This Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup is a creamy and rich soup that comes together super easily in the pressure cooker – plus, it’s vegan!
Ingredients in butternut squash soup
- Olive oil – use any neutral cooking oil such as canola oil or avocado oil.
- Butternut squash – you can also buy pre-cubed squash at the grocery store to cut down on prep time.
- Carrots – parsnips would also work here.
- Yellow onions – if you don’t have any yellow onions, white onions or shallots can be used.
- Garlic – freshly minced garlic is best but jarred minced garlic will work in a pinch.
- Vegetable broth – use a bouillon cube dissolved in boiling water. Chicken broth is a non-vegan option that will provide a similar flavour.
- Salt & pepper – to taste.
- Sage – marjoram or rosemary would also be good here.
How to make butternut squash soup in the Instant Pot
- Peel the squash.
- Cut the squash into cubes.
- Add everything but the sage to the Instant Pot in order.
- Cook on high pressure for 5 minutes.
- Blend the soup.
- Garnish and dig in!
How to peel butternut squash
With its awkward shape, peeling a butternut squash can be intimidating – but don’t let that stop you from making this delicious soup! Once you get the hang of it, you’ll be peeling squash like a pro in no time.
- If you have any trouble cutting the tough skin of the squash, you can microwave it for two minutes to make it easier.
- Slice off both ends.
- Cut the squash in half around the middle. One half will be the skinny neck. The other half will be the round bottom.
- Secure the flat end against the cutting board.
- Use a peeler or paring knife to cut off the skin.
- There are light green lines right under the skin. Be sure to peel those off as well.
Once the squash is peeled, you can cut the bottom part in half and scoop out the seeds. You can roast these just like pumpkin seeds if you want or dispose of them.
Now just dice the squash into equal pieces so they cook evenly!
Frequently Asked Questions
As delicious as this soup is, you will want to make something else with it to make it a complete meal. Try serving it with crusty bread, a side salad, shrimp or scallops, sandwiches or wraps or even baked chicken breasts.
This comforting soup is made with butternut squash, carrots, olive oil, onions, garlic, vegetable broth, salt and pepper and sage. It’s super simple to make but so yummy – plus, it’s completely vegan!
Yes, you’ll need to peel the skin off the butternut squash before cooking it in the soup. If you’re having a hard time peeling it, microwave it for 2 minutes beforehand to make it a bit softer.
The immersion blender is key to making this soup nice and thick. Once it’s cooked in the mixture pot, use an immersion blender right in the pot. If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can use a standard blender. Allow the soup to cool a bit; if you try to blend it when the soup is too hot, the blender lid can pop open and send soup flying everywhere! Only fill the blender half way once the soup has cooled a bit, then place a towel over the top rather than using the lid. Blend in as many batches as necessary.
Storing and reheating
Butternut squash soup will last in the fridge for 4 to 5 days in glass bowls or airtight containers. This means that you could make a big batch of it and eat it throughout the week.
Warm it up in the microwave for 2-3 minutes (stirring halfway through) for a single serving or bring it to a simmer on the stovetop for 3-4 minutes over medium-low heat.
Can you freeze butternut squash soup?
This is a great recipe to freeze and can be frozen for up to 3 months. Butternut squash is in season in the fall, so you can take advantage of the bounty of winter squash with this soup.
Allow the soup to cool completely before storing it in an airtight container – I recommend using individual glass containers so you can enjoy individual servings at a time.
When you want to eat the soup, you can put the entire frozen soup in a pot and heat it on the stovetop. You can also reheat individual portions from frozen – microwave for 6-7 minutes, stirring halfway through as it defrosts.
More Instant Pot soup recipes
Meal prep tools for this recipe
- Grab some glass meal prep bowls if you plan on turning this soup into your weekly lunches.
- Get a Y-shaped peeler to peel your squash.
- Freeze this recipe in glass microwave-safe bowls up to 3 months.
Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup {Vegan}
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 butternut squash, peeled and chopped
- 4 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 2 yellow onions, diced
- 8 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 5 sage leaves (plus more for garnish)
Crispy sage
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 10 sage leaves
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to Instant Pot in the order that they are listed, with the exception of sage. Place lid on Instant Pot and make sure valve is set to seal.
- Press the pressure cook button and set to high, then cook for 5 minutes. Instant Pot will take about 5-10 minutes to come to pressure then pressure cook for 5 minutes.
- Do a quick release of the pressure on the Instant Pot by flicking the switch at the top with a spoon. Open the lid when pressure gauge has dropped and the lid opens easily.
- Add in sage then blend soup with an immersion blender. Garnish with crispy sage and a swirl of creme fraiche/cream/coconut milk (optional – do not add dairy if making vegan), then serve and enjoy!
Crispy sage
- Heat olive oil in a medium-sized skillet over high heat. Once oil is hot, add sage and fry for 30 seconds or less, until sage is crispy. Drain onto a paper towel lined plate, then use as a garnish for soup.
