I’m so excited to share this Instant Pot yellow squash recipe with you because it’s become my go-to side dish for busy weeknights! The combination of fresh yellow squash and juicy cherry tomatoes creates such a delicious, light dish that comes together in less than 15 minutes. Trust me, once you see how easy this is, you’ll be making it on repeat!
| Preparation Time | 20-25 minutes |
| Cooking Time | 5-10 minutes |
| Total Time | 25-35 minutes |
| Level of Difficulty | Easy |
| Servings | 4 servings |
Estimated Nutrition
Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):
- Calories: 180-220
- Protein: 5-6 g
- Fat: 7-9 g
- Carbohydrates: 27-32 g
Ingredients
For the squash:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion (diced into 1/2-inch pieces)
- 3 garlic cloves (minced)
- 3.5 cups yellow squash (cut into 1-inch thick half-moons)
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes
- 0.75 cup chicken broth (low sodium)
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 0.5 tsp dried oregano
- 0.5 tsp salt
- 0.25 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp lemon juice
For the garnish:
- 0.3 cup parmesan cheese (freshly grated)
- 8-10 fresh basil leaves
Step 1: Prepare Mise en Place
- 1 medium onion
- 3 garlic cloves
- 3.5 cups yellow squash
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes
- 0.3 cup parmesan cheese
- 8-10 fresh basil leaves
Dice the onion into 1/2-inch pieces, mince the garlic cloves, cut the yellow squash into 1-inch thick half-moons, and have the cherry tomatoes ready.
Grate the parmesan cheese and roughly chop or tear the fresh basil leaves.
This prep work ensures the cooking process moves smoothly without interruption once you start.
Step 2: Build the Flavor Base
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion
- 3 garlic cloves
Set your Instant Pot to sauté mode and heat the olive oil until shimmering.
Add the diced onion and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it begins to soften and turn translucent.
Stir in the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to let it burn.
This aromatics base creates the foundation for all the flavors in the dish.
Step 3: Add Vegetables and Season
- 3.5 cups yellow squash
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 0.5 tsp dried oregano
- 0.5 tsp salt
- 0.25 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 0.75 cup chicken broth
Turn off the sauté function and add the squash and cherry tomatoes directly to the pot with the cooked onion and garlic from Step 2.
Sprinkle in the dried basil, dried oregano, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes, then stir everything together to distribute the seasonings evenly.
Pour in the chicken broth and give the pot another good stir.
I like to add the spices at this point rather than later because it allows them to hydrate and bloom with the broth, creating deeper, more integrated flavors.
Step 4: Pressure Cook
Close the Instant Pot lid and move the valve to the sealing position.
Set the pot to high pressure for 3-5 minutes (3 minutes will give you firmer vegetables, while 5 minutes will make them softer—choose based on your preference).
Once the time is complete, perform a quick pressure release by carefully moving the valve to venting position to allow the steam to escape.
Step 5: Finish and Serve
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 0.3 cup parmesan cheese
- 8-10 fresh basil leaves
Once the pressure has fully released and you can safely open the lid, stir in the lemon juice and freshly grated parmesan cheese from Step 1.
The acidity of the lemon brightens the dish and cuts through the richness of the cheese.
Use a slotted spoon to serve the vegetables into bowls, allowing excess liquid to drain back into the pot, then garnish each serving with the fresh basil leaves.
I prefer the slotted spoon method because it gives you a more concentrated vegetable dish rather than a soup.
Juicy Instant Pot Yellow Squash
Ingredients
Method
- Dice the onion into 1/2-inch pieces, mince the garlic cloves, cut the yellow squash into 1-inch thick half-moons, and have the cherry tomatoes ready. Grate the parmesan cheese and roughly chop or tear the fresh basil leaves. This prep work ensures the cooking process moves smoothly without interruption once you start.
- Set your Instant Pot to sauté mode and heat the olive oil until shimmering. Add the diced onion and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it begins to soften and turn translucent. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to let it burn. This aromatics base creates the foundation for all the flavors in the dish.
- Turn off the sauté function and add the squash and cherry tomatoes directly to the pot with the cooked onion and garlic from Step 2. Sprinkle in the dried basil, dried oregano, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes, then stir everything together to distribute the seasonings evenly. Pour in the chicken broth and give the pot another good stir. I like to add the spices at this point rather than later because it allows them to hydrate and bloom with the broth, creating deeper, more integrated flavors.
- Close the Instant Pot lid and move the valve to the sealing position. Set the pot to high pressure for 3-5 minutes (3 minutes will give you firmer vegetables, while 5 minutes will make them softer—choose based on your preference). Once the time is complete, perform a quick pressure release by carefully moving the valve to venting position to allow the steam to escape.
- Once the pressure has fully released and you can safely open the lid, stir in the lemon juice and freshly grated parmesan cheese from Step 1. The acidity of the lemon brightens the dish and cuts through the richness of the cheese. Use a slotted spoon to serve the vegetables into bowls, allowing excess liquid to drain back into the pot, then garnish each serving with the fresh basil leaves. I prefer the slotted spoon method because it gives you a more concentrated vegetable dish rather than a soup.