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This Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup recipe is super quick and easy to make in the pressure cooker, it’s naturally gluten-free and vegan, and it’s full of the best fall flavors that everyone will love! (This post contains affiliate links.)
This one goes out to all of my Instant Pot fans out there!
We’ve had loads of requests ever since this magical pressure cooker hit the market for tips on how to adapt my favorite Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Soup recipe for the Instant Pot. And with good reason — why wait 4-8 hours for this cozy soup to cook when it could be ready from start to finish in about 30 minutes instead?!
Like I said…magic. ✨✨✨
Seriously, this continues to be one of my all-time favorite soup recipes, and thousands of readers have made it over the years and agreed as well. So grab your pressure cookers and let’s make a batch…in an “instant”!
This butternut squash soup recipe actually hails from my mom, who first made it for our family when everyone was back home in Wichita a few Thanksgivings ago. It’s loaded up with lots of fall favorites — hearty butternut squash, tart Granny smith apples, a (surprise!) carrot, and some extra garlic and sage for seasonings. It’s also made extra creamy with coconut milk, although you’re welcome to sub in heavy cream or any other kind of milk that you prefer.
To make the soup in the Instant Pot (<– this is the model I own), just pop the beginning ingredients in there together and cook on high pressure for 8 minutes. Then, there’s no need to wait for the natural release. Just (very carefully) turn the valve to “venting” for a quick release. Then remove the sage, add in the coconut milk, puree with a blender (or immersion blender) until smooth and creamy, taste, season…
…and if you feel like adding an extra touch, drizzle some extra coconut milk on top and sprinkle with some fresh herbs or pumpkin seeds or a sprinkle of seasoning (smoked paprika, cinnamon, cayenne, you pick).
And within about 30 minutes, this gorgeous meal will be yours to enjoy. It’s so warm and hearty and comforting, it’s full of ingredients you can feel great about, and it is just SO amazingly good. Every time.
This delicious Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup recipe is quick and easy to make in the pressure cooker, it’s naturally gluten-free and vegan, and it’s SO comforting and delicious! Feel free to add in more cayenne if you would like an extra kick.
1/4 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper, or more to taste
1/8 teaspoon cayenne, or more to taste
pinch of ground cinnamon and nutmeg
1/2 cup canned (unsweetened) coconut milk
optional garnishes: extra coconut milk and a sprinkle of smoked paprika (or cayenne pepper)
Instructions
Add vegetable stock, garlic, carrot, apple, butternut squash, sage, onion, salt, pepper, cayenne, cinnamon and nutmeg to an Instant Pot pressure cooker. Toss to combine. Close lid securely and set vent to “Sealing”.
Press “Manual”, then press “Pressure” until the light on “High Pressure” lights up, then adjust the +/- buttons until time reads 8 minutes. Cook. Then very carefully, turn the vent to “Venting” for quick release, and wait until all of the steam has released and the valve has dropped. Remove the lid.
Remove and discard the sage. Stir in the coconut milk.
Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth. (Or you can transfer the soup in two batches into a traditional blender, and puree until smooth, being very careful when working with the hot liquid.) Taste, and season with additional salt, pepper and cayenne if needed.
Serve warm, with optional garnishes if desired.
Notes
*A medium-sized butternut squash should weigh around 3-4 pounds.
This is a wonderful soup! I used my Instant Pot, and except for not dicing, I followed the recipe exactly. I kind of wanted to see what would happen, but my immersion blender did just fine at pureeing everything. I will definitely try this again. I paired it with some ciabatta rolls and salad, and it was a filling meal.
This is by far the best recipe I’ve found, cooked and eaten. I used a whole can of coconut milk rather than half a can, added 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper to the recipe and used a honey crisp apple rather than a green apple. I will make it again and again. YUMMY!
We loved loved loved this soup but felt that the amount of cayenne was a bit overwhelming. I’m making another batch tomorrow to put in the freezer for Thanksgiving and will reduce the amount of cayenne.. By the way, I used your Instant Pot version.
Made this yesterday and it is delicious! The apple and coconut milk deterred me a bit at first, but it turned out great. Only difference is that I was a little more heavy handed on the cayenne, nutmeg, and cinnamon (I added smoked paprika as well). All together, a delicious fall recipe!
This soup is delicious. I used 2 lbs of previously frozen diced butternut squash but everything else was as directed. The coconut milk and blending make the finished product smooth and velvety. I’ve made it twice and it will be on my regular soup rotation.
Made this basically as per the recipe, except I had 2 lbs pre cut butternut squash instead of a full butternut squash, I think the portions were about right, just had to thin out a bit with water, but that also could have been due to my instant pot issues I had with the sealing vent which cause a lot of water to vaporize, but that was my own problem. Super tasty!
