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    Instant Pot Butternut Squash Pasta

    Oct 20, 2020 / by Laney Schwartz / 19 Comments(updated Dec 6, 2021)
    ★★★★★ from 6 reviews

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

    This is a comforting pasta dish that can be made in your Instant Pot! It’s a creamy Butternut Squash Pasta made with in-season veggies and coconut milk.

    Instant Pot Butternut Squash Pasta

    Pasta in the Instant Pot? I’m there! This is the same process as my Easy Instant Pot Pasta but with some really excellent new flavors added in to make an Instant Pot Butternut Squash Pasta. Maybe my favorite addition is coconut milk! It gives this pasta a really creamy, luxurious texture with a mild flavor, so you don’t even taste coconut in your pasta! Butternut squash adds a sweetness to this otherwise savory dish that just makes it feel complete. Are you hungry yet? I totally am!

    Instant Pot Butternut Squash Pasta

    Making Pasta in the Instant Pot

    I find that a lot of people don’t know you can make pasta in your Instant Pot. You totally can! Game changer? For sure. The only trick to it is putting the tomato sauce on the top and center of the pasta and DO NOT STIR. If you stir it, the acidity in the tomatoes will set off the burn notification on the Instant Pot. Leave the sauce on the tippy top and you’re ready to go!

    Instant Pot Butternut Squash Pasta

    Kale & Butternut Squash Pasta

    While the pasta cooks I like to prepare the kale for mixing in. So many people think they don’t like kale, but I really think the secret is in the prep! If you give your leaves a good, thorough massage it breaks down the bitterness that’s usually associated with kale. Squeeze fresh lemon juice and add a sprinkle of salt over clean, stemmed kale and massage it until it turns a bright green color and softens.

    Instant Pot Butternut Squash Pasta

    More Tasty Pasta Dishes

    • Broccoli Pasta
    • Classic Three Cheese Macaroni & Cheese
    • Baked Chicken Parmesan Meatballs
    • Fresh Tomato Basil Garlic Pasta
    • Parmesan Chicken Baked Ziti

    Food photography by Ashley Cuoco

    Print
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    Butternut Squash Pasta

    Butternut Squash Pasta

    ★★★★★ 5 from 6 reviews
    • Author: Life is but a Dish
    Print Recipe
    Pin Recipe

    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
    • 1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced into ½ inch pieces
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon pepper
    • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
    • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
    • 12 ounces dried short pasta (I used Jovial Gluten Free but any pasta will work)
    • 1 can full fat coconut milk
    • ¼ cup water
    • 1 ½ cups marinara sauce (I used Rao’s)
    • 1 bunch lacinato kale, de stemmed and roughly chopped
    • ½ lemon
    • ¼ – ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

    Instructions

    1. Preheat the Instant Pot on the sauté function. Add the oil, onion, squash, 1 teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, ½ teaspoon garlic powder and ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
    2. Press cancel to turn off heat. Add the pasta and stir. Add the coconut milk and water and stir until well combined. 
    3. Pour the marinara sauce on top of the pasta in the center but DO NOT STIR. Cover and lock lid, make sure the vent is on sealing and cook on high pressure for half the amount of time the pasta box says. (If the box says to cook for 12 minutes, then cook on high pressure for 6 minutes.) Once it’s done you can always add 1-2 more minutes if it’s not cooked to your liking. 
    4. While the pasta cooks, prep the kale. Squeeze half a lemon over the kale and sprinkle a pinch of salt. Using clean hands, massage the kale for a minute until it turns bright green and begins to soften. 
    5. Manually release the vent and open the lid. Stir in the kale. Add as much parmesan cheese as you like and serve!

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @lifeisbutadish on Instagram and hashtag it #lifeisbutadish

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    Filed Under: Dinner, Gluten Free, Instant Pot & Slow Cooker, Pasta, Quick & Easy, Vegetarian

    Reader Interactions

      Leave a comment & rate this recipe Cancel reply

      If you love this recipe, please consider giving it a star rating when you post a comment. Star ratings help people discover my recipes online. Your support means the world and is greatly appreciated!

      xo, Laney

      Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

      Comments

    1. Susan Reardon

      December 28, 2021 at 3:52 pm

      This was so flavorful and delicious and EASY!! (Especially if you use pre-cubed butternut squash) This may be the best instant pot recipe I’ve tried.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Laney Schwartz

        December 30, 2021 at 6:01 pm

        What a review!!! So glad you loved it

    2. Allison

      October 21, 2021 at 8:58 am

      Can I use frozen butternut squash?

      Reply
      • Laney Schwartz

        October 22, 2021 at 2:46 pm

        I haven’t tested it but I think it would work

    3. Amy

      October 06, 2021 at 5:07 am

      What could I substitute for coconut milk?

      Reply
      • Laney Schwartz

        October 11, 2021 at 3:29 pm

        You can use any dairy free milk!

    4. Kelly Dietz

      June 10, 2021 at 9:17 pm

      Vegan home cook here! This is AMAZING!!! Thank you so much for creating this! This is definitely on weekly rotation at our house! Also a wonderful meal on vacation, to bring to a friend, or anytime…. Did I say this was AMAZING!!!

      P.S. I leave out the cheese and it’s still AMAZING!!!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    5. Kelly Dietz

      June 10, 2021 at 9:14 pm

      Vegan home cook here! This is AMAZING!!! Thank you so much for creating this! This is definitely on weekly rotation at our house! Also a wonderful meal on vacation, to bring to a friend, or anytime…. Did I say this was AMAZING!!!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    6. Melissa

      November 29, 2020 at 8:50 am

      I don’t have an instant pot, but want to try this recipe. Wpuld I just sauté the veggies to soften, then add the coconut milk and Raos (my favorite tomato sauce too!!) and simmer everything together while the pasta cooks? And then once the pasta is done cooking mix it all together with the kale?? It looks delicious and hoping it turns out well without an instant pot!!

      Reply
      • Life is but a Dish

        November 30, 2020 at 3:05 pm

        Yes that should work!

    7. Jen

      November 18, 2020 at 5:06 pm

      I made this dish this evening. It was a big hit for my family. I loved that my kids actually ate the Kale and Butternut Squash. It was absolutely delish! Thank you Laney for this awesome recipe.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    8. Cortney

      November 02, 2020 at 8:29 am

      Hoping to make this pasta for dinner this week. Can you tell me about how many cups of squash this would use. I only have a large one.

      Reply
      • Life is but a Dish

        November 02, 2020 at 2:57 pm

        You can use about half – 3/4 of it. I would say about 3-4 cups

    9. Cortney

      November 01, 2020 at 11:10 am

      About how many cup of squash cubed would this be?

      Reply
      • Life is but a Dish

        November 02, 2020 at 2:58 pm

        About 3ish

    10. Dustin

      October 25, 2020 at 7:24 pm

      I LOVE trying out new recipes in my Instant Pot, and this looks so delicious, quick and easy! My family would love it

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Life is but a Dish

        November 02, 2020 at 3:02 pm

        I hope you love it!

    11. Rachel

      October 22, 2020 at 7:01 am

      WOW WOW WOW this is a keeper. I don’t have an Instant Pot, but I used my Ninja Foodi Cooker and it worked perfectly! I also added some pancetta so I sautéed that first and then added the onions, squash, etc. YUM can’t wait to have the leftovers for lunch today!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Life is but a Dish

        November 02, 2020 at 3:04 pm

        Oh wow sounds amazing!! Thanks for the awesome review!

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