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
Peel your butternut squash and slice it in half lengthwise.
Scoop out the seeds, just like you would with that Halloween pumpkin that is currently squirrel food.
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.
In your Instant Pot, combine your all your chopped veggies, vegetable stock, and sage.
Next add your spices (turmeric, salt, black pepper, white pepper, cayenne, cinnamon, and nutmeg).
Stir to combine, but don’t worry too much about getting everything evenly distributed.
Cover the IP with lid and make sure it’s locked closed. Set vent to “Sealing”.
Press “Pressure Cook”, set the “Pressure Level” to high.
Press the + button until the time reads 9 minutes. Let it cook until it beeps to indicate that it’s done.
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.
Remove the lid and carefully remove and discard the sage sprigs.
Pour in the coconut milk, and give it a quick stir.
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.
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!
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!
Ingredients
Scale
8 cups butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced (about 2 medium squash)
16 ounces vegetable stock
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 apple, cored and diced (I like using Granny Smiths)
2 sprigs fresh sage
1 white or yellow onion, diced
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoonsalt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
A pinch of cayenne
A pinch of ground cinnamon
A pinch of ground nutmeg
3/4 cup canned coconut milk
Instructions
In your Instant Pot(aff link), combine butternut squash, vegetable stock, garlic, apple, sage, onion, turmeric, salt, black pepper, white pepper, cayenne, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir to combine, then cover with lid and make sure it’s locked closed.
Set vent to “Sealing” and press “Pressure Cook”, set the “Pressure Level” to high and press the + button until the time reads 9 minutes. Let it cook until it beeps to indicate that it’s done.
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, and may take a few minutes before it stops. Remove the lid.
Carefully remove and discard the sage sprigs, and then stir in the coconut milk.
I've always loved butternut squash soup, but never had it with apples in it - such a cool touch that made a ton of difference in the finished product. Thank you!!!
Rebecca Blackwell
Sunday 10th of November 2019
I purchased an Instant Pot nearly a year ago and have only used it a few times. But, this soup looked so good that I dug it out and made it this weekend. I'm so glad I did because it's positively delicious! It's exactly the kind of thing I want to eat on crisp Fall days. And so incredibly easy to make. Thanks for a great recipe!
Sophie
Saturday 9th of November 2019
This looks divine. Loved the way you have showed each step and each ingredients in detail. Thank you for the recipe.
Leslie Kiszka
Sunday 10th of November 2019
Thank you for leaving a comment and a rating!
Tammy
Friday 8th of November 2019
I love butternut squash soup! So creamy and yet healthy too...this looks heavenly! :D Wish I had a big bowl of this right now!
Leslie Kiszka
Sunday 10th of November 2019
Me too, I can't believe I ate it all! *cries*
Veronika
Friday 8th of November 2019
I love that you are making this soup in Instant Pot! It makes the whole process so much easier and faster) Your photos look so beautiful, I would have a bowl of this soup right now!
Leslie Kiszka
Sunday 10th of November 2019
Thank you for the kind words! It's so easy with the Instant Pot, I don't know how I lived before I had it haha
Hi there! I’m Leslie and I use baking as an outlet for relieving stress and anxiety to provide you with easy to follow homemade recipes and a little humor. About Leslie >>
Aline
Monday 11th of November 2019
I've always loved butternut squash soup, but never had it with apples in it - such a cool touch that made a ton of difference in the finished product. Thank you!!!
Rebecca Blackwell
Sunday 10th of November 2019
I purchased an Instant Pot nearly a year ago and have only used it a few times. But, this soup looked so good that I dug it out and made it this weekend. I'm so glad I did because it's positively delicious! It's exactly the kind of thing I want to eat on crisp Fall days. And so incredibly easy to make. Thanks for a great recipe!
Sophie
Saturday 9th of November 2019
This looks divine. Loved the way you have showed each step and each ingredients in detail. Thank you for the recipe.
Leslie Kiszka
Sunday 10th of November 2019
Thank you for leaving a comment and a rating!
Tammy
Friday 8th of November 2019
I love butternut squash soup! So creamy and yet healthy too...this looks heavenly! :D Wish I had a big bowl of this right now!
Leslie Kiszka
Sunday 10th of November 2019
Me too, I can't believe I ate it all! *cries*
Veronika
Friday 8th of November 2019
I love that you are making this soup in Instant Pot! It makes the whole process so much easier and faster) Your photos look so beautiful, I would have a bowl of this soup right now!
Leslie Kiszka
Sunday 10th of November 2019
Thank you for the kind words! It's so easy with the Instant Pot, I don't know how I lived before I had it haha