Instant pot butternut squash soup is the perfect fall dish to cook in your pressure cooker — it's warm, cozy, comforting, and creamy. Plus, it’s super quick and easy to prep and make in under 25 minutes. Just throw some delicious vegetables into the instant pot, cook them for 15 minutes, then add heavy cream and blend everything together. This silky smooth pressure cooker butternut squash soup works as an amazing first course or a filling dinner with a side of crusty bread. And the best part? This instant pot soup is easy to make ahead for meal prep, freezer-friendly, and reheats well!
Why You’ll Love Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup
- It’s sweet, savory, and well-seasoned. Butternut squash is naturally sweet and creamy, and that’s why it’s the star of the show. And with added ingredients like onion, carrots, celery, apple, thyme, chicken broth, and cream, this pressure cooker butternut squash soup is flavorful, savory, and delicious.
- It has a silky texture. The final step of this recipe has you blend the soup with an immersion blender, and you do not want to skip this step! Blending your ingredients gives you a thick, creamy soup with a silky texture. And with some added cream, it’s melt-in-your-mouth good.
- It’s healthy with a chock full of nutrients. We all know that incorporating vegetables into your diet is a good idea, but you might be unaware that butternut squash has high levels of potassium—an essential electrolyte that keeps your body hydrated. It also contains lots of fiber and is great for heart health and maintaining healthy blood pressure.
Ingredients And Substitutions
To make this easy instant pot butternut squash soup, you will need the following ingredients (full quantities in the recipe card below):
- butternut squash
- onion
- carrots
- celery
- apple
- thyme
- bay leaves - optional, for an extra flavor kick.
- salt and pepper
- vegetable stock - you can also substitute with chicken stock.
- heavy cream - you can also substitute with half and half cream or whole milk. Note that the level of creaminess will be less if you use these substitutions.
You will also need measuring cups and spoons, an instant pot (or other pressure cooker, and an immersion blender (or blender or food processor).
How to Make the Best Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup
- Combine ingredients. In a 6-quart instant pot pressure cooker, add butternut squash, onion, carrots, celery, and apple. Season with thyme, bay leaves (if using), salt, and pepper. Add in vegetable broth and stir well until evenly mixed.
- Pressure cook. Switch to pressure cooking mode on manual high and seal the lid. Let the mixture pressure cook for 12-15 minutes. Once the time is up, quick release pressure or wait until all of the steam has released and the valve has dropped. Remove the lid and discard thyme sprigs and bay leaves.
- Puree. Puree with an immersion blender or transfer to a blender in batches and puree until smooth. Return to the pot and stir in heavy cream.
- Serve. Serve immediately with an extra drizzle of cream on top and pumpkin seeds (optional).
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- No immersion blender? No problem: You can use a regular blender or food processor for this recipe without issue. Just be careful when pouring hot soup! Use a ladle to prevent any spills or splatters. When blending, ensure there is space for air to escape and cover any ventilation holes with a cloth to avoid splattering.
- How to store: This instant pot butternut squash soup will keep in the fridge for up to 3-4 days, stored in an airtight container.
- How to freeze: You can also freeze butternut squash soup in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. You can freeze a whole batch or portion then out into smaller portions before freezing. Label them with the recipe name and date made.
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Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Instant pot butternut squash soup is the perfect fall dish to cook in your pressure cooker — warm, cozy, comforting, and creamy. Make in 15 minutes.
Ingredients
- 1 medium butternut squash (about 2.5 lb.), peeled, seeded and diced
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
- 1 rib celery, diced
- 1 apple, cored and diced
- 1-2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1-2 bay leaves (optional)
- ½ teaspoon salt, ( or to taste )
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, ( or to taste )
- 3 cups vegetable stock or chicken broth
- ½ cup heavy cream
Instructions
- In a 6-quart instant pot pressure cooker, add butternut squash, onion, carrots, celery, and apple. Season with thyme, bay leaves (if using), salt, and pepper. Add in vegetable broth and stir well until evenly mixed.
- Switch to pressure cooking mode on manual high and seal the lid. Let the mixture pressure cook for 12-15 minutes. Once the time is up, quick release pressure or wait until all of the steam has released and the valve has dropped. Remove the lid and discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaves.
- Puree with an immersion blender or transfer to a blender in batches and puree until smooth. Return to the pot and stir in heavy cream.
- Serve immediately with an extra drizzle of cream on top and pumpkin seeds (optional).
Notes
No immersion blender? No problem: You can use a regular blender or food processor for this recipe without issue. Just be careful when pouring hot soup! Use a ladle to prevent any spills or splatters. When blending, ensure there is space for air to escape and cover any ventilation holes with a cloth to avoid splattering.
How to store: This instant pot butternut squash soup will keep in the fridge for up to 3-4 days, stored in an airtight container.
How to freeze: You can also freeze butternut squash soup in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. You can freeze a whole batch or portion then out into smaller portions before freezing. Label them with the recipe name and date made.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Pressure Cooker
- Cuisine: American
Margaret Clegg says
Made this for dinner tonight and it was great. I had some chicken apple sausage links I needed to use up, and added those to the finished soup.
Rocio says
So simple and delicious! I loved it!
Sam Hu | Ahead of Thyme says
Thank you so much Rocio! So glad you liked the recipe!