Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup is the BEST recipe for Butternut Squash Soup. It is a copycat recipe of Panera’s Butternut Squash soup made for the pressure cooker that is easy to make, healthy, gluten free, and offers a vegan option.
Looking for more Healthy Instant Pot Soup Recipes? Check out Instant Pot Beef and Barley Soup, Instant Pot Lasagna Soup, Instant Pot Ham and Bean Soup, and Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup.
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Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup
Made with rich spices, creamy butternut squash and sweet apple cider, this easy Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup is healthy, and delicious Instant Pot Soup recipe that my entire family enjoys.
The flavors of this soup mimic the flavors of Panera’s Squash Soup. The cinnamon and nutmeg give this naturally sweetened soup depth, while the the curry powder adds a rich and distinctive flavor to this squash soup. The apple cider adds just the right amount of sweetness and pairs beautifully with the butternut squash.
Ingredients for Butternut Squash Soup
- Onion
- Butternut Squash–peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks. For demonstration on how to cut butternut squash, check out this tutorial. Pro-Tip: It is often about the same price to buy pre-cut butternut squash and saves a lot of time when preparing butternut squash soup.
- Garlic–fresh or jarred minced garlic both work in this squash soup.
- Apple Cider–use 100% apple juice in place of apple cider if desired. Do NOT use apple cider vinegar, it will ruin your soup!
- Chicken or Vegetable Stock–both chicken and vegetable stock work equally well in this squash soup recipe.
- Cinnamon
- Curry Powder–to mimic the taste of Panera Butternut Squash Soup, curry powder is necessary. HOWEVER, I prefer this soup without the curry powder for a more mild squash and apple soup.
- Nutmeg–use fresh nutmeg and grate using a microplane. Do not use powdered ground nutmeg. If you don’t have fresh nutmeg, just omit it.
- Ginger–do not use powdered ginger, only fresh ginger works to not overtake the flavors in the Butternut Squash Soup. Use a microplane to grate the ginger root right into the pressure cooker.
- Greek yogurt–instead of yogurt, feel free to add in cream cheese, half and half or heavy cream, or omit dairy altogether in this for a Vegan Butternut Squash Soup.
How To Make Butternut Squash Soup in Pressure Cooker
Step One: Saute Veggies
- Turn Instant Pot to Saute Function.
- Once Instant Pot reads, HOT, add in olive oil.
- Add onions and saute until soft and translucent, about 3 minutes.
- Add in garlic and saute for 1 minute longer. Turn pressure cooker off.
Step Two: Pressure Cook Soup
- Add stock and cider/juice to pressure cooker and scrape up any browned bits from bottom of the Instant Pot.
- Add in squash and spices.
- Close pressure cooker and seal vent knob.
- Set to cook on High Pressure for 15 minutes.
Step Three: Puree Soup
- Once cook time has elapsed, let pressure release naturally for at least 10 minutes.
- Open instant pot and puree soup until creamy, using an immersion blender. If you don’t have an immersion blender, transfer soup to a blender to blend until smooth, just be sure to leave the lid on the blender cracked to let steam escape.
- If desiring a creamy soup, add in Greek yogurt or Heavy Cream at this time and blend again.
- Serve.
Storing Butternut Squash Soup
- This squash soup will keep in fridge for 3-4 days.
- Butternut Squash soup freezes for up to 3 months, as long as no heavy cream or Greek yogurt added to the soup. It does not freeze well after the addition of yogurt or cream, so is not recommended.
Copycat Panera Recipes
- Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
- One Pot Macaroni and Cheese
- Healthier Panera Broccoli Cheese Soup
- Mini Breakfast Quiche
- Copycat Panera Roasted Turkey, Apple, and Cheddar Sandwich
Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup
This is the BEST recipe for Butternut Squash Soup. This healthy soup is a copycat recipe of Panera's Butternut Squash soup with a vegan option all made in the pressure cooker.
Print Pin RatePrep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Pressure Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 8
Calories: 76kcal
Ingredients
- 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion minced
- 1 large butternut squash peeled and cubed into 1 inch cubes (about 4-5 cups or a 3 pound squash)
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 3 cups apple cider or apple juice DO NOT USE APPLE CIDER VINEGAR!!!!
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon curry powder see note
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger root grated
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt optional
Instructions
- Turn Instant Pot to saute. Once pressure cooker is heated, add in olive oil.
- Add onions and saute until soft and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add in garlic and saute for 1 minute longer.
- Add cubed butternut squash, apple cider, stock, and seasonings.
- Seal instant pot and set to sealed.
- Cook on high pressure for 15 minutes. (Hit manual button and adjust timer to 15 minutes by using + and - buttons.)
- Once pressure has released, allow for pressure to release for at least 10 minutes before manually releasing pressure.
- Using an immersion blender, puree soup until smooth.
- Add in yogurt if using and blend until well combined.
Notes
- To mimic the taste of Panera Butternut Squash Soup, curry powder is necessary. HOWEVER, I prefer this soup without the curry powder for a more mild squash and apple soup.
- Use 1 teaspoon minced garlic in place of garlic cloves.
- Instead of yogurt, feel free to add in cream cheese or half and half or leave out altogether.
- Instead of using an immersion blender, you can transfer the butternut squash soup to a blender, just be sure to let the hot air vent out the top of the blender and cover with a towel to keep soup from flying all over kitchen.
- Apple Cider/Apple Juice is not the same as apple cider vinegar. Never replace the cider or juice with vinegar--it will ruin your soup. If you don't have apple cider or apple juice on hand, use chicken or vegetable stock.
