the squash first, cutting it in half will save you that step. Just cut it in half and scoop out the seeds!
When the squash is cooked, you can scoop the tender insides out with a spoon.
Can you cook a whole butternut squash in the Instant Pot?
Technically, yes, you can cook a whole butternut squash in the Instant Pot (without cutting into it), but it will take a LOT longer than you might expect. Because this variety of squash has a thick “neck” (the area that is dense with no seeds), it can be very difficult to cook that area evenly, all the way through.
I tried several times to cook a whole butternut squash, without cutting it in half first, and even after 50 minutes of pressure cooking, the dense “neck” of the squash still wasn’t cooked all the way through. My guess is that it will take over an hour to get that part of the squash totally tender. Especially considering the fact that a whole butternut squash takes up to 90 minutes to cook in the oven. By comparison, you can cook a whole pumpkin in only half that time, due to the difference in density. Since you can cook a squash that’s cut in half in only 25 minutes of pressure cooking time, I think it’s worth the effort to cut the squash first. Tip: If you find it challenging to cut the squash in half lengthwise, try cutting it in half cross-wise first. Then, you can cut the stem off the top, and set “neck” of the squash down flat on a cutting board.
It will be much easier to slice through the middle of the squash this way, and then you can cook the squash in 4 pieces for the 25 minute cooking time.
How to Use Cooked Butternut Squash
Now that you have cooked butternut squash on your hands, you can use it in several different ways. Butternut squash puree can be used as an alternative for pumpkin in nearly any pumpkin recipe. Below you’ll find some ideas to use it up!
Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta (my favorite) Easy Butternut Squash Soup Instant Pot Curried Butternut Squash Soup Flourless Pumpkin Bars Tuscan Pumpkin Pasta Sauce Paleo Pumpkin Muffins Creamy Pumpkin Tomato Soup Fall Mason Jar Salads
I can’t wait to hear what you try!
Need more Instant Pot tutorials?
Browse my collection of Instant Pot recipes, or check out my best-selling book, The Fresh & Healthy Instant Pot Cookbook, for step-by-step directions and photos for every single recipe. If you try this Instant Pot Butternut Squash tutorial, please leave a comment below letting me know how it works out for you. And if you make any modifications, I’d love to hear about those, too! We can all benefit from your experience. – Reader Feedback: What’s your favorite way to use butternut squash?
