This hearty butternut squash soup is cooked completely in an Instant Pot and is the ideal soothing comfort meal. It’s also naturally vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free, and takes less than an hour to prepare! Serve with my rosemary sea salt dinner rolls and a steaming cup of glhwein.

Halloween is done, so we can finally speak about Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve, right? Right. I do, however, take them one at a time.

In October, I concentrate on Halloween, then in November, on Thanksgiving, and then on the Friday following Thanksgiving, it’s full speed ahead to Christmas and New Years Eve.

Soup season is also in full swing. This is the time of year when I desire all of my favorite comfort meals, and this simple butternut squash soup recipe is one of them.

It’s creamy, silky, and the epitome of comfort food. This butternut squash soup with apples is delicately spiced, and the addition of a sour apple gives the ideal balance of tastes.

I’ve served this soup as a lunch with my Rosemary Sea Salt Dinner Rolls, but you may also serve it as an appetizer or side dish to your dinner.

I’ve served my golden child (and fan favorite) Carrot Ginger Soup as the first dish at Thanksgiving dinner in the past. But what about this year? This has quickly become the front-runner for our Christmas table.

Ingredients for butternut squash soup

• 8 cups peeled, seeded, and chopped butternut squash (about 2 medium squash)
• 16 oz. vegetable stock
• 3clovesgarlic,minced
• 1 apple, peeled and diced (I like using Granny Smiths)
• 2 fresh sage sprigs
• 1 onion, white or yellow, chopped
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• teaspoonsalt
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp ground white pepper
• a pinch of cayenne pepper
• a pinch of cinnamon powder
• a pinch of freshly ground nutmeg
• 1 can coconut milk

Making butternut squash soup

Prepare the butternut squash

• Pare and cut your butternut squash in half lengthwise.
• Scoop out the seeds as you would a Halloween pumpkin that is now squirrel food.
• Core, peel, and dice your apple; peel and dice your onion; mince your garlic; and grab a few sprigs of sage.
• It is also possible to use pre-cut butternut squash (like a package from the store).

Combine everything in the Instant Pot

• Combine all of the chopped vegetables, vegetable stock, and sage in your Instant Pot.
• After that, add your seasonings (turmeric, salt, black pepper, white pepper, cayenne, cinnamon, and nutmeg).
• Stir to blend, but don’t be too concerned about having everything uniformly distributed.

Cook in the Instant Pot

• Cover the IP with the lid and secure it shut. Set the vent to the Sealing position.
• Set the Pressure Level to high and press Pressure Cook.
• Hold down the Plus button until the timer reaches 9 minutes. Let it to cook until it beeps to signal that it is finished.
• Using an oven glove or cloth, gently slide the valve to the Vent position and let all of the pressure to escape. It will make a loud whistling sound, so warn everyone else in the room so they don’t assume a freight train is passing through. It might take a few minutes for it to end.

Finish with coconut milk and blend

• Lift the lid and discard the sage sprigs gently.
• Pour in the coconut milk and quickly whisk it in.
• Insert an immersion blender (affiliate link) towards the bottom of the saucepan, then turn it on and carefully move it around the pot to combine everything.
• Mix until completely smooth. Taste it, and if you want to add more of any of the spices, add a pinch and mix again to incorporate.

Distribute soup into cups or bowls using a ladle. It will be quite hot right out of the Instant Pot, so use caution!

If you have leftovers but believe you’ll want more, just replace the cover and click the Stay Warm button.

Coconut milk instead of heavy cream

I like to prepare this butternut squash soup with coconut milk because it adds a creamy texture. If preferred, garnish with a swirl of coconut milk and freshly ground pepper. It provides for a nice appearance but isn’t required in terms of taste.

This is another recommendation to serve with warm Rosemary Sea Salt Dinner Rolls. They’re robust enough to be dipped in the soup, and the combination makes for a delicious cold-weather meal.

How to store butternut squash soup

Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to a week.

To reheat, cook in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring periodically, until well heated.