Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup is a quick and easy way to get a delicious creamy soup loaded with fall flavours in under 30 minutes! Vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free, this wholesome soup will keep you warm all winter!
If you are a creamy squash lover, check out oven-baked butternut squash, Thai shrimp squash curry, or this delicious Thai version of crockpot butternut squash soup.
Table of contents
- Quick and Easy Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup
- Why Make Pressure Cooker Butternut Squash Soup?
- Ingredients for Instant Pot Squash Soup
- How to Make Butternut Squash Soup in Instant Pot
- Optional Add-In’s and Variations
- Tips for Best Results
- FAQs
- Serving Recommendations
- Making This Winter Squash Recipe in Advance
- More Instant Pot Soup Recipes
Quick and Easy Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup
This Instant Pot butternut squash soup is the pressure cooker version of my stovetop healthy butternut squash soup. It is creamy from coconut milk (no heavy cream in sight!), velvety smooth, and loaded with fall flavor to keep you warm and grounded on a cold busy day.
Butternut squash, when cooked down, releases its natural sugars which give it a bit of a sweet note. Balanced by the curry powder and ginger, it has the perfect sweet and savory appeal. Pumpkin soup and cauliflower soup are two more you should definitely make a pot of this winter. Hearty, healthy, and wholesome soups are what our bodies crave, and for good reason!
Why Make Pressure Cooker Butternut Squash Soup?
- Butternut squash soup is delicious: Creamy and flavor filled with warm spices.
- A one-pot soup: Ready to slurp in under 30 minutes with only 10 minutes of prep time!
- Healthy, gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan: Plus loaded with vitamins and nutrients.
- Easy to come together with just a few budget-friendly, seasonal ingredients.
- Family friendly: Kids will love the smooth texture of this soup!
- Makes great leftovers for lunch or dinner the next day. Also freezer-friendly.
Love creamy soups as much as I do? Try Instant Pot potato soup or black bean soup!
Ingredients for Instant Pot Squash Soup
To make this Instant Pot butternut squash soup recipe, besides spices that you have in your pantry right now, you will need:
- Butternut squash: Fresh or frozen works. With frozen butternut squash, the pressure cooker will take 10-15 minutes longer to come to pressure. You can pick up a package of prechopped squash for convenience.
Squash has truly no limits! You can also spiralize it into butternut squash noodles, or saute butternut squash with garlic, honey, and pecans; or use it as a creamy base instead of loads of cheddar in this healthy broccoli cheese soup.
- Coconut milk: A can of regular or light coconut milk, not from a carton (see substitutions below). It makes any curry, ice cream, or soup so creamy in a healthy way- plus it makes this a naturally vegan butternut squash soup!
- Seasonings: Onion, broth, curry powder, dried ginger, and dried thyme. A blend of the perfect seasonings that make this soup the best you’ve ever had. If you’re not concerned with keeping it vegetarian, using chicken stock can add great flavour as well.
I’ve always believed the fewer ingredients in a recipe, the more inspired people will be to cook at home. Just a few fresh ingredients are all that is needed. No apples, apple cider, or carrots in this Instant Pot butternut squash soup recipe!
How to Make Butternut Squash Soup in Instant Pot
If you can’t make butternut squash in the Instant Pot because you don’t have an electric pressure cooker, I have included the stovetop version in a link below.
- Cube butternut squash: Cut in half crosswise, peel with a peeler and trim the ends. Cut the bottom part in half, scoop out seeds with a tablespoon and cube. Having a really good, sharp knife will make your life easier right about now.
- Cook: Add squash, onion, coconut milk, broth, and spices to Instant Pot. Press manual setting or pressure cook (depending on the model of your pot) and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes.
Don’t add too much broth! It does not have to cover veggies to cook the squash. The steam will do that. We need our butternut squash soup creamy and not too thin!
- Release pressure and puree: Once the cooking time is up, move the valve to the vent position to release the pressure using Quick Release. When you open the lid, the squash will be fork-tender and falling apart. The smell of curried soup will be unbelievably good but not overpowering. Puree the soup with an immersion blender and voila.
Grab a spoon and cozy up with a bowl of delicious soup!
Optional Add-In’s and Variations
I absolutely loved adding a hint of curry powder in pressure cooker butternut squash soup. There are so many ways to ramp up the flavour, here are a few more delicious variations:
- Other veggies and fruit: Replace some squash with sweet potato or cauliflower. Chop up a granny smith apple or toss in some carrots (or both). Some even like to add a bit of celery to theirs.
- Spice: Make a Thai version by adding a Tbsp or two of Thai curry paste. Check out my slow cooker butternut squash soup where I do that.
- Cinnamon & nutmeg: Some readers enjoy a more traditional version of this soup using this duo of warming spices.
- Protein: Add shredded chicken for a complete meal.
