Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup
When the leaves start to turn yellow and there’s a chill in the air, my heart wants one thing: soup! It’s officially the best season for cozy meals.
While I adore a hearty Broccoli Cheddar Potato Soup and a simple Creamy Zucchini Soup, there’s one special soup that just screams “fall.” I’m talking about this dreamy instant pot butternut squash soup.
I remember my grandma making it for hours on the stove. I loved it, but WOW, it took forever! Now, my Instant Pot makes it a total game-changer—just as easy as my quick Creamy Asparagus Soup. It’s a warm hug in a bowl, ready in a snap!
Why You’ll Love Butternut Squash Soup
You are going to fall head over heels for this soup. Seriously! It’s creamy without needing tons of cream. It’s packed with cozy fall flavors.
And the best part? Your Instant Pot does almost all the work for you. Cleanup is a breeze, too. It’s a simple, healthy, and absolutely delicious meal for any night of the week.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here are the simple, happy ingredients we’ll use for this soup. You can find the exact amounts on the recipe card below!
- Olive oil: You’ll use this good stuff to get our veggies started.
- Sweet yellow onion: It adds a lovely, gentle sweetness to the soup’s base.
- Garlic cloves: Because, let’s be honest, everything is better with garlic, right?
- Vegetable broth: This is the tasty liquid that brings all our flavors together.
- Large carrot: It gives the soup a beautiful color and extra sweet flavor.
- Large butternut squash: This is our start! It makes the soup so creamy and rich.
- Butter: A little bit of butter adds a delicious, velvety finish. YUM!
- Salt and pepper: You’ll add just enough to make all the other flavors pop.
- Ground cinnamon: This warm spice gives our soup a cozy, fall feeling.
- Ground nutmeg: A tiny pinch makes the soup taste extra special and warm.
How to Make Butternut Squash Soup
This soup is a piece of cake to make. We are just going to sauté, pressure cook, and blend!
Step 1: Cook the Onions and Garlic
First, you’ll want to press the Sauté button on your Instant Pot. Once it’s hot, add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add 1 chopped onion and cook for 3 minutes until it’s soft. Then, stir in 3 minced cloves of garlic and cook for one more minute.
Step 2: Add Everything Else
Next, pour in 4 cups of vegetable broth and scrape any yummy bits off the bottom of the pot. Now for the fun part! Add 1 sliced carrot, 8 cups chopped butternut squash, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, and ¼ teaspoon nutmeg. Give it all a quick stir.
Step 3: Pressure Cook
Now, secure the lid on your Instant Pot and make sure the steam release valve is set to “Sealing.” Press the “Pressure Cook” or “Manual” button and set the timer for 10 minutes on high pressure. Go relax and let your pot do all the hard work for you.
Step 4: Blend it Up!
Once the timer goes off, let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes before carefully turning the valve to “Venting.” Once the pin drops, open the lid. Stir in 2 tablespoons of butter until it melts. Then, use your immersion blender to blend the soup until it’s smooth and creamy. If you don’t have immersion one, carefully transfer the soup in batches to a regular blender.
Step 5: Serve and Enjoy
Finally, taste your delicious soup and add more salt and pepper if you think it needs it. Ladle the soup into bowls, add your favorite toppings, and get ready to ENJOY!!
Tips for the Best Butternut Squash Soup
Want to make your soup taste even better? Here are a few of my favorite little tricks.
- Roast Your Squash. For a deeper, sweeter flavor, you can roast the squash in the oven first.
- Use Sweet Onions. Sweet onions like Vidalia really add the best flavor without being too sharp.
- Don’t Skip the Spices. The cinnamon and nutmeg are key! They give the soup its signature warm hug taste.
- Scrape the Pot. After sautéing, scraping the bottom of the pot adds SO much flavor to your soup.
- Blend It Well: Keep blending until the soup is totally smooth. Nobody wants a lumpy soup!
- Taste and Season. Always taste your soup before serving. A little extra salt can make a big difference.
Variations and Substitutions
Feel like mixing things up? Here are some fun and easy ideas to try with your soup.
