Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup
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Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup is quick and easy to make! Let the pressure cooker do all the work for this creamy butternut squash soup.
This Butternut Squash Soup recipe takes all the guesswork out of making a creamy, comforting soup in the Instant Pot as we walk you through step-by-step, leaving you with a nourishing meal in just 30 minutes with little prep. You can use a traditional pressure cooker with this recipe as well.
Packed with wholesome ingredients and tons of veggies, this soup is both hearty and healthy, making it a satisfying option for anyone seeking a nutritious, gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan-friendly meal!
We just love all the squash that’s in season during the fall and winter months because they make the coziest recipes like our Stuffed Acorn Squash, Crockpot Squash Soup, Buffalo Spaghetti Squash Casserole!
Why you’ll love this soup
- Oh so creamy – Most butternut squash soup recipes have a lot of heavy cream in them, but this soup gets all the creaminess from the broth, veggies, and a touch of coconut milk.
- Easily customizable – Whether you need to make this lower salt or lower carb, there’s a substitution for everything below!
- Perfect For An Easy Dinner – There are only 15 minutes of prep for this delicious soup. Let the instant pot do most of the work!
- Simple Clean Ingredients – So many veggies are packed into each bowl of this butternut squash soup!
Ingredients
To make butternut squash soup you’ll need:
- butternut squash (we diced a whole butternut squash but you can buy pre-cubed squash at the grocery store)
- celery, carrots
- shallots, garlic
- fresh ginger, sage leaves, fresh thyme (dried thyme can be swapped for fresh thyme)
- anjou pear
- vegetable broth, coconut milk
- cardamom, salt, and pepper
- coconut sugar
Substitutions
Coconut Milk: You can substitute heavy cream or half and half for the coconut milk. I don’t recommend using almond milk or other alternatives because coconut milk’s fat is important for the finished flavor.
Coconut Sugar: Maple syrup or maple sugar make great substitutes for coconut sugar in this recipe. Brown sugar would also work.
Broth: You can use beef broth or chicken broth instead of vegetable broth.
Sodium: If you’re looking to reduce sodium, omit the salt and use a salt-free broth. The nutrition facts reflect using a salt-free broth.
Herbs and Spices: Feel free to add more thyme, rosemary, or sage to this recipe. 1/2 teaspoon of dried herbs will be the perfect amount! You could also try this Curried Butternut Squash Soup for a unique flavor! Add a teaspoon of smoked paprika for some unique smokey flavor.
Roasted Veggies: If you want to try a soup made with roasted veggies, try our Roasted Butternut Squash Soup Recipe.
How to make Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup
- Add all ingredients (except coconut milk) to the instant pot. Select the manual setting, high pressure, and set time for 12 minutes, then close the lid and valve.
- Once finished cooking, manually release the pressure. Remove the thyme sprigs and add the leaves only back in.
- Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until the contents are fully pureed.
- Once pureed, add in the coconut milk and stir until it is no longer visible.
- Serve hot, topped with pepitas, chopped chives, and a swirl of coconut cream.
How to thicken this soup
The best way to thicken up Butternut Squash Soup is by adding less broth to the recipe. You can also add a bit of flour or cornstarch to thicken it as well.
Making this recipe in the slow cooker
This recipe can be made in a slow cooker, it will just take longer to complete. To cook this butternut squash soup in a slow cooker, prepare the ingredients as described above then add them to a 6-quart slow cooker and cook for 2-3 hours on high heat or 4-6 on low heat. Resume the instructions as listed in the recipe card once the soup is finished cooking in order to blend and serve.
Instant Pot tips
- Have an extra 5 minutes? By sautéing the shallot, garlic, and ginger in the bottom of the Instant Pot with a little bit of olive oil, you can develop more depth of flavor.
- Try it spicy. Adding a couple of dashes of cayenne pepper or a spoonful of chili paste can kick the soup up a notch.
- If your pear is not quite ripe you can add another tablespoon of coconut sugar to the recipe. Taste when finished and add it if needed.
- If you are sensitive to salt or are using fairly salty broth, skip the added salt. We love to use homemade chicken broth to cut down on the salt content.
