This Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup is an easy, delicious fall soup that is super creamy and rich – it’s also vegan! Don’t forget to garnish with crispy sage.
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Ingredients in butternut squash soup
Besides the butternut squash and broth, you will also need carrots, garlic and onions. This recipe is pretty simple and you don’t need a ton of ingredients to bring out the fall flavours! Adding some sage at the end is a great finish but totally optional.
To choose a good butternut squash, look for one that is a consistent beige color and has no bruises or cuts. Any punctures are places that bacteria and mold can get in. Find a squash that feels heavy for its size.
Butternut squash are in season in North America in September and October. A squash will store in a cool dark place in your pantry for several weeks.
How to make butternut squash soup in the Instant Pot
This creamy fall favorite can be made in about 30-40 minutes using the Instant Pot. Before, it would take hours for roasting, now it’s a weeknight meal!
- Peel and cube the butternut squash – you can also buy pre-cut butternut squash at the store
- Put all the ingredients in the Instant Pot
- Cook for five minutes on high pressure
- Do a quick release to stop the cooking process immediately
- Add sage then use an immersion blender until the soup is smooth
How to peel butternut squash
With its awkward shape, peeling a butternut squash can be intimidating. Don’t let it stop you from making this incredible soup.
- 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.
Ingredient substitutions
If you want to make this recipe unique, you can try a few ingredient substitutions.
Use any other hard winter squash for the butternut squash.
You have your choice of creme fraiche, coconut milk or cream for thickening the soup. If you need a vegan recipe, be sure to leave out any dairy products.
Other ingredients you can add to the soup to change the flavor include:
- Leeks
- Goat cheese
- Tomatoes
- Cider vinegar
- Red pepper
- Cilantro
- Thyme
- Cloves
- Allspice
- Cinnamon
How to make the crispy sage
Crispy sage is a savory topping for the soup that takes just a moment to make. It’s absolutely worth the extra effort to add this garnish to your butternut squash soup.
Simply fry the sage leaves in oil or butter for no more than 30 seconds, then drain on a paper towel so they remain crisp.
How to blend the soup
The easiest way to blend this soup is to use an immersion blender. You can put it directly into the Instant Pot while the soup is still hot. It will only take a minute for your soup to be smooth.
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 so be careful! 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.
What to serve with this soup
As delicious as this soup is, you will want to make something else with it to make it a complete meal. Try a few of these accompaniments:
- Bread & butter
- Salad
- Sauteed shrimp or scallops
- Sandwiches
- Baked chicken breasts
Storing and reheating this soup
Butternut squash soup will last for four to five days in the refrigerator. 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 on the stove top for 3-4 minutes if you meal prepped this recipe.
Can you freeze butternut squash soup?
This is a great recipe to freeze. 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. This soup can be frozen up to 3 months!
When you want to eat the soup, you can put the entire frozen soup in a pot and heat it on the stove. You can also reheat individual portions from frozen – microwave for 6-7 minutes, stirring halfway through as it defrosts.
More Instant Pot soup recipes
If you’re looking for more amazing soup recipes, the Instant Pot has got your back! Check out these other favourites below.
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 resources
If you’d like some more help with your Instant Pot, then you’ll love my free resources! Sign up for free below when you get my weekly newsletter:
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Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup
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.
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