Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup

We’re making this butternut squash soup in an instant pot because it takes all the fuss and waiting out of preparation. All you have to do is chop up the squash and apples, toss them in the pot and let your pressure cooker do the work.

The reward is a spicy, comforting seasonal soup that’s vegan and nutritious. It’s an automatic choice for Thanksgiving when butternut squash is abundant, but it’s definitely one to batch cook for later, too.

Ingredients for Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup

• Butternut squash: Choose one that doesn’t have any green lines or blemishes, then peel, seed and chop
• Apples: Use a tart variety like Granny Smith, cored and chopped, rather than a pulpy, sweet variety
• Onion: Chop a small onion for its aroma
• Cloves: You can make this as garlicky as you like with crushed cloves
• Vegetable broth: Try to use a reduced-sodium broth if you can or make your own vegetable broth
• Sage: Fresh sage leaves go so well with autumn vegetables
• Salt: It’s a sweet soup overall, so some salt adds balance
• Pepper: Give the soup a little background heat with some freshly ground black pepper
• Red pepper flakes: These will give you a slightly more sassy soup but it won’t be overwhelmingly spicy
• Nutmeg: Ground nutmeg is another fall spice that goes well with squashes
• Coconut milk: You can use a low fat variety to get that creamy mouth feel
• Black pepper: Save some freshly ground black pepper to give each mouthful a little spice

Directions

Step 1: Fill the instant pot

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Place the butternut squash, apple slices, onion and garlic in an 6- or 8-quart electric pressure cooker. Stir in the vegetable broth, sage, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes and nutmeg.

Step 2: Pressure-cook the squash and seasoning

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Secure the lid and set to sealing then cook on high pressure for 8 minutes on manual. Once complete, toggle to vent steam for a quick release. Carefully remove the lid, discard of the sage leaves and add coconut milk.

Step 3: Blend the soup ingredients

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Use an immersion blender to puree the mixture until very smooth. Serve in bowls with freshly cracked black pepper.

Editor’s Tip: For a chunkier consistency, you can just pulse a few times in a blender to retain that thicker, country style texture.

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Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup Variations

• Add carrots: They’ll cook quickly and give the soup some additional tender sweetness.
• Finish with heavy cream or butter: For a fuller and more voluptuous soup add heavy cream or butter. Although, this recipe will no longer be vegan.
• Spice it up: Sprinkle the finished soup with cayenne pepper, paprika or cinnamon.

How to Store Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup

All your soup to cool and transfer it to a sealed container. You can store it in the refrigerator for up to four days, then simply reheat it on the stovetop.

Can you freeze instant pot butternut squash soup?

It’s a good idea to break the soup down into smaller batches. Store it in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to three months, then thaw it overnight in the refrigerator. Leave any cream out of soup you’re going to freeze as it doesn’t freeze well. You can add it later.

Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup Tips

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What do I serve with instant pot butternut squash soup?

This soup is a great start to a Thanksgiving dinner, but you can enjoy it at any time with crusty bread, crackers, salad, homemade cornbread or just with some sprinkled seeds on top.

What else can I add to the butternut squash soup?

If you want to go all-in on healthy fall vegetables, add some sweet potato, potato or celery. Pears make a pleasant combination with apples, too. They give a sweet and tart finish to the soup.

How do you prepare a butternut squash?

The secret to wrestling with a butternut squash is to use a sharp and heavy knife. Peel the skin along the length with a standard vegetable peeler, and then cut the squash in half from top to tail. Don’t force it because you don’t want the blade to skip off and pierce your hands. Scoop out the seeds and fibers and cut the squash into cubes.