I was very pleasantly surprised at the delicious taste of the soup given that I did not need to roast the squash or pre-cook the onions and garlic. I was a little worried it would not have as much flavour but I was wrong. I will definitely make this again as it was so easy and tasty!
Everyone went for seconds, even those who were only tasting it to be polite! Simple prep and basic ingredients give way to a rich, luxurious and healthy meal. I will be making this as often as I can.
Thanks for this yummy recipe. It’s good the trifecta… really good, simple and cheap to make. Other than buying the coconut milk and butternut squash ($4) I had all of the ingredients on hand and this makes enough that I can bring it for lunch all week and have a delicious, warm fall meal.
I adapted it for my Pampered Chef Deluxe Cooking Blender (basically used the Instant Pot directions). Turned out great. Nice blend of flavors. First butternut squash soup my 16yr old daughter has liked.
Can I omit the carrot from this or substitute it with something else? All the best soups have carrot in them it seems. However, my fiance is deathly allergic to carrots and I don’t want to choose between him and carrots ?
Excellent! Added extra spices… just a little bland. Loved the contrast of squash with garlic and sweet apple! Also added one tablespoon of balsamic vinegar. Absolutely delicious….. good thing it’s low cal!!
Thus is the first recipe my husband and I made with our instapot and it turned out awesome!! Love the blend of flavors and the texture was perfect once blended in my Vitamix. Will definitely make it again and again.
Super easy recipe which is important to me. I didn’t have an apple or coconut milk but I did have 2 parsnips and heavy whipping cream, still came out really good.
Delicious, quick recipe! Needed some more flavor, so I used the immersion blender to mix in two sage leaves and some rosemary. Dollop of non-fat plain Greek yogurt was also a delicious addition.
I have made this recipe a dozen times. It just doesn’t get better than this! Plus, this is my go to blog for recipes. Thank you for providing such great recipes.
Excellent recipe! I substituted a little to use the ingredients that I had on hand (pink lady apple, yellow onion & dried sage). The viscosity was just right! Hands down the Butternut Squash soup I’ve ever made. Also, very easy with an Instapot. I will definitely make it again.
Delicious and easy! Unfortunately I did not have any coconut milk so I added 1/3 cup shredded coconut in with the rest of the ingredients and then added heavy cream at the end. I will definitely make this recipe again.
Made I tonight first meal with my new instant pot. Yum!! Pretty quick prep. I sauted the garlic onion rosemary and a little olive oil in the IP before adding everything else and cooking.
Accidentally left the rosemary leaves in there when I blended it so it’s a little heavy on the rosemary taste b it still good.
Served with potato bread and butter so good!
Best squash soup ever!!! I did double the spices and I added a 4 strips of extra crispy bacon before I put it in the blender because bacon make anything better. Thanks so much for the recipe, making another double batch tomorrow.
I want to start by saying I love butternut squash soup. I tried this recipe because it was easy. To me it tasted strange. Not sure why. Going to add some curry to it.
This recipe came out great! It was super easy! I definitely added a bigger quantity of all the seasonings and it came out just a little spicy which is delicious with the warming spices like cinnamon! I added almost the whole can of coconut milk. Will definitely make again – Used a blender and it came out way creamier than I thought it would!!
This soup is fantastic and I will be adding it to my dinner soup list. My only comment is to make sure you use a SMALL white onion or 1/2 of a medium one or the onion taste is overbearing. I also saute’ the onion and garlic first for more flavor.
I have been experimenting with this recipe, not that it needs it, however that is what I do. Here are some of the things I have tried.
suggestions:
1 tbs. brown sugar if you like to sweeten it up a little
1 tsp. cinnamon and 1 tsp. nutmeg
1tsp. pumpkin spice
1/4 cup apple cider
sprinkle of pine nuts on top as a garnish with the coconut milk (unsweetened) from a squeeze bottle. You can be very creative with dispensing from a squeeze bottle, designs, names, etc.
I have made this soup several times starting with one change at a time to test the flavors.
You can also make the basic soup and place a 1/2 cup of the soup in each of several ramekins and then add a small amount of the optional ingredients to see which one you like or do combinations.
My last batch I did all of them and it turned out great.
My favorite soup, period. My favorite from any recipe book, blog, cooking show … My absolute favorite. Tastes like Fall in a bowl. I found this recipe years ago after I had my first bowl of butternut squash soup at a super fancy restaurant in Nashville. My company had a holiday party there. I loved the soup so much I decided to recreate it by looking online for recipes. But I had no idea that id find a recipe not only as good as the restaurant, but even better! It’s so frothy and creamy and smooth and flavorful and sweet and it’s HEALTHY! I ate it everyday during my first trimester of pregnancy when I had no appetite and was constantly throwing up lunch. It was the only way to get vegetables down without feeling nauseas. I printed off the recipe three times just in case the blog or recipe gets deleted. OBSESSED.
