Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup

5 from 1 vote

Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup

Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup is the best way to make a creamy and comforting soup that's ready in under 30 minutes with little prep. Loaded with nourishing ingredients, this soup is satisfying, healthy, and vegan-friendly.

Prep Time15

Cook Time12

Total Time27

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Servings: cups

Calories: 122kcal

Author: Jennifer Fishkind

Ingredients

2.5 pounds butternut squash about 7 cups, 910 grams once peeled and chopped
¾ cup celery chopped (65 g or about 2 large stalks)
1 cup carrots peeled and cut into about ¼ inch rounds (145 g or about 3 medium carrots)
2 shallots diced
4 cloves garlic minced
1 2-inch piece of ginger peeled and grated
5 large sage leaves minced
6 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 large Anjou pear cored and diced
3 cups vegetable broth plus more if you prefer a thinner consistency
13.5 ounces can full-fat coconut milk you can reserve a small amount of cream for serving
1 teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
1 teaspoon coarse black pepper
½ teaspoon cardamom
2 tablespoon coconut sugar

For serving (optional):

Pepitas
Reserved coconut cream
Chives

Instructions

Begin by preparing the 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) 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, release the pressure based on the manufacturer's instructions.
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.

Notes

Storage:

To Store: Store your soup in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
To Freeze: To freeze the soup, let it cool then transfer it to an airtight glass container and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge for 24 hours before reheating.
To Reheat: Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.

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.
You can add a couple of dashes of cayenne pepper or a spoonful of chili paste to kick the spice level up a notch.
It is helpful to weigh the main ingredients (squash, carrots, and celery) in order to achieve the right consistency. The more guesswork there is with ingredient quantities the more you may need to use more or less broth to get the perfect silky puree.
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, consider reducing the salt to ½ tsp.

Nutrition