Striped and speckled carnival squash is a cross between sweet dumpling and acorn squash and is about the same size as acorn squash. If you can’t find it, acorn squash works just fine in this recipe. The sweetness of the squash is a wonderful contrast to the savory, sage-infused sausage—tastes just like fall!
PREP TIME: 20 minutes
FUNCTION: Sauté (Normal); Slow Cook (More)
CLOSED POT TIME: 2 hours
TOTAL TIME: 2 hours
SERVES: 4
PREP
Slice stem end off each squash. Cut each squash in half. Using a spoon, scrape seeds from each squash half. Turn squash halves cut sides up. (If necessary, cut a thin slice from the bottom of each half so that it sits flat.) Season each half lightly with salt.
Select sauté on the Instant Pot® and adjust to normal. Cook and stir sausage, onion, and celery until sausage is no longer pink for about 5 minutes. Stir in cider; bring to boiling, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Press cancel. Pour sausage-cider mixture over stuffing cubes in a large bowl; mix lightly until stuffing cubes are moistened.
Fill squash evenly with dressing mixture, packing lightly. Pour water in pot. Place trivet in the pot. Transfer stuffed squash to pot. (Squash will be very close together.) Secure the lid on the pot. Open the pressure-release valve.
COOK
Select slow cook and adjust to more. Cook for 2 hours or until squash is tender.
SERVE
Top with parsley.