Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup

This creamy butternut squash soup is like a warm hug in a bowl! Your whole family will love how the sweet pears and coconut milk make every spoonful taste amazing. Plus, your Instant Pot does all the hard work for you.

Recipe Details

Timing & Servings: Prep Time: 30 minutes, Additional Time: 55 minutes, Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes, Serves: 6 people, Yield: 9 cups.

Nutrition Profile: Nut-Free, Healthy Immunity, Soy-Free, High-Fiber, Vegetarian, Egg-Free, Gluten-Free, Low-Calorie.

Nutrition Facts (per serving): 274 Calories, 14g Fat, 36g Carbs, 5g Protein.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Olive oil: You’ll need 2 tablespoons to get everything started. This helps all those wonderful flavors come together nicely.

Green Anjou pears: Get 2 ½ cups chopped up, which is usually about 2-3 pears. These add such a lovely sweetness that makes this soup special!

Yellow onion: One medium onion chopped gives you about 1 cup. Yellow onions work perfectly here for that mild, sweet flavor.

Fresh cilantro: You’ll want 1 cup loosely packed leaves with tender stems, plus extra for garnish. Don’t worry about picking every single leaf – those tender stems add great flavor too!

Fresh ginger: One 1-inch piece, peeled and thinly sliced. Fresh ginger gives this soup such a bright, zesty kick.

Salt: Just 1 teaspoon to bring out all the flavors. You can always add more to taste later.

Ground coriander: Half a teaspoon adds a warm, slightly citrusy note that pairs beautifully with the other ingredients.

Butternut squash: One 2 ½ pound squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces – that’s about 7 heaping cups. You can buy it pre-cut to save time!

Light coconut milk: Two 13.5-ounce cans, well shaken and stirred. This makes the soup incredibly creamy and rich.

Lime zest: Two 3-inch strips add amazing citrus flavor while it cooks. You’ll remove these before blending.

Lime juice: One tablespoon stirred in at the end brightens up the whole soup.

Plain whole-milk yogurt: Half a cup swirled in at the end adds wonderful richness. You can skip this to keep it vegan!

Dry-roasted peanuts: Six tablespoons chopped, totally optional but they add such a nice crunch on top.

How to Make Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup

Step 1: Turn on your Instant Pot and select the Sauté setting on high. Let it preheat for a minute or two. Add the olive oil and let it heat up for about 1-2 minutes until it shimmers.

Step 2: Toss in the chopped pears, onion, cilantro, ginger, salt, and coriander. Stir everything around and cook for about 5 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when the onion starts to soften and smell amazing!

Step 3: Add all the butternut squash pieces, both cans of coconut milk, and the lime zest strips. Give everything a good stir to combine.

Step 4: Put the lid on your Instant Pot and make sure it’s locked in place. Turn that steam release handle to the Sealing position. Select Manual or Pressure Cook on High pressure for 20 minutes.

Step 5: When the cooking time is up, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. Then carefully turn the steam release handle to Venting and let all the steam escape – this takes about 8-12 minutes.

Step 6: Turn off your Instant Pot and remove the insert. Let it cool for about 10 minutes. Fish out those lime zest strips and toss them. Stir in the fresh lime juice.

Step 7: Here’s the fun part! Working in 2 batches, carefully transfer the soup to your blender. Remove the center piece of the blender lid and cover with a clean towel – this lets steam escape safely. Blend each batch for about 25 seconds until silky smooth.

Step 8: Pour the blended soup into a large serving bowl and let it cool for a couple minutes. Swirl in that yogurt for extra creaminess. Ladle into bowls and top with fresh cilantro and chopped peanuts if you like!

Easy and Quick Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup Version

Want to save even more time? You’ve got this! Buy pre-cut butternut squash from the store – it costs a bit more but saves you 15 minutes of prep time. You can also use bottled lime juice instead of fresh, and skip the peanut garnish completely. The soup will still taste absolutely delicious!

Serving Ideas

This soup is practically a complete meal all by itself! Serve it with some crusty sourdough bread or warm dinner rolls for dipping. A simple green salad with vinaigrette makes a perfect light side. For something heartier, try it with grilled cheese sandwiches – kids especially love this combo!

Storage

Store your leftover soup in the fridge for up to 4 days in covered containers. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months! To reheat, just warm it gently on the stove or in the microwave. Add the yogurt swirl right before serving, not before storing.

Substitutions

No pears? Try chopped apples instead – they work beautifully! Don’t have cilantro? Fresh parsley gives a different but lovely flavor. You can swap the coconut milk for regular milk or cream if that’s what you have. For a completely dairy-free version, just skip the yogurt swirl.

Pro Tips

• Perfect Texture: Let the soup cool slightly before blending – it prevents splattering and makes it safer to handle.

• Extra Flavor: Roast the butternut squash in the oven first for 20 minutes at 400°F for deeper, caramelized flavor.

• Smooth Results: Strain the soup through a fine mesh sieve after blending for restaurant-quality smoothness.

• Make It Yours: Add a pinch of curry powder or cumin for warm spice, or try a splash of maple syrup for extra sweetness.

FAQs

Can I make this soup without an Instant Pot?

You bet! Just sauté everything in a large pot, add the squash and coconut milk, then simmer covered for about 25-30 minutes until the squash is tender. The rest stays exactly the same!

Why did my yogurt curdle when I added it?

No worries – this happens when the soup is too hot! Let it cool for about 5-10 minutes before swirling in the yogurt. If it does curdle, the soup still tastes great, just not as pretty.

Can I serve this soup cold?

Sure! This soup is delicious chilled too. Just let it cool completely, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours. It makes a refreshing summer soup that way!

How do I know when the butternut squash is done cooking?

After the pressure cooking time, the squash should be fork-tender and easily mashed. If it’s still firm when you test it, just pressure cook for another 5 minutes.

I hope you love this cozy soup as much as my family does! Let me know how yours turns out – I always love hearing about your cooking adventures. Happy soup making!