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This irresistibly smooth and naturally creamy Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup is SO EASY to make! Ready in less than 45 minutes, it’s made with simple vegan and gluten-free ingredients.
Why I love this recipe
If there is one winter soup I can’t live without, it’s butternut squash soup. It’s one of the first soup recipes I learned to make from scratch and I’ve been obsessed ever since! It’s naturally creamy, nutritious, and oh-so-comforting. Like sunshine in a bowl.
Loaded with onion, celery, carrots, sweet potato, garlic, and fresh ginger, the ingredients may be simple, but the flavor is smooth, rich, and perfectly balanced.
Now, with a little help from the Instant Pot, I can make this winter must-have in a snap – and so can you!
Enjoy, everyone!
Table of Contents
Can I Make This Soup on the Stovetop?
This recipe was written specifically for the Instant Pot. If you’re looking for a stovetop alternative be sure to check out my recipe for the absolute BEST butternut squash soup.
How to Make It
While I always recommend softening the vegetables—especially the onions, celery, and carrots (the classic mirepoix)—before cooking, you can skip this step if you’re short on time. For the full printable recipe, jump to the recipe card below.
- Set your Instant Pot to Sauté mode and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. First, add the onions and cook for 3–4 minutes until softened. Add the carrots and celery and cook for another 4–5 minutes. Finally, add the sweet potato, garlic, and ginger, and cook for 1–2 minutes, or until fragrant.
- Press Cancel. Pour in 1 cup of broth and scrape the bottom of the pot to deglaze any browned bits. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and pepper, then add the remaining broth and butternut squash; stir to combine.
- Secure the lid and set the valve to sealing. Cook on Manual HIGH pressure for 10 minutes (it will take 10–15 minutes to come to pressure). Carefully quick release the pressure.
- Stir in coconut milk or creamer, if using. Blend the soup with an immersion blender or in batches in a regular blender until smooth. Add more salt to taste, if needed.
Jessica Says
Tips For Success
After nearly a decade making this recipe, here are a few tips I’ve collected along the way:
- Use pre-cut squash: To save time, purchase pre-chopped butternut squash from the market. You will need approximately 6 cups.
- Fresh aromatics are best: Although you can substitute the fresh garlic and ginger with garlic powder or ground ginger, fresh is ideal here, guaranteeing the best flavor.
- For a little sweetness: Add a granny smith apple (no need to peel, just chop) or a half cup of apple juice, apple sauce, or apple cider.
- Make it low-carb: Swap the sweet potatoes for a lower-carb option like cauliflower or additional carrots! Super easy.
- For deeper flavor: Roasted butternut squash will deepen the flavor of this soup. I like to plan ahead and roast several baking sheets of butternut squash in the same day. Then, I’ll divide it among several recipes like this soup, butternut squash salad, and butternut squash tacos.
- Add some toppings: I love toppings! They add texture, flavor, and dimension. Some of my favorite toppings for this soup are homemade croutons, freshly shredded mozzarella cheese, crumbled oven-baked bacon, pomegranate arils (weird, but delicious), and fresh chives.
Frequently Asked Questions
The most important tip is to blend your soup in small batches, filling the blender no more than halfway. Additional precautions include allowing it to cool slightly before blending (to reduce steam); removing the center cap from the blender lid (if possible), and covering the opening with a clean kitchen towel to let steam escape and prevent splattering; and start blending at the lowest speed, gradually increasing until blended.
You can absolutely skip this step! The veggies will still be fully cooked and taste delicious. It may taste a little less complex and more “vegetable-forward,” but no less creamy and gingery!
This soup freezes incredibly well. For best results, freeze the soup before adding cream, coconut milk, or any dairy/non-dairy creamer. This prevents separation and changes in texture when reheating. Remember to cool the soup completely before freezing, and store it in airtight containers or freezer bags for up to 3 months.
More Delicious Butternut Squash Recipes
If you make this easy butternut squash soup recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out in the comment section below! Your review will help other readers in the community. And if you’re hungry for more delicious food inspiration and exclusive content, join my free newsletter here.
Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, peeled and roughly chopped
- 3 stalks celery, roughly chopped
- 3 large carrots, roughly chopped
- 1 small sweet potato, (or russet potato)
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
- 1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
- 3 cup vegetable broth (or water), plus more as needed
- 1 medium to large butternut squash, peeled, seeded and chopped into 1-inch cubes
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- optional garnishes, a drizzle of coconut milk or heavy cream (not dairy-free) or a sprinkle of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, cayenne pepper, or smoked paprika
Instructions
- Prepare the vegetables – Chop the vegetables into large chunks. Peel and roughly chop the garlic and ginger. The exact size of the vegetables isn't super important, but for some of the harder vegetables (carrots and celery) be sure to chop a little smaller to ensure that they get cooked completely.
- Sauté the onions, carrots, and celery – Set your Instant Pot to "Sauté function" mode medium. Add the olive oil. Once your pot is hot, add the onions. Sauté for 3-4 minutes, stirring often. Add the carrots and celery and continue to cook for an additional 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently. Finally, stir in the sweet potato, garlic cloves, and fresh ginger. Mix thoroughly and cook for 1-2 minutes more. Press "Cancel" to turn off the pressure cooker.
- Add remaining ingredients – Deglaze the bottom of your pot by adding 1 cup of vegetable stock while the pot is still hot. Scrape up any charred or browned bits that my by stuck to the bottom of your pot. Season with salt and pepper. Finally, add the remaining 2 cups vegetable broth and cubes of butternut squash. Carefully mix to combine.
- Cook – Secure the lid and turn the steam release valve to the sealing position. Set to “Manual” and “High Pressure”. Adjust the +/- buttons/knob until you reach 10 minutes. Start cooking (keeping in mind that it will take approximately 10-15 minutes to reach pressure before the Instant Pot will begin counting down).
- Quick-release – Very carefully (I usually use a towel to shield my hand) turn the vent to the “venting” position. The steam will come rushing out. Wait for all the steam to release and the valve to drop before removing the lid.
- Blend – Stir in coconut milk or creamer (if using) and use an immersion blender to puree the soup directly inside your Instant Pot. Or, transfer to a large blender and blend it there.
- Season to taste and serve – Season with additional salt and pepper, to taste. Serve garnished with all your favorite toppings!
Notes
- Try to purchase a butternut squash that is approximately 4-5 pounds. It should feel heavy for its size.
- Substitute vegetable broth with chicken broth or chicken stock, if desired.
- Feel free to get creative and add other veggies like cauliflower or fruit, like apples.
- Keep leftovers stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Reheat in a pot on the stovetop, or in the microwave until completely heated through.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
So yummy !
I can’t wait to enjoy this soup with family this afternoon. I brought a cup of it to our granddaughter last night and she loved it too. So healthy! Also I made your croutons to go with the soup! Yum!