Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup – Now you can make butternut squash soup in just half the time in the IP! Quick, easy & velvety smooth.
This is a very rich and tasty soup with an incredible depth of flavor. I first made it for my friend and her family who came to visit. They all absolutely loved it.
You see – it’s getting chilly up here, but they are from a warmer climate and wanted something cozy for dinner. I wanted to make something comforting and delicious that could feed us all for a couple of days because we didn’t want to have to cook every single night.
That’s when I remembered this soup from my grandma’s cookbook, that I could adapt for the Instant Pot. This is perfect because the Instant Pot cooks it in less than half the time without sacrificing any of the flavor or richness.
Soup is a great meal to have when you don’t have a lot of time, but want something that is filling and tasty. This recipe for butternut squash soup from Instant Pot can be prepped in just 15 minutes and the cooking time is just 11 minutes. (the recipe shows 20 because of the time it takes to pressurize and depressurize as well as the cooking time)
Instant Pot Squash Soup
Here are some commonly asked questions
What is “natural pressure release”?
Often, an Instant Pot recipe would call for you to release all the pressure at the end of the timed pressure cycle. However, the cooking process stops when the pressure is released.
For recipes that call for a natural pressure release, you would refrain from releasing the pressure from the unit for a set amount of time. This allows for a little extra cooking time as the pressure inside naturally goes down.
At the end of the natural pressure release cycle, you would then use the valve to release the remaining pressure and stop the cooking process.
Can this recipe be doubled?
In theory, yes you could double this recipe. However- due to the space constraints of the pot when the ingredients are in their raw form – I don’t think I would attempt to double this recipe. I have had both Instant Pots going at the same time when I need a double batch.
Butternut Squash Soup
What size Instant Pot do you use for this recipe?
I am currently using an 8-quart pot, but this recipe can be made in the 6-quart pot too. If you have one of the smaller versions (3-quart mini), I recommend cutting this recipe in half.
What is the difference between a pressure cooker and an instant pot?
By today’s definition, they are virtually the same – if you are talking about an electric pressure cooker. However, a traditional pressure cooker and an instant pot are two different cooking methods.
A traditional pressure cooker is a sealed metal container that cooks food quickly by steam under increased atmospheric pressure and heats the pot to boiling point.
An Instant Pot, on the other hand, is an electric-style pressure cooker that uses the same idea for cooking foods but can do so with very little liquid. They are incredibly efficient, safer than a traditional pressure cooker, and super easy to use too. Plus they come with a multitude of other functions making them great for quick meal prep.
Butternut Squash Soup Recipe
What can I use as a heavy cream sub?
If you don’t happen to have heavy cream on hand, you can sub in evaporated milk, plain Greek yogurt, coconut milk, almond milk, or even sour cream.
How to store leftovers
Allow the soup to cool down completely. Place in a shallow airtight container and the refrigerator for up to 3 days
Why use a shallow container to store the leftovers?
Well, when the container is shallow, the contents chill faster than if you were to use a large, deep container. Ideally, you don’t want it to take too long for the leftovers to get to their chilled/stored temperature.
As I mentioned, if the food remains above about 35 degrees for more than 1 hour after cooking, the bacteria starts to grow.
Instant Pot Butternut Squash
Ingredients for Butternut Squash Soup
- chicken broth
- garlic – minced
- celery stalks – sliced
- carrots – peeled and sliced
- yellow onion – chopped
- butternut squash – peeled, seeded, and cut into 1” cubes
- fresh sage leaves
- ground nutmeg
- heavy cream
- Salt and pepper
Tips for making the BEST butternut squash soup
- I used store-bought chicken broth but feel free to substitute vegetable broth for a meat-free option.
- Garlic, celery, carrots, and onion are classic soup flavors and really enhance the earthiness of the butternut squash while making the soup a bit heartier.
- Sage is a great herb to pair with butternut squash but rosemary or thyme would also be delicious.
- Nutmeg is a classic pairing with butternut squash because it adds a bit of spice and warmth. If you don’t have nutmeg, cinnamon is also delicious.
- Heavy cream adds richness and creaminess to the soup.
How to reheat
Reheat in the microwave on low medium heat until warmed through or heat in a saucepan.
Best Butternut Squash Soup
How to Make Butternut Squash Soup
- Put the broth, garlic, carrots, onion, squash, celery, sage, and nutmeg in the Instant Pot and stir.
- Attach the lid and ensure the valve is in the sealing position. Cook on the Manual-High Pressure setting for 10 minutes. Then allow the pressure to release naturally for 1 minute. Then release the remaining pressure.
- Use an immersion blender (or very carefully transfer the mixture to a blender in batches) and blend until the soup is smooth– about 2 minutes.
- Stir in the heavy cream and enjoy.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
What to serve with Butternut Squash Soup
While the possibilities are plentiful when it comes to what this soup is great to be paired with. Here are a handful of our favorite recipes we add alongside this soup.
- one hour dinner rolls
- cucumber sandwich
- beer bread dinner rolls
- chef salad
- garlic parmesan pull apart biscuits
- chicken and spinach grilled goat cheese sandwich
- cheesy spinach crescents
Here are my favorite Instant Pot Tools and Accessories!
- Instant Pot
- Non-Stick Instant Pot Insert with Silicone Lid
- Accessory Set
- Glass Lid
- Sealing Rings
- Silicone Egg Bites Mold
- Large Mesh Steamer Basket
- Complete Cook & Bake Set
DON’T MISS THESE HOLIDAY E-BOOKS!
Easy Butternut Squash Soup
If you love this Easy Butternut Squash Soup recipe, you’re going to love these other soup recipes too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!
Other Soups
Squash Soup Instant Pot
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Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup
Ingredients
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 celery stalks sliced
- 2 large carrots peeled and sliced
- 1 small yellow onion chopped
- 1 medium butternut squash peeled, seeded, and cut into 1” cubes (about 4 cups)
- 2 tablespoons fresh sage leaves
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Put the broth, garlic, carrots, onion, squash, celery, sage, and nutmeg in the Instant Pot and stir.
- Attach the lid and ensure the valve is in the sealing position. Cook on the Manual-High Pressure setting for 10 minutes. Then allow the pressure to release naturally for 1 minute. Then release the remaining pressure.
- Use an immersion blender (or very carefully transfer the mixture to a blender in batches) and blend until the soup is smooth– about 2 minutes.
- Stir in the heavy cream and enjoy.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Notes
- I used store-bought chicken broth but feel free to substitute vegetable broth for a meat-free option.
- Garlic, celery, carrots, and onion are classic soup flavors and really enhance the earthiness of the butternut squash while making the soup a bit heartier.
- Sage is a great herb to pair with butternut squash but rosemary or thyme would also be delicious.
- Nutmeg is a classic pairing with butternut squash because it adds a bit of spice and warmth. If you don’t have nutmeg, cinnamon is also delicious.
- Heavy cream adds richness and creaminess to the soup.
Nutritional information for the recipe is provided as a courtesy and is approximate. Please double-check with your own dietary calculator for the best accuracy. We at Yummi Haus cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site.
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