The fall season is around the corner, nothing beats a bowl of delicious, warm soup on a chilly day. We love creamy tomato soup, broccoli spinach soup, and now butternut squash soup. It is a little sweet and subtly spicy, making it a great addition to your Thanksgiving or Christmas holiday dinner table. I have prepared this dish in my electric pressure cooker, Instant Pot DUO60 6 QT, and it can be made in under 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Butternut Squash: Pick the squash with a nice beige-ish color, firm, heavy for its weight, and without any deep cuts or bruises. If you do not have time, use the peeled, and pre-cut squash that is available in the grocery stores. You may also use frozen cubed squash. Carrot: Adds a sweet flavor and creamy texture to the soup. Onions, Ginger, and Garlic: These form the base of the soup, essentially the aromatics, as they add a ton of flavor and nutrients. Use freshly minced ginger and garlic for a burst of flavor. Vegetable Broth: Use low-sodium vegetable broth to add the best flavor to the soup. However, you can even use water if that’s what you have. Spices: red chili powder (or paprika), red chili flakes, and salt. Coconut milk: I like to use full-fat coconut milk as it gives an extra creamy texture, but you can also use light coconut milk. For non-vegan versions, use regular heavy cream. Lime Juice: use freshly squeezed lime or lemon juice to add tanginess to the soup.
How to Make Butternut Coconut Squash Soup in Instant Pot
Firstly, Press SAUTE mode on Instant Pot. Add butter or oil, and once it’s hot, add minced garlic, ginger, onions and saute till the onions turn soft. Then add diced butternut squash, carrots, vegetable broth (or water), red chili flakes, and salt. Close the lid securely, and turn the vent to “SEALING”. Select the PRESSURE COOK/MANUAL (High Pressure) setting and set the cooking time to 8 minutes. When the instant pot beeps, allow the pressure to release naturally before removing the lid. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth. ( Or transfer the mixture to a traditional blender in batches and puree until smooth). Adjust seasoning at this stage. Then add thick coconut milk, red chili flakes, red chili powder, lime juice, and stir well. It tastes great with coconut milk, but you can replace it with whole milk or heavy cream, or half and half. If you think the soup is too thick, you can add vegetable broth (or water) to the soup and boil it for 2 minutes. Serve this Instant Pot butternut squash soup with coconut milk hot and top with red chili flakes and pumpkin seeds.
Stovetop Pot Method
Heat oil or butter in a large pot, and once it’s hot, add minced garlic, ginger, onions, and saute till the onions turn soft. Add diced butternut squash, carrots, vegetable broth (or water), red chili flakes, and salt. Cover and simmer until the vegetables are soft, about 20-25 minutes. Puree soup using a hand blender until smooth. If you don’t have a hand blender, puree in a blender in batches once slightly cooled. Then add thick coconut milk, red chili flakes, red chili powder, lime juice, and stir well. It tastes really great with coconut milk, but you can also substitute it with milk or cream or half and half. Serve this creamy butternut squash soup hot and top with red chili flakes and pumpkin seeds.
Toppings for Butternut Squash Soup
Pumpkin Seeds Shredded Cheese – Parmesan, Cheddar, Mozzarella Heavy Cream or coconut cream Any combination of the above
Serving Suggestions
Creamy Butternut squash coconut soup makes a perfect Thanksgiving or Christmas Holiday appetizer or first course. Serve with:
Homemade bread like garlic bread, veg chili cheese toast. Delicious salads like avocado cucumber salad, or quinoa black bean salad. Roasted veggies like crispy green beans, asparagus, or brussel sprouts.
Variations
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup : You can roast the butternut squash cubes in the air fryer or oven before adding them to the soup. Spicy Butternut Squash Soup: Add more red chili powder or red chili flakes to make the soup spicy. Thai Curried Butternut Squash Soup: You can add 1 tablespoon of Thai red curry paste. Curried Butternut Squash Soup: Add 1 tablespoon of curry powder instead of red chili powder. Butternut Squash Apple Soup: Add a green apple, diced with butternut squash and carrots before pressure cooking. Replacement for Coconut milk: You can use heavy whipping cream or full-fat milk, or half and half in place of coconut milk. Toppings: You can use sunflower seeds, roasted chickpeas, and cheese as an option for healthier toppings. Fresh Herbs: use rosemary, sage, oregano, or thyme.
Tips
Make sure to dice your butternut squash into roughly the same size (about 1-inch cubes) for even cooking. Be sure to sauté the onion and ginger, garlic, in a little olive oil or butter first. The soup will have a rich flavor. You can also use frozen Butternut Squash cubes in place of fresh ones.
Storage Suggestions
Store: This soup will last up to 3-4 days in the fridge if you store it in an airtight container.Freeze: You can freeze Butternut Squash Soup for up to 2 months in an airtight container without adding the cream/milk. Defrost the soup in the fridge overnight, then reheat it on the stovetop or microwave until smooth again. Add the cream (or milk) and adjust the seasonings as needed.
More Butternut Squash Recipes
Butternut Squash Coconut Curry Roasted Butternut Squash Butternut Squash Pasta Butternut Squash Stirfry with Coconut Butternut Squash Paratha Butternut Squash Dal
More Instant Pot Soup Recipes
Broccoli Cheddar Soup Sweet Potato Soup Lentil Soup Sweet Corn Soup Cauliflower Soup Vegetable Lentil Quinoa Soup Vegetable Barley Soup
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