This Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup is vegan, gluten-free, and quick to make! It’s packed with sweet and spicy seasonings, a variety of veggies, and is ultra creamy without using cream!
There’s nothing quite like cozying up to big bowl of soup. Preferably with a hearty roll for dunking. Who’s with me?! Today’s cozy butternut squash soup is made in the instant pot and full of good for you ingredients, so you’ll feel amazing inside and out!
Ingredients
This cozy veggie packed soup is good for the body and soul!
- Butternut Squash – the MVP of today’s soup. Butternut squash takes a little bit of prep: peel, cut, and de-seed, but often times you can find already prepped squash at your local grocery store — just ask!
- Sweet Potato – compliments the butternut squash with additional sweetness and creaminess.
- Granny Smith Apple – adds a touch of tartness to balance the sweetness from the squash, potato, and brown sugar.
- Celery, Carrot, and Onion – the classic soup veggie blend (mirepoix), that adds additional flavor and nutrition to the soup.
- Garlic – add that delicious nutty flavor to round out the sweetness from the other ingredients.
- Olive Oil – a healthy fat that helps make this soup creamy, rich, and smooth.
- Brown Sugar – gives the soup an additional layer of caramel-y sweet flavor to complement the sweetness from the squash and potato.
- Salt, Paprika, Cinnamon, Black Pepper, Nutmeg, Red Pepper Flakes – the perfect blend of sweet and spicy seasonings to take this soup to another level.
- Veggie Broth – the base for our soup. Use any broth you have on hand. You can use equal parts water in a pinch, but you’ll need additional salt and seasonings.
- Pumpkin Seeds and Feta – for garnish, if desired!
How to make
This vegan soup takes 35 minutes to make from start to finish!
- Prep your veggies and apple by peeling and chopping them into smaller pieces.
- Place chopped squash, apple, celery, carrot, potato, onion, garlic, oil, sugar, salt, paprika, cinnamon, pepper, nutmeg, red pepper flakes, and broth into your instant pot.
- Stir to combine then cover and cook for 15 minutes.
- After it’s done cooking, work in 2 batches, blending the soup until smooth and creamy!
Do you need to blend the soup?
Not necessarily, but I highly recommend it. Blending the soup creates an ultra-creamy texture. For the creamiest texture, use a high powered blender like a Vitamix. Don’t have a Vitamix? Try an immersion blender — keep in mind, it won’t be quite as smooth and creamy,
Can you make butternut squash soup without an instant pot?
Absolutely! If you don’t have an instant pot, no problem. Check out my oven-roasted butternut squash soup recipe or my crockpot butternut squash soup recipe!
Variations
- Add a protein. Try stirring in cooked sausage, bacon, or even roasted chickpeas for some added texture and flavor.
- Use more veggies. Throw in cauliflower florets with the rest of the vegetables.
- Make it creamier. This soup is already pretty darn creamy but if you want an even creamier soup try blending in some full-fat coconut milk or heavy cream, if not vegan.
What to serve with butternut squash soup
This butternut squash soup is delicious alone as a light lunch or fill it out with one or two sides for a bigger dinner!
How to store
Leftover butternut squash soup will last in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
To reheat, thaw in the fridge if frozen then heat in the microwave, stovetop, or back in the instant pot.
– Jennifer
Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup
Equipment for this recipe
Ingredients
- 1 (2 pound) butternut squash peeled, seeds removed, and cubed
- 1 Granny Smith Apple peeled and chopped
- 1 large stalk celery chopped
- 1 large carrot peeled and chopped
- 1 sweet potato peeled and chopped
- ½ small yellow onion chopped
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes omit if you don’t like spice
- 1 (32 oz) carton vegetable broth
- Salted roasted pumpkin seeds for garnish (highly recommended!)
- Crumbled feta for garnish (highly recommended, but omit if vegan!)
Recipe Video
Instructions
- Place squash, apple, celery, carrot, potato, onion, garlic, oil, sugar, salt, paprika, cinnamon, pepper, nutmeg, red pepper flakes, and broth into a 6 quart Instant Pot.
- Stir to combine.
- Cover and lock the lid. Make sure the steam release handle is pointing to sealing.
- Cook on HIGH pressure for 15 minutes.
- The Instant Pot will beep when it's finished.
- Flip the valve to "venting" for a quick release.
- Remove lid.
- Working in 2 batches, blend the soup until smooth and creamy.
- Taste and re-season, if necessary, then serve and enjoy!
- Take 5 seconds to rate this recipe below. We greatly appreciate it!
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Nutrition Information
*Note: Nutrition information is estimated and varies based on products used.