Instant Pot Butternut Squash Taco Mac
This healthy Instant Pot Butternut Squash Taco Mac is 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!
Servings: 5 servings
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.
Notes
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.