This Stuffed Instant Pot Acorn Squash recipe is filled with a mixture of ingredients and is packed with flavor. The squash is cooked to perfection in the Instant Pot, resulting in tender, buttery flesh that melts in your mouth.
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Why This Recipe Works
- Effortless Preparation: The Instant Pot simplifies the cooking process of acorn squash.
- Sweet and Savory: This recipe balances natural sweetness with savory herbs and spices.
- Healthy Choice: Acorn squash is packed with nutrients, making it a guilt-free meal.
If you love this recipe be sure to read How To Cut And Cook Spaghetti Squash.
📋 Ingredients
- Acorn Squash: The star of the dish, it provides a sweet and nutty flavor with a tender, creamy texture.
- Brown Sugar: Adds a caramel-like sweetness and helps to enhance the natural flavors of the squash.
- Unsalted Butter: Provides richness and a velvety smoothness to the dish, complementing the sweetness of the squash.
- Dates: Bring a natural sweetness and a chewy texture to the dish, adding a delightful contrast to the squash.
- Pecans: Add a crunchy texture and a nutty flavor that pairs perfectly with the sweetness of the squash and dates.
For the complete list of ingredients with measurements and instructions, please see the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
🔀 Substitutions & Variations
- This stuffed acorn squash is made with brown, sugar, dates, and pecans, and we all know how delicious they are. It is a sweet acorn squash recipe an can be used as a dessert or side dish. If you wish to have a savory Acorn squash skip the sugar dates and pecans and add salt and pepper instead.
- Butter: You can drizzle olive oil on your cooked Instant Pot acorn squash instead of using butter.
- Winter Squash Varieties: Acorn squash can easily be substituted in recipes calling for other winter squashes, such as butternut squash or delicata squash. It can also be substituted for pumpkin in certain dishes, like soups and pies.
🔪How To Cook Instant Pot Acorn Squash
- Step 1: Cut the whole squash in half. Scoop out the seeds and place them into an Instant Pot-safe baking pan or steamer basket.
- Step 2: Mix brown sugar, dates, and pecans in a medium-size bowl. Divide the mixture into the two acorn squash halves.
- Step 3: Pour one cup of water into the inner pot and then place the steamer basket or baking pan into the Instant Pot.
- Step 4: Cut the butter into small pieces and add the butter on top of the acorn squash filling. Pressure cook for 5 minutes. Allow for a natural pressure release for an additional 5 minutes. Carefully remove squash halves and garnish with additional pecans.
👩🍳 Expert Tips
First, cut off the stem end of the squash and then slice it in half from top to bottom. Scoop out the seeds with a spoon before cooking in the oven or pressure cooker.
💭 FAQs
Acorn squash is small and shaped kind of like an acorn. Acorn squash has a smooth, sweet, and nutty flavor, but can be stringy sometimes. Acorn squash is also known as Pepper squash or Des Moines squash. Acorn squash is ripe when it has a deep, solid color and the skin can’t be easily pierced with your fingernail. Pick acorn squash before the first fall frost. The skin should be hard and the stem should not easily break off.
Pressure-cooked acorn squash is sweet and nutty similar to butternut squash.
Cooking Instant Pot acorn squash is one of the easiest ways to prepare it. It cooks quickly under high pressure and is ready to serve in just over ten minutes. It’s faster than roast acorn squash but tastes just as good.
This recipe takes 5 minutes on high pressure in the Instant Pot. It takes 7 minutes to come to pressure, 5 minutes of pressure cooking time, and 5 minutes of natural pressure release time.
Store uncooked squash in a cool, dry place for up to a month. Storing a whole acorn squash in the fridge will cause it to become soft and decrease its shelf life. Freeze uncooked acorn squash half pieces in the freezer for 2-3 months.
You can eat the skin of acorn squash as long as it is cooked. The skin becomes softer and more edible when cooked. Acorn squash seeds are edible and can be roasted like pumpkin seeds. They make a tasty snack when sprinkled with salt and spices.
To store your cooked acorn squash in the fridge, let it cool completely first. Then, place it in an airtight container and store for 4-5 days. Let it cool completely and then place in a freezer-safe container or bag. Frozen acorn squash can last for 2-3 months.
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Serving Suggestions
These are my favorite side dishes to serve with Acorn Squash:
- Serve this Instant Pot Buttery Acorn Squash as a tasty side dish or dessert for any occasion. The flavors come together so well in this pressure cooker recipe that is sure to impress any dinner guest.
- For added flavor, top the stuffed squash with melted cheese before serving. And don't forget the maple syrup drizzle for some extra sweetness.
- Instant Pot acorn squash goes great with Roasted Chicken or Turkey Breast, wild rice, Quinoa Salad and Green Beans for a well-rounded meal.
- Instant Pot Acorn Squash can also be served as a sweet side dish alongside Pork Chops or Steak.
- If serving as a dessert, try it with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. Grab the ice cream scoop and maple syrup and enjoy this as a treat.
Instant Pot Acorn Squash
Ingredients
- 1 Acorn Squash halved
- ½ cup Brown Sugar
- ¼ cup Butter unsalted
- ½ cup Dates chopped
- ½ cup Pecans chopped
Instructions
- Add 1 cup of water to the inner pot of the Instant Pot. Cut acorn squash in half and scoop out seeds. Put the acorn squash into an Instant Pot safe baking pan.
- Mix brown sugar, dates, and pecans in a bowl. Divide the mixture between each acorn squash half. Then cut butter into small pieces and put over the top of the filling.
- Close lid and set for a manual high-pressure cooking time of 5 minutes. Allow for a natural pressure release for an additional 5 minutes when the cooking time has finished. Vent any remaining pressure.
- Cut each squash half into 2 pieces. Serve and enjoy.
Notes
Nutrition
Super Easy Instant Pot Recipes To Try
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