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+ servings
whole pumpkins
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5 from 19 votes

Instant Pot Pumpkin

Easily cook a pumpkin in your Instant Pot in only 20 minutes. There is no prep work- no chopping or peeling the pumpkin beforehand! Simply add the whole pumpkin to your pressure cooker and let it cook away! An Instant Pot Pumpkin can be eaten mashed or cubed, used in other recipes, or turned into homemade puree.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian
Keyword: homemade pumpkin recipes, instant pot pumpkin
Servings: 5
Calories: 59kcal
Author: Kristina Tipps

Ingredients

  • 2.5 lb pie pumpkin see notes on pumpkin size
  • water see notes for correct amount

Instructions

  • Wash your pumpkin, scrubbing away any dirt. Add water to the inner pot and place the trivet or steamer basket inside. Put the washed pumpkin on the trivet or in the basket.
  • Close the lid, seal, and set to pressure cook on high for 20 minutes (*see notes). When done complete a controlled quick release by lightly pressing on the pressure releasing valve until all steam has been released.
  • Remove the pumpkin to a chopping board and let cool. Cut in half and scoop out the fibers and seeds. Discard fibers and reserve seeds for later use if desired.
  • Peel the skin off using your hands or tongs. Use a knife to cut away any skin that remains. Discard skin or reserve for cooking later.
  • Cut into cubes, mash, or puree (see post for full suggestions).

Notes

Timing: a whole pumpkin pressure cooks for about 8 minutes per pound. Weigh your pumpkin with a kitchen scale and adjust the 20 minute cook time if needed.
Yield: You will get approximately 1 cup of cooked pumpkin per pound. So for a 2.5 lb pumpkin, this recipe created 2.5 cups of cooked pumpkin puree. Other squash and pumpkin varieties will yield different amounts.
Storing: If not serving immediately, store in the fridge for up to 7 days in an airtight container or freeze in plastic freezer bags for up to 6 months.
Tip 1: The stem easily comes off once the pumpkin is cooked, so don't worry about removing it beforehand. If it's too tall for the lid to close, tilt the pumpkin on it's side or cut the stem off.
Tip 2: Because the pumpkin will be soft after pressure cooking, a steamer basket makes removal from the inner pot the easiest. If very soft it could slide off a trivet, so be very careful!
Tip 3: While pie pumpkins (or sugar) are one of the best for cooking because of their sweetness and availability, Long Island Cheese and New England Pie are also fantastic.

Nutrition

Serving: 4oz | Calories: 59kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 0.2g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.03g | Sodium: 2mg | Potassium: 771mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 19307IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 2mg