I’ve been looking for new recipes besides the “meat and potatoes” that we seem to keep having. I read about an Easy Instant Pot Stuffed Acorn Squash Recipe and decided to try something for myself. We are big squash fans in my house, so this seemed like a must. Plus, with the easy instant pot stuffed acorn squash recipe, you can have everything done in about 30 minutes if you know me; the more accessible, the better. I don’t love spending hours in the kitchen, so this is a great weeknight recipe.
I was never a big acorn squash fan until my dad continued to eat it. At my house, we alternate between acorn squash and spaghetti squash recipes. I like the sweetness of the acorn squash.
Why make this easy instant pot stuffed acorn squash recipe?
- Do you want a recipe that is relatively customizable
- Do you want an easy dinner idea
- Do you want an easy instant pot dinner that seems fancier than it is?
- Are you tired of the regular meat and potatoes?
Except for the quinoa, you can make this entire easy instant pot stuffed acorn squash recipe in the instant pot. You could make the quinoa in the instant pot as well to save on dishes. I wanted to save on time, so cooked in a small pot.
How to cook the Acorn Squash faster:
- Poke holes in sides and cook in microwave for 2-3 minutes.
- While you can cook acorn squash in the oven, it just takes longer. You go from a 20-minute cooking process to over an hour. I’ve used this recipe to cook acorn squash in the oven, and it tastes great.
How to cook Instant Pot acorn squash:
Your sliced acorn squash can go right into the Instant Pot. What would take nearly an hour in the oven will only take a few minutes!
What can you use in place of quinoa?
In this easy instant pot stuffed acorn squash recipe, you can use many different things in place of quinoa:
- rice
- couscous
- chickpeas
- cauliflower
I’ve already done both rice and couscous and enjoyed both variations.
What can you use in place of turkey sausage in this easy instant pot stuffed acorn squash recipe?
- Beyond meat or any vegetarian meat
- Regular sausage
- ground meat such as beef, pork, or chicken
What can you use in place of the acorn squash?
Really any other winter squash can be cooked and stuffed. Next up for me will be butternut squash, as I think that will come out well. A smaller spaghetti squash would be another great option.
Do you really need the pecans?
No, but they give the stuffed corn squash recipe a nice crunch. I really enjoyed the texture they added.
So with that, the easy instant pot stuffed acorn squash recipe:
Instant Pot Stuffed Acorn Squash Recipe
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 2 Acorn Squash
- 1 cup Vegetable stock
Acorn Squash Stuffing
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup quinoa
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 1 sliced white onion
- 1 red onion diced
- 1/2 cup sliced pecans
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare 1 cup cooked quinoa.
- Slice acorn squash in half and scoop out seeds. Place trivet on the bottom of Instant Pot and add vegetable stock. Then add acorn squash.
- Set the pressure cook button to high for 5 minutes. It will take 10 minutes to come to get to the setting. Expect in total the process to take 20 minutes.
- Do a quick release and remove acorn squash.
Acorn Squash Stuffing:
- Add olive oil to Instant Pot and set to saute. Next, add ground meat. Saute for about 4 minutes until meat is brown. Then add red pepper, salt and pepper, and sautee for another 4 minutes.
- After everything is cooked, add ground meat, vegetables, and quinoa together in a small bowl. Next, add chopped pecans. Mix together and add to acorn squash.
Conclusion:
I’ll probably substitute with other winter squash as well as make a version with sweet potatoes. I do like how easy and customizable the recipe is. I do also appreciate the extra crunch that pecans add.
You can see all recipes here.
Questions for you:
What is your favorite squash?
What is your favorite instant pot recipe?