Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup

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My Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup recipe is quick and easy to make. It uses simple ingredients for a flavorful soup kids of all ages love.

Instant Pot butternut squash soup being served from a white ceramic bowl

This pressure cooker soup recipe uses basic ingredients like butternut squash, chicken stock, onions and spices for a comforting dish that makes a great starter, side dish or light lunch. It’s one of our favorites during the cold winter months.

You can use pre-cut butternut squash or cube it yourself. It’s one of the easiest soup recipes for new Instant Pot owners to make! It makes great leftovers that are easy to reheat too.

Next time you’re craving a warm bowl of goodness, give this easy recipe a try. You’ll never want to make butternut squash soup on the stovetop again.

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 ½ cups of diced onion
  • 4 cloves of minced garlic
  • 8 cups of peeled and cubed butternut squash
  • 1 quart of chicken stock
  • ½ teaspoon of sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon of garlic powder
  • ⅛ teaspoon of black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon of dried sage
  • ½ teaspoon of dried thyme

Equipment

  • Knife
  • Cutting Board
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Mixing spoon
  • Instant Pot

By the Numbers: How to Make Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup

Follow these simple step-by-step instructions to learn how to make the best butternut squash soup in an electric pressure cooker.

Step 1: Saute Onions in Olive Oil.

Press the Sauté button on your Instant Pot. Once warm, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 ½ cups of chopped onion to the inner pot and cook until translucent. Stir in 4 cloves of minced garlic and cook just until fragrant, then turn off the heat.

Chopped onion and garlic being sauteed in an Instant Pot with a bamboo spatula.

Step 2: Stir in Spices.

Stir in ½ teaspoon of sea salt, ½ teaspoon of garlic powder, ⅛ teaspoon of black pepper, ½ teaspoon of dried sage and ½ teaspoon of dried thyme.

Sea salt, garlic powder, black pepper, sage and thyme being added to cooking onions and garlic in Instant Pot.

Step 3: Add Stock and Deglaze Pot.

Add 1 quart of chicken stock to the pot. Use your wooden spoon or spatula to deglaze the bottom of the pot to make sure nothing is stuck to it so you don’t get a burn notice.

Chicken stock added to Instant Pot with onion, garlic and spices.

Step 4: Pressure Cook Soup Ingredients.

Add 8 cups of butternut squash cubes to the pot, then stir to combine. Close the lid and make sure the pressure release valve is in the sealing position. Press the Pressure Cook button and set it cook on High Pressure for 10 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then quick release any remaining pressure manually.

Butternut squash cubes and chicken stock added to Instant Pot with onion, garlic and spices.

Step 5: Blend Soup Until Smooth.

Once the pressure has been fully released from the pot, you can open the lid and carefully stir the soup to release some of the remaining steam. Then, using an immersion blender, puree the soup until it’s smooth. Taste and adjust the spices, if necessary. If it’s too thick, you can add more chicken stock to thin it to your preference.

Butternut squash soup being pureed in the Instant Pot with an immersion blender.

Step 6: Serve Butternut Squash Soup.

Serve your delicious squash soup in soup bowls as a starter, side dish or light lunch.

Butternut squash soup being served with a large spoon.

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Tips for Making Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup

Answers to all of your questions about making delicious butternut squash soup in your Instant Pot, including tips and substitution ideas.

Is this recipe gluten and dairy free?

Yes, as written, this recipe is both dairy and gluten free.

Vegetarian option

Yes, all you have to do to make this soup both vegetarian and vegan is to use vegetable broth (or water) instead of chicken stock.

Immersion blender alternative

You can use a regular blender to puree soups, you just have to be very careful when you blend hot ingredients.

Pressure can build up inside of a normal blender, so you need to leave the lid cracked while you blend. Otherwise, the ingredients could spray all over your kitchen (and you) when you open the lid.

Use fresh herbs instead

Of course! I love using fresh herbs in my recipes. The standard conversion ratio is 1 tablespoon fresh to 1 teaspoon dried. So if you want to use fresh sage and thyme, use 1 ½ teaspoons each.

The squash was over or under cooked…

One key factor for variable cook time with this soup is the size of the squash cubes used. Large chunks will take longer and small chunks will take less time.

Another factor to consider is cook time:

  • If it was undercooked, put it back in the pressure cooker for a few more minutes and note the cooking time you used for your next batch. You can also use an extended natural pressure release.
  • If it was overcooked, you’ll need to adjust the cook time down by a couple minutes next time.

