Creamy Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup
If you are searching for a lovely fall soup recipe, you're going to adore this Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup. It's ideal for a cozy weeknight or meal prep since it takes only 30 minutes to get on the table.
I love a simple yet comforting soup to enjoy on a chilly night. This creamy butternut squash soup is a fall classic with sweet and savory flavors that will excite the palate and make you come back for more. The herbal notes of sage add complexity, too!
Some additional delicious soup recipes featuring squash as the star include zucchini basil soup and this curry chicken pumpkin soup.
📌 Soup Summary
- 😋 Flavor Profile: Velvety and lightly sweet with warm, savory notes from garlic, onion, and a touch of spice.
- 🕒 Total Time: 45 Minutes
- 🥄 Texture: Smooth, silky, and luxuriously creamy.
- 👩🍳 Best For: Cozy weeknight dinners, holiday starters, or meal prep for chilly days.
- 💡 Pro Tip: Roast your squash first (if you have time) to deepen the flavor, and finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice for a bright, balanced finish.
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What Makes This Instant Pot Butternut Soup Special
The fact that you can use your Instant Pot to create such depth of flavor in a recipe like this Instant Pot squash soup never fails to amaze me. I've made this several times now, and each time there are no leftovers!
The apple and sweet potato add natural sweetness and tartness that complement the butternut squash beautifully. Sprinkle some cornbread croutons (or your favorite variety) on top for a crunchy texture in one of the best bites ever!
LynIngredients + Substitutions
- Veggies: To build layers of flavor, carrots, onions, and celery are used in many dishes, especially soups. Ensure they are all diced evenly so they cook at a similar rate.
- Rubbed sage: The difference between rubbed and ground sage is that rubbed sage is flaky pieces rather than a fine powder. This adds texture and a milder flavor than the ground version.
- Apple: You may use any variety of apple that you like, depending on the flavor profile you're hoping to achieve. Honeycrisp apples are sweet, while Granny Smith tends to be more tart. They only need to be cut into large chunks because they will be blended later.
- Sweet Potato: You'll notice that sweet potatoes are a little denser and sweeter than butternut squash, but still complement their mild flavor and creaminess.
- Butternut squash: This is the most important ingredient because you can't make this soup without it! Choose a firm squash with no soft spots to ensure freshness.
- Broth: I typically use store-bought vegetable or chicken broth as a shortcut. However, you may make vegetable broth in the Instant Pot or rotisserie chicken stock ahead of time if you prefer to use homemade versions.
- Better Than Bouillon paste: It's added to deepen the flavor. It's optional, so you may leave it out if you prefer.
- Half and half: This adds creaminess to the soup when you blend it. Heavy cream can be used as a quick substitute if needed.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Recipe Variations
- Dairy-free: Swap the half and half for coconut cream or coconut milk to make a dairy-free version that's still velvety and delicious!
- Protein-packed version: Stir in some cooked shredded chicken, cooked ground pork, or cooked sausage to add some protein.
- Vegan-friendly: Ensure that you choose vegetable broth and bouillon as well as coconut cream/milk to make a vegan-friendly version.
- Different Squash: Swap in pumpkin, buttercup squash, or any other winter squash you like for the butternut squash.
How to Make Butternut Squash in the Instant Pot
To set yourself up for success with this Instant Pot butternut squash soup recipe, peel and chop all your produce. So, it will all be ready to add to the pot when you need it!
Step 1: Sauté the veggies. Set your Instant Pot to the saute setting and add the oil, carrots, onions, and celery. Cook the veggies for about 6-7 minutes or until they're soft and translucent.
Step 2: Add seasoning. Add the sage and garlic, and let them cook for 1-2 minutes, or until fragrant.
Step 3: Add squash, potato, and apple. Stir in the chunks of apple, sweet potato, and butternut squash with your broth of choice, bouillon paste, salt, pepper, and bay leaf.
Step 4: Cook. Pop the lid on and pressure-cook it on high for about 10 minutes, or until everything is nice and tender. Quick-release the pressure.