I made this wonderful soup after a friend posted that she had made it. I loved it. It was very easy to make. I shared samples and they all loved it. So I’m doing a distant lunch with 2 very special friends so I’m in the process of making my 2 batch. Thanks for sharing. I had been buying it and it’s only seasonal so I’m excited I can have it all winter.
Super good. perfect for fall!
This is a wonderful soup! I used my Instant Pot, and except for not dicing, I followed the recipe exactly. I kind of wanted to see what would happen, but my immersion blender did just fine at pureeing everything. I will definitely try this again. I paired it with some ciabatta rolls and salad, and it was a filling meal.
This is by far the best recipe I’ve found, cooked and eaten. I used a whole can of coconut milk rather than half a can, added 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper to the recipe and used a honey crisp apple rather than a green apple. I will make it again and again. YUMMY!
We loved loved loved this soup but felt that the amount of cayenne was a bit overwhelming. I’m making another batch tomorrow to put in the freezer for Thanksgiving and will reduce the amount of cayenne.. By the way, I used your Instant Pot version.
We doubled the recipe and left out the sage. It was one of the best butternut squash soups I’ve ever made!
Made this yesterday and it is delicious! The apple and coconut milk deterred me a bit at first, but it turned out great. Only difference is that I was a little more heavy handed on the cayenne, nutmeg, and cinnamon (I added smoked paprika as well). All together, a delicious fall recipe!
Excellent!!!!!!Will make again. Would probably not have chosen this recipe on my own, but fir my daughter’s great recommendation!
This soup is delicious. I used 2 lbs of previously frozen diced butternut squash but everything else was as directed. The coconut milk and blending make the finished product smooth and velvety. I’ve made it twice and it will be on my regular soup rotation.
This recipe was easy to follow, simple and ended up tasting delicious! I added 1/4 tsp of curry to mine for an added flavor too.
Made this basically as per the recipe, except I had 2 lbs pre cut butternut squash instead of a full butternut squash, I think the portions were about right, just had to thin out a bit with water, but that also could have been due to my instant pot issues I had with the sealing vent which cause a lot of water to vaporize, but that was my own problem. Super tasty!
So decedent! Like wrapping your insides in soft, warm velvet. Thank you!
Great! I doubled all of the spices, but this was a hit with my family and I will be making it, again!
Delicious! The Cheyenne pepper adds just the right amount of heat!! Love it.
Excited to tr y this! I have all the ingredients except for sage. Will it still be tasty without it?
I used rosemary in place of sage! Yummm
It was ok but not my favorite. It was too tangy or as my husband said juicy tasting due to the Granny Smith Apple.
Same! I think maybe adding half an apple instead of the whole one would give a little zing without overwhelming it so much ?♀️
I was very pleasantly surprised at the delicious taste of the soup given that I did not need to roast the squash or pre-cook the onions and garlic. I was a little worried it would not have as much flavour but I was wrong. I will definitely make this again as it was so easy and tasty!
Great effort to flavor ratio!
Incredibly easy to make, few ingredients, fast, yet it tastes fantastic. Great recipe!
I didn’t have sage, used some dried rosemary and poultry seasoning. tasted fantastic.
Everyone went for seconds, even those who were only tasting it to be polite! Simple prep and basic ingredients give way to a rich, luxurious and healthy meal. I will be making this as often as I can.
I am trying this today
Thanks for this yummy recipe. It’s good the trifecta… really good, simple and cheap to make. Other than buying the coconut milk and butternut squash ($4) I had all of the ingredients on hand and this makes enough that I can bring it for lunch all week and have a delicious, warm fall meal.
Hoping to make this soon. Does it freeze well?
It was good but not enough flavour.
I adapted it for my Pampered Chef Deluxe Cooking Blender (basically used the Instant Pot directions). Turned out great. Nice blend of flavors. First butternut squash soup my 16yr old daughter has liked.
Delicious! I had some fresh ginger on hand, so I threw in a slice of that, too!
Can I omit the carrot from this or substitute it with something else? All the best soups have carrot in them it seems. However, my fiance is deathly allergic to carrots and I don’t want to choose between him and carrots ?
Excellent! Added extra spices… just a little bland. Loved the contrast of squash with garlic and sweet apple! Also added one tablespoon of balsamic vinegar. Absolutely delicious….. good thing it’s low cal!!
Thus is the first recipe my husband and I made with our instapot and it turned out awesome!! Love the blend of flavors and the texture was perfect once blended in my Vitamix. Will definitely make it again and again.