Variations

While I love this recipe as is, you can make a few modifications if you like variation in your meal plans:

  • Drizzle with heavy cream just before serving for a velvety texture.
  • Stir in some Greek yogurt or cream cheese after pressure cooking for a creamier texture.
  • Sprinkle pumpkin seeds over the top for a different texture.
  • For Indian flavors, replace the thyme and sage with curry powder, then stir coconut milk in at the end.

Use as a butternut squash pasta sauce

If you make this soup a bit on the thinner side, it also makes an amazing tomato-free, dairy-free, gluten-free pasta sauce!

Butternut squash sauce over gluten free pasta topped with parmesan and parsley in a white bowl
Gluten free pasta coated in butternut squash sauce / soup.

You can also use it as a tomato-free pizza sauce if you keep it on the thicker side. It tastes really good!

Storage tips

Be sure you store the soup in the refrigerator in an airtight container. I often store this soup in quart sized mason jars in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.

Your soup can be reheated in any pan on the stove over low heat (higher heats may cause the soup to scorch to the bottom of the pan). You may also need to add more liquid to thin it back down.

This soup can also be frozen in freezer safe containers like wide mouth pint jars. You can also freeze in individual portions so it’s easy to defrost and reheat for lunch.

Can I use my slow cooker instead?

Sure, it’s super easy to make butternut squash soup in a slow cooker. Just dump all of the ingredients into your crockpot in the morning, then cook on low for 6-8 hours (or high for 3-4 hours) or until the squash cubes are tender. Then puree with your immersion blender.

Will this recipe work on the stove top?

Yes, you can also make this recipe on the stovetop. Follow steps 1-3 in a large pot on your stove. When you get to step 4, bring the soup to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the temperature to low and simmer for about 45 minutes or until the squash is soft.

Follow the same method of pureeing with an immersion blender. You may need to add extra chicken stock when using this method as more liquid evaporates in a pan than an electric pressure cooker.

Is this like Panera’s Autumn Squash Soup?

No, this is my original recipe that I’ve been making on the stovetop for many years that I adapted for the Instant Pot. Panera’s Autumn Squash Soup has a lot more ingredients that would take this recipe from being quick and easy to much more time consuming and complicated.

Where to buy groceries online

I often buy groceries online to simplify meal planning. Read about the places where I order produce online and buy meat online. You can usually buy butternut squash online year round.

More winter squash recipes

If you love winter squash, but want to try making something other than soup, here are my other favorite recipes:

More Instant Pot Soup recipes

Here are some of my other favorite soup recipes to make in my Instant Pot:

Butternut squash soup being served with a spoon in front of an Instant Pot.

Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup Recipe

Learn how to make the best butternut squash soup in an Instant Pot or other electric pressure cooker.
5 from 3 votes
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Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Pressure Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Recipe Servings: 5

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 ½ cups onion - diced
  • 4 cloves garlic - minced
  • 8 cups butternut squash - peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes (about 4 pounds)
  • 1 quart chicken stock
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon dried sage
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme

Equipment

  • Knife
  • Cutting Board
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Mixing spoon
  • Instant Pot

Instructions

  • Turn your Instant Pot onto the Sauté function. Add the olive oil and chopped onion to the inner pot and cook until translucent. Stir in garlic and cook just until fragrant, then turn off the heat.
    Chopped onion and garlic being sauteed in an Instant Pot with a bamboo spatula.
  • Stir in the sea salt, garlic powder, black pepper, sage and thyme.
    Sea salt, garlic powder, black pepper, sage and thyme being added to cooking onions and garlic in Instant Pot.
  • Add the chicken stock and use your spoon or spatula to scrape the bottom of the pan to make sure nothing is stuck or you could get a burn message.
    Chicken stock added to Instant Pot with onion, garlic and spices.
  • Add the butternut squash cubes to the pot, then stir to combine. Close the lid and cook on High Pressure for 10 minutes. Allow for a natural pressure release for 10 minutes, then quick release the remaining pressure.
    Butternut squash cubes and chicken stock added to Instant Pot with onion, garlic and spices.
  • Open the lid and stir to release some steam. Puree the soup until smooth with an immersion blender. Taste and adjust spices. Add more chicken stock to thin, if desired.
    Butternut squash soup being pureed in the Instant Pot with an immersion blender.
  • Serve your tasty soup in soup bowls.
    Butternut squash soup being served with a large spoon.

Nutrition Information Per Serving

Calories: 218kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 6mg | Sodium: 515mg | Potassium: 1073mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 23828IU | Vitamin C: 52mg | Calcium: 130mg | Iron: 2mg

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