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This Instant Pot butternut squash soup is silky smooth and perfectly seasoned, made with caramelized onions, warm fall spices, and a touch of maple syrup. This is naturally gluten-free and will be one of the easiest soups you’ll ever make! And it’s so cozy for a fall evening.
See recipe card below for full list of measurements, ingredients, and instructions.
Why This Recipe is So Good
- It’s ready in about 30 minutes from start to finish, which is pretty incredible when you consider traditional methods have you roasting squash for 45 minutes before you even start the soup. The Instant Pot does all the heavy lifting while you prep your toppings or set the table.
- This is hands-down the creamiest butternut squash soup you’ll ever make, and we’re not using a drop of cream. The Instant Pot pressure-cooks the squash until it’s fall-apart tender, then we blend it into smooth perfection. It’s so velvety, you’ll swear there’s heavy cream in it!
- Serve this butternut squash Instant Pot soup as a starter for Thanksgiving, pack it for lunch all week, or make it the star of dinner with some crusty bread. It’s naturally gluten-free and vegetarian, and you can easily make it vegan by swapping the butter for olive oil. Kids love it, adults love it, and it reheats beautifully!
Serving Suggestions
This is so crowd-pleasing and versatile, it can pair with so many things!
Try it with this Crisp Apple Salad with Raisins and Pecan, a grilled cheese sandwich, or this yummy Corned Beef Sandwich on Rye, or just dip some classic Cornbread (Gluten Free) into this creamy dream of a soup!
As for toppings, the possibilities are endless! Some favorites include toasted pumpkin seeds for added crunch, a drizzle of cream or coconut cream for elegance, crispy bacon bits for a smoky flavor, fresh herbs like sage or thyme, a sprinkle of parmesan cheese, or some crusty croutons. Even a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt works beautifully, and adds soo much depth!
What You Need to Know Before You Start
- Cut your butternut squash into roughly uniform chunks (about 1-2 inch pieces). You don’t need to be obsessive about it, but similarly-sized pieces will cook evenly under pressure. You don’t even need to peel the squash perfectly – any bits of skin that make it through will blend up completely smooth, so don’t stress if some thin skin remains.
- Let the pressure release naturally for at least 10 minutes before doing a quick release. This prevents the soup from splattering out of the valve and gives the squash a few extra minutes to get even more tender. The result is a soup that blends effortlessly into that signature silky texture we’re after.
- Use an immersion blender if you have one – it makes blending so much easier and keeps cleanup minimal. If you’re using a regular blender, work in batches and never fill it more than halfway. Hot liquid expands when blended, and trust me, you don’t want butternut squash soup exploding all over your kitchen. Remove the center cap of the blender lid and cover it with a kitchen towel while blending.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! You can make this on the stovetop – just sauté the onions and garlic in a large pot, add the squash and broth, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer covered for 20-25 minutes until the squash is very tender. The cooking time is similar, you just won’t get that pressure-cooked intensity of flavor.
You do need to peel most of it, but don’t stress about getting every bit of skin off. Once everything is cooked and blended, any small pieces of thin skin will completely disappear into the soup. Focus on removing the thick, tough skin, and don’t worry about perfection.
Yes, and honestly, this is a game-changer for busy days! Most grocery stores sell pre-cubed butternut squash in the produce section. It costs a bit more, but it saves you 10-15 minutes of prep time. Just make sure the pieces aren’t too large – if they are, give them a rough chop before cooking.
This soup is already incredibly creamy from the blended squash, but if you want to take it over the top, stir in ¼ to ½ cup of heavy cream, coconut cream, or even cream cheese after blending. For a dairy-free option, coconut cream adds richness without an overpowering coconut flavor.
Definitely! Carrots, sweet potatoes, or even a small apple would blend right in with the butternut squash. Just keep the total amount of vegetables roughly the same so the liquid ratios work out. Adding a diced apple brings a lovely subtle sweetness that pairs perfectly with the warm spices.
Too thick? Just thin it out with additional broth, water, or even a splash of coconut milk until you reach your desired consistency. Too thin? Let it simmer uncovered for a few minutes to reduce, or blend in a bit of cooked sweet potato or an extra splash of coconut cream to thicken it up naturally.
More Delicious Fall Soups
- Pumpkin Bisque
- Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Crockpot Potato Soup
- Tom Yum Soup
- Instant Pot French Onion Soup
- Best Ever Tom Kha Gai Soup (Thai Coconut Chicken Soup)
- She Crab Soup
- Mexican Soup
- Instant Pot Cajun Chicken Pasta Soup
- Italian Fish Stew
- The Best Lobster Bisque (Ruth’s Chris Copycat Recipe)
- Shrimp Bisque
- 35 of the Best Vegetarian Slow Cooker Recipes
Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions or variations listed are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.
Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup
Equipment
- Instant Pot or pressure cooker
- standard blender
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 small onion chopped
- 1 celery stalk chopped
- 2 medium carrots chopped
- 1 medium Granny Smith apple
- 1 medium butternut squash peeled, seeded, and cubed
- 1 32-ounce container chicken stock
- ½ cup heavy cream
- chives
- 1 pinch curry powder
- salt to taste
- black pepper freshly ground, to taste
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large pot. Cook the onion, celery, carrot, apple, and squash 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add veggies to Instant Pot.
- Pour in 3 cups of the chicken stock to cover vegetables. Add pinch of curry. Secure lid and cook 12 minutes, then quick release.
- Transfer the soup to a blender and blend until smooth.
- Return to pot, and add in heavy cream and 1 1/2 tsp salt. Mix in any remaining stock to attain desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with chives.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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So delicious! I omitted the apple and curry because we didn’t have any at the moment but I will be excited to try next time. As someone else mentioned, the hardest part was preparing the squash but after that, everything was easy peasey! Thanks for the great recipe!
So glad you enjoyed it!
Absolutely fantastic recipe. Probably the best butternut squash I’ve ever had! The hardest part is cutting the butternut squash of course, but the rest is a breeze. Will try precut squash next time.
If you’re a brand new cook like me, just FYI: wait for the cooked food to cool down before you blend it. Otherwise you’ll get a nice explosion from the pressure build-up when you open the blender (thankfully our mess was minor and it was pretty funny nonetheless).
Yay, we are so glad you loved this recipe!