This healthy Instant Pot Butternut Squash Taco Mac is a super simple, quick, and delicious dinner that your whole family will love. Using butternut squash puree is a great way of sneaking veggies into a comfort meal!
Fall is here which means comfort food is on the menu at least once a week! But comfort food should not take all day to cook or leaving you feeling uncomfortable after the meal. Right?! Don’t worry, I got you! My kiddos love anything that consist of pasta and cheese- mac and cheese, fettuccine alfredo, chili mac… you name it, they probably love it. I received a butternut squash from our local farm last month and it reminded me of a dish I use to make when my kiddos were younger. It was like a homemade Hamburger Helper type meal, but you incorporate butternut squash puree into the cheese sauce. They loved it!
I knew I wanted to recreate this meal but make it healthier and quicker! This Butternut Squash Taco Mac is made in the instant pot! If you don’t know by now, once school and fall sports are back in full swing , it is my most used kitchen appliance. I love the semi-hands off approach of the Instant Pot (no need to stand over the pot to stir while the pasta is simmer in the sauce).
Using butternut squash helps you maintain that creaminess that you love, while cutting back on the amount of cheese used. Plus, you get to sneak in extra servings of vegetables. Your family will have no clue that there is a good amount of butternut squash in their bowl! They will gobble it up and ask for more 🙂
Tidbits
Butternut Squash Puree– I use homemade butternut squash puree for this recipe. It is really simple to make if you have the extra time on your hand. I split the squash in half-length wise, remove the seeds, and place it cut side down on a baking sheet and bake it at 400F for 35-40 minutes. Scoop out the flesh and place it a food processor with 4-6 tablespoons of water or broth (I use about 2 tablespoons per each half of the squash). Pulse until smooth.
If you are short on time use the store bought version. Keep in mind that the consistency may be different than making it at home. If your puree seems to be a bit on the runny side, you can cut down on the amount of additional liquid by ¼ cup.
Make it Vegetarian- Sub out the ground beef for two 15 oz cans of black beans, drained. Add it to the pot along with the butternut squash puree.
Cheese- I recommend using freshly shredded/grated cheese. The bagged pre-shredded cheese is coated with anti-mold agents and/or anti-clumping powders. Those ingredients prevent the cheese from melting completely and smoothly. Plus it is more cost effective!
Instant Pot Butternut Squash Taco Mac
Equipment
- pressure cooker
Ingredients
- ½ tablespoon avocado oil
- 1 cup onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons cumin
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- 15 oz can diced tomatoes with green chilies
- 1 ½ cups butternut squash puree
- 2 cups whole wheat elbow pasta uncooked
- 1 ½ cups broth chicken or vegetable or water
- ½ cup sharp cheddar freshly grated*, plus more for topping
Instructions
- Press the sauté button on the Instant Pot. Add the oil, once the oil is heated add the onion and garlic. Sauté until the onions are soft and translucent, about 3 minutes.
- Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up into smaller pieces. Cook for about 3 minutes.
- Add the chili, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, salt, and pepper. Mix well while continue to break the beef into smaller pieces, about 2 more minutes. The beef does not need to be cooked all the way as it will continue to cook under pressure. Press the “Cancel/Keep Warm Button”.
- Add the pasta, diced tomatoes with green chili, broth, and butternut squash. Stir to combine, try to cover the pasta with the liquid.
- Cover and cook on high pressure “Manual” for 4 minutes.
- Quick release, so the pasta does not continue to cook. Add ½ cup of sharp cheddar and stir until the cheese has melted. Top with additional cheddar, if desired.