Instant Pot Acorn Squash

Why You’ll Love This Acorn Squash Recipe

This acorn squash recipe is an amazing fall/winter side dish and one of my must-have Thanksgiving sides. The butter and brown sugar topping pairs perfectly with the natural sweetness and nuttiness of the acorn squash. Delicious!

• Perfectly tender: Cooking in the Instant Pot results in tender and delicious acorn squash.
• Quick and easy: This recipe is super easy to prepare with a few simple ingredients and cooks in about half the time it would take in the oven.
• Versatile: Make the recipe as written with the delicious butter and brown sugar topping or add whatever flavors or toppings you love! You can also just cook it plain to use in other recipes.
• The perfect fall/winter side dish: It frees up the oven for main dishes that need to be baked or roasted and is a budget friendly ingredient during the fall and winter seasons.
• A must-have Thanksgiving side: This is definitely a must-have side dish on my Thanksgiving table. I like to mash it up and place in a serving dish but you can also serve the halves. It’s so cozy and comforting and pairs so well with roast turkey, gravy, cranberry sauce and all the other delicious Thanksgiving sides.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Just a few simple ingredients are needed to make this Instant Pot Acorn Squash recipe:

• Acorn squash: The star of the show! To choose a ripe acorn squash, look for one that is heavy for its size, has smooth dull skin and no soft spots. It should have a dark green color and the portion that had been in contact with the ground when growing should be a deep orange.
• Brown sugar: Any type of brown sugar works.
• Butter: Either salted or unsalted is fine.
• Salt: If using unsalted butter, add a pinch of salt.
• Cinnamon: This is optional but it pairs really nicely with the butter and brown sugar.

Detailed ingredient list and directions located in the recipe card below.

Special Equipment Needed

• Instant Pot: This should come as no surprise since this is an Instant Pot recipe! In order to make sure the squash will fit, use a 6-quart Instant Pot or larger. I use the 6-Quart Instant Pot Duo. You can also use a different electric pressure cooker brand too.
• Trivet: Your Instant Pot should have come with a metal trivet. You can also purchase the Instant Pot trivet separately as well or use a steamer basket.

How To Cook Acorn Squash In The Instant Pot

Let me show you how easy it is to make Instant Pot acorn squash!

Step 1: Prep squash

Wash the acorn squash and pat dry. Cut it in half from stem end to bottom with a very sharp knife. Use a spoon to scrape out the seeds and stringy bits. Tip: A melon baller works great for scraping out the stringy bits if you have one.

Note: For plain cooked acorn squash, just skip the butter and brown sugar topping in the next step and move on to Step 3.

Step 2: Add butter and brown sugar topping

Poke the acorn squash halves on the inside a few times with a fork. This is not necessary but will help the butter and brown sugar flavors absorb more easily into the flesh. Divide brown sugar, butter, cinnamon and salt between both halves of the acorn squash.

Step 3: Pressure cook

Pour 1 cup of water into the inner pot of the Instant Pot and set the metal trivet inside. Place the acorn squash halves on top of the trivet. Secure the lid and turn the valve to the “Sealing” position. Set to pressure cook on high pressure for 7 minutes. Once the cook time is over, let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes. Once the 10 minutes are up, carefully release any remaining pressure by turning the valve to the “Venting” position. Remove the lid and carefully remove the acorn squash halves.

Note: Check doneness by piercing the acorn squash with the tip of a knife. If it is not tender enough, pressure cook for 1-2 minutes more.

Step 4: Serve

You can simply serve the halves with a spoon or make a mash. To make a mash, scoop the cooked squash flesh out, mash up with a fork and adjust the flavors if you like by adding more brown sugar, butter, etc.

Prefer caramelized tops? To caramelize the tops of the acorn squash halves, pop them under the broiler in the oven for a few minutes. You could also use the air fryer lid if you have the Instant Pot Duo Crisp or a regular air fryer to brown the tops quickly.

How To Bake Or Roast Acorn Squash In Oven

No Instant Pot? No problem! This acorn squash recipe can also be made in the oven.

Preheat oven to 400F / 200C. Place the acorn squash halves, cut-side up in a baking dish or onto a rimmed baking sheet. Divide brown sugar, butter, cinnamon and salt between both halves of acorn squash. Bake for about 45-60 minutes or until tender when pierced with a fork or the tip of a knife.

Ways To Serve It

Cook it plain to use in other recipes or add the butter and brown sugar topping for a delicious and simple side dish. You can also add different flavors or toppings as well!

Serve the halves with a spoon or serve it mashed. To make a mash, simply scoop out the cooked flesh, mash it up with a fork and add more butter and brown sugar to taste if you like

Variations

• Add warming spices: The cinnamon is delicious but you could also add warming spices like nutmeg, allspice or pumpkin spice.
• Make it dairy free or vegan: Substitute the butter for vegan butter or coconut oil.
• Use a different sweetener: Substitute the brown sugar for honey or maple syrup.
• Add a touch of heat: A sprinkle of cayenne pepper is delicious.
• Make it savory: It doesn’t have to be sweet. Could also add savory toppings like garlic, thyme, rosemary, sage, parmesan, etc.
• Make it firmer: Like a firmer squash? Cook for less time!

A Few Questions Answered

More Instant Pot Recipes

Looking for more Instant Pot recipes? Here are a few that you might enjoy:

• Instant Pot Turkey Soup
• Instant Pot Vegetable Soup
• Salmon Risotto
• Instant Pot Chicken Bone Broth
• Instant Pot Beef Bone Broth

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