- Garnish: Top off the soup with some crispy croutons, toasted pumpkin seeds, or goat cheese crumbles. Serve with fresh herbs such as sage leaves for a pop of color and a vibrant flavour.
- Apple cider: Try apple cider instead of vegetable broth.
- Add lentils: Cook with 1/2 cup red or green lentils. Lentils and curry always pair well together!
The sky is truly the limit. That is why I love soups and stew as much as I do!
Tips for Best Results
- Chop veggies coarsely: The best part is that you can chop whatever vegetables you are using very coarsely. I cut squash and onion into 2″ cubes.
- Cut recipe in half (3 quart Instant Pot): The great thing is, the cooking time of 10 minutes remains the same minutes.
- Double the recipe: Original recipe is prepared in 6 quart Instant Pot LUX. You can also double the recipe if you have an 8 quart Instant Pot and freeze it in portions for easy lunches.
- Be careful not to overfill the pot: When doubling any Instant Pot recipe, it’s an important to not go over the 2/3 max line. This is there to remind you to leave room for the pressure build.
- Coconut milk replacement: You can use 1 cup of plant-based milk and add it in after cooking. The taste will be a bit different, but still great. I would blend the soup first and then add milk slowly to bring to the desired consistency. Do not add any other milk besides canned coconut milk to cook in the Instant Pot.
- Don’t mind dairy? Using whole dairy milk will be creamier, as would heavy cream.
- No Instant Pot? Make this healthy butternut squash soup on the stove.
FAQs
It’s a little extra step, but you can use a regular blender to make this soup as creamy as you’d like. Ladle the soup into a blender and puree that way. You’ll need to work in batches. Be careful with this, as this pressure cooker butternut squash soup will still be very hot.
Using a blend of different winter squash like acorn, butternut, or even spaghetti squash would be so good! Swap out one kind for another, or use them all.
You can use any milk with an understanding that each one will produce a different flavor. I like using coconut because it creates a natural vegan butternut squash soup, it goes well with the curry, provides a rich consistency, and it’s dairy-free. You can opt to use whole milk or cream if you’re ok with dairy, otherwise, any plant-based milk will do. Again, the taste will be different.
Try some canned chipotle pepper and about a Tbsp of the adobo sauce, it was packed in for some heat! Red pepper flakes are always an easy option. Cinnamon and nutmeg are classic choices, and even a simple salt and pepper seasoning would work.
If you are roasting your squash ahead of time, you’ll want to keep the skin on for that. Then, scoop out the flesh. Otherwise, yes, you’ll need to peel the skin off before adding it to the soup. Although it’s technically not harmful, it’s not pleasant to eat and is bound to change the texture of the creamy pressure cooker butternut squash soup we like.
Sure you can. Some vegan options would be lentils, chickpeas, white beans, tofu, or pumpkin seeds. Other ideas would be to add a bit of Greek yogurt, shredded chicken, or sausage.
Serving Recommendations
- Who doesn’t love a soup and sandwich combo? This vegan butternut squash soup has a ton of flavour, so whatever sandwich you serve will either have to match it or stay humble enough not to outshine it. A simple grilled cheese would be great. You could also ramp up the grilled cheese to a melted brie and grilled pair. Now we’re talking! Think healthy tuna salad or a tuna melt, chicken salad, or Greek yogurt egg salad too.
- Or maybe soup and salad? Arugula salad, beet salad with goat cheese, or a lemon kale salad with garlic and parmesan would all be amazing for a light lunch or dinner.
- As a side or starter with your holiday meal: Never underestimate the power of a good soup to complete your holiday menu. It’s a no-brainer! Serve with your roasted turkey breast, Instant Pot pot roast, or boneless leg of lamb. Don’t forget to include some sides like cauliflower mac and cheese, roasted asparagus, or roasted sweet potatoes.
Making This Winter Squash Recipe in Advance
Storing: Refrigerate leftovers for up to 5 days in an airtight container. It is the best soup for easy lunches!
Freezing: Portion it out for easy grab-and-go lunches. Place cooked soup in glass airtight containers leaving some room to expand. Cool and then freeze for up to 3 months. To thaw, I usually remove soup from the freezer in the morning and by lunchtime, soup is half defrosted.
Reheating: I warm up the desired amount of soup in a small pot by simmering on low. Keep it half-covered with a lid as it splatters and stir occasionally until it is warmed through. You can use a microwave too.
Make ahead: You can add chopped squash, onion, and even spices to a large container with a lid and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Then add milk, broth and cook as per recipe. You can even freeze it with milk and broth and then cook from frozen – no changes.
More Instant Pot Soup Recipes
- Instant Pot potato soup
- Instant Pot split pea soup
- Instant Pot vegetable soup
- Instant Pot lentil soup
- Instant Pot chicken wild rice soup
Browse 45 more healthy Instant Pot recipes for even more dinner ideas.
