Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup

This creamy and filling butternut squash soup is made entirely in an Instant Pot (aff link) and is the ultimate heartwarming comfort food. It’s also naturally vegan, gluten free, dairy free, and easy to make in under an hour! Serve alongside my rosemary sea salt dinner rolls and a warm mug of glühwein.

Halloween’s over, so that means we get to talk about all things Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve, right? Right. Mind you, I still take them one at a time.

In October I focus on Halloween, then November I focus on Thanksgiving, and then at the stroke of midnight headed into the Friday after Thanksgiving it’s full steam ahead to Christmas and New Year’s Eve.

It’s also full steam ahead on soup season. The time of year where I crave all my favorite comfort foods, and this butternut squash soup is one of those favorites.

This soup is creamy, smooth, and the definition of heartwarming. It’s perfectly spiced, and the addition of a tart apple adds the perfect balance of flavors. I’ve routinely made a meal out of this soup and my Rosemary Sea Salt Dinner Rolls, but you could always serve it up as an appetizer or side dish to your dinner.

In the past I’ve served my golden child and fan favorite Carrot Ginger Soup as the first course for Thanksgiving dinner. But this year? Well, this has made itself the new front runner for our holiday table.

Making butternut squash soup

1. Peel your butternut squash and slice it in half lengthwise.
2. Scoop out the seeds, just like you would with that Halloween pumpkin that is currently squirrel food.

1. Cut your butternut squash into 1-2″ cubes; core, peel and dice your apple; peel and dice your onion; mince your garlic; and grab a couple sprigs of sage.
2. In your Instant Pot, combine your all your chopped veggies, vegetable stock, and sage.
3. Next add your spices (turmeric, salt, black pepper, white pepper, cayenne, cinnamon, and nutmeg).
4. Stir to combine, but don’t worry too much about getting everything evenly distributed.
5. Cover the IP with lid and make sure it’s locked closed. Set vent to “Sealing”.
6. Press “Pressure Cook”, set the “Pressure Level” to high.
7. Press the + button until the time reads 9 minutes. Let it cook until it beeps to indicate that it’s done.
8. Using an oven mitt or towel, carefully move the valve to the “Vent” setting and let it release all the pressure that’s built up. It will be a loud whistling sound – I recommend warning anyone else in the room so they don’t think a freight train is plowing through the room. It may take a few minutes before it stops.
9. Remove the lid and carefully remove and discard the sage sprigs.
10. Pour in the coconut milk, and give it a quick stir.
11. Stick an immersion blender (aff link) into the pot close to the bottom, then turn it on and slowly move it around the pot to blend everything together. 
12. Blend until smooth. Give it a taste, and if you find you want to add any more of any of the spices, add a pinch and blend again to combine.

Use a ladle to portion soup into cups or bowls. It’s going to be super hot straight out of the Instant Pot (aff link), so be careful!

If you have leftovers but think you’ll want to come back for more, just put the lid back on and press the “Keep Warm” button.

Garnish with a swirl of coconut milk and freshly ground pepper, if desired. It makes for a pretty presentation, but isn’t necessary from a flavor standpoint.

This is another plug for serving this with warm Rosemary Sea Salt Dinner Rolls – they’re sturdy enough to support being dipped in the soup, and the combination makes for a lovely cold-weather dinner.

After you’ve made this recipe, please leave a comment below with a rating – and if you came from Pinterest, add a photo to the Pin of what you make to the pin to share your experience!

Print