How to serve this soup
Try toppings like:
- croutons
- pine nuts, pepitas
- toasted almonds
- chives, cilantro, or microgreens
- fresh cracked pepper or cinnamon
- bacon
- freshly grated parmesan cheese
- smoked paprika
- sourdough bread
To make this side dish a filling meal:
- toss in some cooked white kidney beans or chickpeas
- pair with a grilled cheese or baked chicken tenders
- toss in some chicken meatballs or cooked sausage
What salad goes with butternut squash soup?
Any salad would go well with butternut squash soup, but we love to pair it with our Fall Apple Walnut Salad or Easy Kale Salad.
Storage options
How long does butternut squash soup last? : This soup stores well in an airtight container. It can be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Can you freeze butternut squash soup? : You can freeze this recipe for up to 3 months. We like these containers for freezing !
How to freeze Butternut Squash Soup: If you plan to freeze the soup, let it cool then transfer it to an airtight glass container and freeze. To thaw, remove from the freezer and thaw in the fridge for 24 hours.
Reheating: You can reheat this recipe in the microwave or on the stove.
FAQ’s
Start by slicing the bulb off the squash, then slice the butternut squash in half. Scoop out the seeds, then cut the squash into cubes.
Yes, we recommend peeling your squash before cutting it.
There is no harm in leaving the skin on in soup, it tastes fine once cooked and blended.
A regular blender will also work for this recipe. The blender should be rated for hot liquids and be 1000 watts or greater to be able to properly puree the soup.
Be sure to transfer the soup carefully into the blender pitcher because it will be very hot when coming out of the Instant Pot.
more healthy soup recipes:
Looking for other soup recipes? Check out these 40+ Healthy Soup Recipes. Click here to grab our free healthy soup cookbook.
- Potato Leek Soup
- Buffalo Chicken Soup
- Lemon Chicken Soup
- Healthy Chicken Soup
- Chicken and Vegetable Soup
- Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup
- White Bean Chicken Chili
For other vegan-friendly soups, try our Sweet Potato Soup, Minestrone Soup, or Pasta Fagioli.
Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup
Ingredients
- 4 cups butternut squash cubes 1 2.5 lb butternut squash
- ¾ cup celery chopped
- 1 cup carrots peeled and cut into about ¼ inch rounds
- ½ cup shallots diced (2 shallots)
- 4 cloves garlic mixnced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger peeled & grated
- 5 large sage leaves minced
- 6 sprigs of fresh thyme
- ½ cup Anjou pear cored and diced (1 pear)
- 3 cups vegetable broth low or no salt
- 1 1/2 cups full-fat coconut milk or milk of choice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cardamom
- 2 tablespoons coconut sugar optional
Instructions
- Prepare your ingredients. Peel and remove the seeds from the butternut squash and dice into about ½-inch cubes. Peel and dice the shallot. Peel and mince the garlic.
- Remove the tops and ends from the celery and chop. Peel and cut the carrots into about ¼-inch rounds. Peel the ginger and grate. Remember the soup will be blended so the size and shape of the cuts are not too important.
- Add the butternut squash, carrots, celery, shallot, garlic, ginger, pear, minced sage, coconut sugar, salt, and spices to the basin of the Instant Pot. Top with broth (the coconut milk will be added after cooked and blended- do NOT add it now) and stir.
- Before replacing the lid top with thyme sprigs. Select the Manual setting and set it to High pressure. Set the time to 12 minutes, then close the lid and valve. If your Instant Pot has a "Soup/Broth" setting, this will also work.
- Once finished cooking, you can let it natural release for 5 minutes, then quick release the remaining pressure.
- Remove the thyme sprigs. Gently run fingers down each sprig to release the leaves into the basin and discard the woody pieces.
- Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until the contents are fully pureed. Be careful as the soup will be very hot. You can also do this by using a high powdered hot/cold blender. You may want to allow the soup to cool slightly before transferring it to the blender pitcher.
- Once pureed, add in the coconut milk and stir until it is no longer visible.
- Serve hot, topped with pepitas, chopped chives, and a swirl of coconut cream.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Does this cook for 24 minutes total or were some steps noted twice?
Thanks for pointing this out- I just fixed it – this was a typo! It only cooks for 12 minutes! Sorry about that!
Delicious and comforting