Also check out my Youtube channel – we have lots of Instant Pot videos there.
Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup
Ingredients
- 3 lbs butternut squash peeled and cut into 2″ cubes (9 cups)
- 1 large onion coarsely chopped
- 15 oz can coconut milk full fat
- 2 cups vegetable broth low sodium
- 1/2 tsp curry powder
- 1/2 tsp thyme dried
- 1/4 tsp ginger dried
- 1 tsp salt
- Ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- In Instant Pot, add butternut squash, onion, coconut milk, broth, curry powder, thyme, ginger, salt and pepper.
- Close the lid, set pressure vent to Sealing and press Pressure Cooking on High or Manual for 10 minutes.
- After display beeps and says OFF, soup is ready. Do Quick Release by turning pressure valve to Venting position.
- Open the lid and puree butternut squash soup with an immersion blender.
- Serve hot with whole grain toast and pumpkin seeds. So creamy!
Make Ahead: You can add chopped squash, onion, and even spices to a large container with a lid and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Then add milk, broth and cook as per recipe. You can even freeze it with milk and broth and then cook from frozen – no changes.up to 2 days. Then add milk, broth and cook as per recipe. You can even freeze it with milk and broth and then cook from frozen – no changes.
Store: Refrigerate in an airtight container or inner Instant Pot pot with a fitting glass lid for up to 5 days.
Freeze: Fully cook, cool completely and freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw on a stovetop covered on low.
Notes
- You can substitute coconut milk with regular or almond milk but do not add it to Instant Pot to cook. Instead add 1 cup before pureeing.
- For broth, I use organic vegetable bouillon cubes.
- Cinnamon & nutmeg: Swap the curry for this duo of warming spices.
- No Instant Pot? You can make this healthy butternut squash soup on the stove.
- Cut recipe in half (3 quart Instant Pot): The great thing is, the cooking time of 10 minutes remains the same. minutes.
- Double the recipe: Original recipe is prepared in 6 quart Instant Pot LUX. You can also double the recipe if you have an 8 quart Instant Pot and freeze it in portions for easy lunches. Be careful not to fill over 2/3 max fill line.
Nutrition
Recipes and images are a copyright of ifoodreal.com. It is against the law to republish recipes without permission. Nutritional info is approximate.
I’m loving your recipes. We’ve tried 4 so far and every single one has been winner. Great job and keep it up!
We’re not big fans of curry so instead I used one chopped canned chipotle pepper and about a Tbsp of the adobo sauce it was packed in. Wow, so good! The pepper gives the soup just a little heat and a hint of smokiness. Your recipe could not have been easier. This was perfect to warm us up on a chilly fall day.
Thanks for such a wonderful review Kristi. I am so glad that my recipes are a hit with you and your family!
LOVE butternut soup. Just picked the last of my summer crop this morning before tomorrow night’s freeze. Where are you getting the organic vege cubes? Not on Amazon. So hard to get good cubes; have never seen organic before, all usually so expensive and exceedingly salty. Thanks!
Hi Marie!
I use GoBio brand veggie broth cubes that are sold in many grocery stores. Hope you can find them where you live!
So instead of cooking with coconut and using almond milk just put at all the other ingredients with no liquid to the instant pot and after puree with almond milk?
Correct.
Very good soup.
Made this for lunch today. I followed the recipe exactly and it was awesome. I added shredded chicken thighs that I had earlier cooked in the instant pot. It was out of this world good! I called my brother in TX and let him know what to do with his butternut squash he had left over.
I’m so happy to read this! Thanks for your positive feedback, Robert! And thank you for sharing my recipes with your family.
This is my very first Instant Pot recipe and it has not disappointed! It was also the first time I ever cooked (or tasted) any type of squash so this was a real challenge for me. After spending some time on YouTube I read about a tip on microwaving the butternut squash before cutting it (aside from poking it with a fork and cutting off both ends) and especially peeling it. It worked quite well!
And this recipe is just wonderful, it tastes heavenly; I couldn’t stop myself from getting a second big bowl of it. The only thing that makes me sad is that I couldn’t cook a whole lot more of it. Dicing the squash was a lot of work as a fledgling cook but since practice makes perfect and it is so delicious I will totally make this soup again!
Fantastic! Glad you enjoyed the recipe, Stephanie!
Wow! I made this exactly as original recipe says….. it was a hit with everyone
I agree. I could not believe myself the WOW factor with such simple ingredients. That curry powder… So happy everyone enjoyed!
Can’t wait to make it
Please let me know how you like it, Marjorie.:)
Brill recipe
So happy to hear you loved this recipe, Caroline!
This was a hit! Very easy to make and taste good. Proved by my children 🙂
And by the way – we love to cook with Instant Pot!
Yay. So happy to hear people are truly understanding how amazing IP is!