Super easy recipe which is important to me. I didn’t have an apple or coconut milk but I did have 2 parsnips and heavy whipping cream, still came out really good.
Delicious, quick recipe! Needed some more flavor, so I used the immersion blender to mix in two sage leaves and some rosemary. Dollop of non-fat plain Greek yogurt was also a delicious addition.
Very tasty not too sweet or tart
I have made this recipe a dozen times. It just doesn’t get better than this! Plus, this is my go to blog for recipes. Thank you for providing such great recipes.
Excellent recipe! I substituted a little to use the ingredients that I had on hand (pink lady apple, yellow onion & dried sage). The viscosity was just right! Hands down the Butternut Squash soup I’ve ever made. Also, very easy with an Instapot. I will definitely make it again.
My second time making this yummyand healthy fall soup!
I would really like the nutrition facts for this recipe please.
Steve
We made this for a socially distant outdoor lunch and everyone loved it! Delicious on a chilly afternoon. We topped with a dash of port. Thank you!
I tripled this recipe and paired it with home made french bread and served it for our Sunday night family dinner. It was perfect!
Delicious and easy! Unfortunately I did not have any coconut milk so I added 1/3 cup shredded coconut in with the rest of the ingredients and then added heavy cream at the end. I will definitely make this recipe again.
Made I tonight first meal with my new instant pot. Yum!! Pretty quick prep. I sauted the garlic onion rosemary and a little olive oil in the IP before adding everything else and cooking.
Accidentally left the rosemary leaves in there when I blended it so it’s a little heavy on the rosemary taste b it still good.
Served with potato bread and butter so good!
Best squash soup ever!!! I did double the spices and I added a 4 strips of extra crispy bacon before I put it in the blender because bacon make anything better. Thanks so much for the recipe, making another double batch tomorrow.
I want to start by saying I love butternut squash soup. I tried this recipe because it was easy. To me it tasted strange. Not sure why. Going to add some curry to it.
This was delicious. I added cheese ravioli after blending. Perfect soup for fall!
This recipe came out great! It was super easy! I definitely added a bigger quantity of all the seasonings and it came out just a little spicy which is delicious with the warming spices like cinnamon! I added almost the whole can of coconut milk. Will definitely make again – Used a blender and it came out way creamier than I thought it would!!
Easy, quick and very tasty!
Tasty indeed.
Very easy recipe to use> very delicious too!
This soup is fantastic and I will be adding it to my dinner soup list. My only comment is to make sure you use a SMALL white onion or 1/2 of a medium one or the onion taste is overbearing. I also saute’ the onion and garlic first for more flavor.
I have been experimenting with this recipe, not that it needs it, however that is what I do. Here are some of the things I have tried.
suggestions:
1 tbs. brown sugar if you like to sweeten it up a little
1 tsp. cinnamon and 1 tsp. nutmeg
1tsp. pumpkin spice
1/4 cup apple cider
sprinkle of pine nuts on top as a garnish with the coconut milk (unsweetened) from a squeeze bottle. You can be very creative with dispensing from a squeeze bottle, designs, names, etc.
I have made this soup several times starting with one change at a time to test the flavors.
You can also make the basic soup and place a 1/2 cup of the soup in each of several ramekins and then add a small amount of the optional ingredients to see which one you like or do combinations.
My last batch I did all of them and it turned out great.
My favorite soup, period. My favorite from any recipe book, blog, cooking show … My absolute favorite. Tastes like Fall in a bowl. I found this recipe years ago after I had my first bowl of butternut squash soup at a super fancy restaurant in Nashville. My company had a holiday party there. I loved the soup so much I decided to recreate it by looking online for recipes. But I had no idea that id find a recipe not only as good as the restaurant, but even better! It’s so frothy and creamy and smooth and flavorful and sweet and it’s HEALTHY! I ate it everyday during my first trimester of pregnancy when I had no appetite and was constantly throwing up lunch. It was the only way to get vegetables down without feeling nauseas. I printed off the recipe three times just in case the blog or recipe gets deleted. OBSESSED.
Omygoodness this is soooooo tasty! I thought it would taste coconuty but it doesn’t – it’s not overpowering. So delicious! Thankyou!
I made this wonderful soup after a friend posted that she had made it. I loved it. It was very easy to make. I shared samples and they all loved it. So I’m doing a distant lunch with 2 very special friends so I’m in the process of making my 2 batch. Thanks for sharing. I had been buying it and it’s only seasonal so I’m excited I can have it all winter.
Delicious!! The second time I made it I added a little more cayenne than the recipe called for – made it just a bit more spicy – SO good!!