Step 5: Blend. Remove the bay leaf and pour in the half and half. Blend with your immersion blender until the soup is silky smooth.
Step 6: Serve. Ladle the finished Instant Pot butternut soup into your bowl, dip some crusty dinner rolls, and enjoy!
Lyn's Top Tips
- Use a high-speed blender if needed: If you don't have an immersion blender, carefully transfer the soup to a high-speed blender instead.
- Roast the squash for a deeper flavor: To add a lovely caramelized flavor, you may roast the butternut squash before you add it to the Instant Pot.
- Refrigerating the leftovers: After the soup has cooled, transfer it to an airtight container. Keep it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Reheating methods: The best way to reheat pressure cooker butternut squash soup is in a saucepan over medium-low heat for 5-10 minutes. If you choose to use the microwave, set it to 50% power for 1-2 minutes. Add cream or broth if needed to loosen it!
Soup-er Toppings & Serving Suggestions
- Soup and a delicious sandwich are a great combination! Instead of a classic grilled cheese, try a pizza grilled cheese. If you want something heartier, a chicken club sandwich is great with a cup of this autumn squash soup for lunch.
- A sweet yet delicious pairing that goes well with the flavors of this soup recipe is pumpkin cornbread muffins.
- If you're looking for a savory option, cheddar biscuits work perfectly to create a winning dinner!
Recipe FAQs
I love the consistency, but if you want it to be thicker, ladle out some of the broth before you blend it and add back more as needed until you reach your desired thickness.
Absolutely! This is a great way to make this soup without having to prep a squash. Add 2 minutes to the cooking time and a ¼ less broth, as it will produce extra liquid as it cooks.
Of course. Combine all the ingredients in the slow cooker except for the half and half. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours. Blend, stir in the dairy, and serve!
Yes, grab a large pot and saute the veggies as you would in the Instant Pot. Once you add the other ingredients, cover, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 20-25 minutes or until all the veggies are soft. Blend, add half and half, and enjoy!
Yes! Store your leftover butternut squash soup in an airtight, freezer-safe container and freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight before you reheat it. If you notice separation when reheating the soup, use your immersion blender to make it silky again.
Creamy Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons avocado or olive oil
- 1 ½ cups chopped yellow onion
- 1 ½ cups chopped celery
- 2 cups chopped carrots
- 3 cloves garlic minced or pressed
- 1 teaspoon rubbed sage
- 1 large apple such as Honeycrisp, Cosmic, or Granny Smith, peeled, cored, and chopped into large chunks
- 1 large sweet potato peeled and chopped into large chunks
- 1 butternut squash about 4 lb squash, peeled, seeded, and chopped into large chunks
- 1 quart vegetable broth or chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon Better than Bouillon vegetable or chicken paste, optional
- 1 cup water
- 1 dried bay leaf
- ¾ teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper plus more to taste
- ¾ cup half-and-half or ½ cup heavy cream, plus more to garnish
Instructions
- Heat the Instant Pot's saute feature on high until hot. Add the oil, onion, celery, and carrots, and sauté, stirring frequently, for 6-7 minutes or until the onions turn translucent.
- Add the garlic and rubbed sage and sauté for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant and the garlic is golden.
- Turn off the sauté feature. Add the apple, sweet potato, butternut squash, broth, Better than Bouillon, water, bay leaf, salt, and black pepper. Stir well to combine.
- Lock on the lid and pressure cook on high for 10 minutes.
- At the end of the cooking time, quick-release the pressure. Remove the lid, remove the bay leaf, stir in the half-and-half or cream, and puree with an immersion blender or very carefully transfer the soup to a high-speed blender (venting the lid to prevent splattering) and blend until smooth.
- Season the soup to taste with salt and pepper and enjoy it hot with a drizzle of half-and-half or cream to serve if desired.
Recipe Tips
- Use a high-speed blender to blend the Instant Pot butternut squash soup if you don't have an immersion blender.
- You can roast the butternut squash for a more caramelized flavor.