- Make it Spicy. Add a pinch of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes with the other spices for a little kick of heat.
- Try Different Squash. Don’t have butternut? You can use acorn squash or even sweet potatoes. It will be just as delicious.
- Add Some Apples. Toss in one peeled and chopped apple with the squash. It adds a lovely touch of sweetness and tang.
- Make it Vegan. It’s so easy! Just use oil or a vegan butter instead of regular butter. You can use coconut milk for creaminess.
- Boost the Herbs. You can add 1 teaspoon of dried sage or thyme with the other spices for an even more savory, fall flavor.
Make-Ahead and Storage Tips
This soup is PERFECT for making ahead of time. I love making a big batch on Sunday to eat for lunch all week. Once the soup is completely cool, just pour it into an airtight container.
You can keep it in the fridge for up to 5 days. It tastes even better the next day! You can also freeze it. Pour the cooled soup into freezer-safe bags or containers, and it will last for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to eat, just thaw it and warm it up on the stove.
FAQs
Can I use frozen butternut squash?
Yes, you sure can! It makes this recipe even easier. You don’t need to change the cooking time at all. Just toss the frozen squash cubes right into the Instant Pot with the other ingredients.
How do I make this soup vegan?
It’s super simple to make this soup vegan! Just use olive oil or your favorite vegan butter instead of dairy butter. For a creamy topping, a drizzle of full-fat coconut milk is absolutely perfect.
My soup is too thick. What can I do?
No problem at all! If your soup is thicker than you like, just stir in a little more vegetable broth. Add a little bit at a time until it’s the perfect consistency for you.
Can I make this on the stovetop?
You bet! Just sauté the onion and garlic in a big pot. Add everything else, bring it to a boil, then cover and simmer for about 20-25 minutes, or until the squash is super tender. Then blend!
Is this soup healthy?
Yes, it really is! It’s packed with vitamins from the butternut squash and carrots. It’s a wonderfully light and comforting meal that is also good for you. It’s a total win-win!
What to serve with butternut squash soup?
This soup is wonderful on its own, but a great side makes it a feast! I love serving it with my Homemade Cheesy Garlic Bread for dipping, some fluffy Cornbread Muffins, or a fresh Pear Walnut and Blue Cheese Salad.
Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large sweet yellow onion (chopped)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 4 cups low sodium vegetable broth
- 1 large carrot (sliced)
- 1 1 large (about 3 pound) butternut squash (peeled, seeded, and chopped)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper or to taste
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Toppings (Optional)
- Fresh sage, parsley, or rosemary
- Pepitas (roasted pumpkin seeds)
- Heavy cream or coconut milk for drizzling
Instructions
- Sauté Aromatics: Set the Instant Pot to SAUTE mode. Add 1 tbsp of olive oil. Cook 1 chopped onion for 3 minutes until softened. Stir in 3 minced garlic cloves and cook for 1 more minute until fragrant.
- Deglaze and Add Ingredients: Pour in 4 cups of vegetable broth and scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add 8 cups of chopped butternut squash, 1 sliced carrot, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp pepper, ½ tsp cinnamon, and ¼ tsp nutmeg.
- Pressure Cook: Secure the lid and set the steam valve to SEALING. Select PRESSURE COOK (or Manual) on high and set the timer for 10 minutes. The pot will take about 10-15 minutes to come to pressure.
- Natural Release: When the cooking time is up, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes. Then, carefully switch the valve to VENTING to release any remaining steam.
- Blend and Finish: Open the lid. Stir in 2 tbsp of butter until it melts completely. Use an immersion blender to carefully blend the soup directly in the pot until it is perfectly smooth and creamy.
- Serve: Taste the soup and adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed. Ladle the warm soup into bowls, garnish with your favorite toppings, and serve immediately.
Notes
- For extra flavor, roast the squash before adding it to the pot.
- Make sure to scrape the bottom of the pot to get all the flavor.
- This soup freezes beautifully in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
- Feel free to use an apple instead of a carrot for a sweeter taste.
- A splash of coconut milk makes the soup even creamier and richer.