- See Instant Pot High Altitude Conversion if cooking 2500+ feet above sea level.
Nutrition Facts
Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup
Amount Per Serving
Calories 76 Calories from Fat 9
% Daily Value*
Fat 1g2%
Sodium 418mg18%
Potassium 149mg4%
Carbohydrates 15g5%
Sugar 12g13%
Protein 1g2%
Vitamin A 75IU2%
Vitamin C 2mg2%
Calcium 29mg3%
Iron 0.2mg1%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
I would love to know how you enjoy this recipe!Snap a picture and tag #amindfullmom on Instagram or Facebook - I would love to see!
Kristen Chidsey
Hi, I am Kristen, creator of A Mind "Full" Mom. I believe that making a wholesome family meal does not need to be hard or expensive! I love nothing more than to share with you delicious solutions for your hungry family.
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Any tips on thickening it up? I didn’t have as much squash as the recipe calls for and didn’t adjust the liquid. I didn’t pay attention! It’s simmering now to hopefully reduce because it sure does smell good!
Hi Gina! I hope that simmering helped. Another tip would be to remove some of the liquid and mix together with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and then add that to the simmering soup.
This was sooooo good!! A perfect copy of Panera and even better!! I was becoming addicted to that soup but needed a healthier version. This was spot on! Thank you so much!!
YAY! I am so glad you enjoyed so much Lori! Thank you for sharing your review.
Went the Vegan route, and it is still delicious! Next time I make it, I will lessen the curry, pepper, and ginger. Without the cream or yogurt to neutralize some of the spice, it is quite hot. Thank you for the recipe!
I am so glad you enjoyed Chris! I think a wise idea to lessen spices without the cream 🙂
How much is a serving?
Hi Alex, it works out to just over 1 cup per serving typically.
Made this soup yesterday and I have to say is absolutely delicious!!!
I shared it with my friend today and she was thoroughly impressed with the flavors. We both agreed that it tasted better than the original from Panera. I eliminated the curry only because I didn’t have any. I will for sure be making this soup again.
That makes me so happy Mary! I personally prefer the soup without the curry myself. Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment.
Hi, I’m thinking about making this soup for thanksgiving. I’ll have 12 people over, should I double the recipe? I’m planning to serve it with appetizers before the meal.
Hi Edineia, for a small bowl, this recipe will be plenty. However, it freezes great if you want to double for leftovers 🙂
Great recipe and easy to follow. Works great with our without the yogurt depending on your preference.
Only suggestion for myself is maybe a little less apple juice. This tended to come through more in the taste more than I prefer. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for letting us know your thoughts Brad! I am glad you enjoyed!
I used a lot more squash than called for because that’s what I had. Therefore I added a 1/2 cup more of the Apple juice and vegetable broth than called for. I also used powdered ginger and nutmeg but only half of what was specified. It was creamy enough that I didn’t need to add the yogurt. Turned out better than I expected.
I am so glad you enjoyed Greg! And thank you for letting us know how you changed it up a bit!
Hi Kristen
In your recipe you say 1 large butternut squash And in brackets it has
(4 to 5 cups). So I was going to use my hole squash but I thought I’d better see how many cups there was and it was over 8 cups so I thoughts I better do half (when finished it was too thin). When I was releasing the pressure the smell was phenomenal I thought I couldn’t wait to taste. It had great taste but the soup was very thin is yours? It doesn’t look like that in the pictures. Maybe if you can put the weight of the squash after cleaned & cubed I think that would help. I will definitely make this again but I will use at least the 8 cups of squash. Would you add more spices. Love this with the apple cider.
Hi Shirley! I am so glad you loved the flavor. If using more squash but the same amount of liquid, I would use the same spices and adjust afterwards. I would be afraid the nutmeg/cinnamon/curry could overpower the soup. As for the amount of squash, I will add the weight to the ingredients now to help troubleshoot for others.
Thank you Kristen for the fast reply. Thanks for putting the weight of the squash in the recipe.
Absolutely Shirley! I appreciate feedback to make these recipes easier for everyone 🙂
Oh my gosh! It turned out amazing! Thank you…I’m always looking for nummy soup recipes and I love Panera’s Autumn Squash soup. I have been trying to duplicate this for years! So delicious!
I am so glad you were able to recreate a favorite at home Veronica! I hope you enjoy many times over!
The flavor is delicious! I used a bonbon squash. It yielded nearly 6 cups of squash, but my soup is still very thin…. any suggestions?
Hi Belinda! I am glad you enjoyed the flavor. My guess is that the bonbon squash has a lot more water content than a butternut squash, therefore it would water the soup down a bit. To remedy, you could make a roux with butter and flour and then pour soup in and simmer until thickened.
I love butternut squash soup, but don’t have an Instant pot. Could you please tell me instructions for making this in a crock pot?
Hi Carol! I would actually suggest just making on stove top–that will be the fastest way. Saute the onion in oil over medium high heat until is oft and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add in garlic and saute for 1 minute longer. Add cubed butternut squash, apple cider, stock, and seasonings. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer until squash is soft, stirring occasionally. It should take about 20-25 minutes. Puree soup in batches in the blender (or using immersion blender) and then return to pan. Add in yogurt or cream if using and heat until warm. Serve 🙂
I just added this to my meal plan for the week. I can’t wait to try it. Do you suggest anything specific to go with it (a salad or sandwich? A fruit spread? Or just bread?)
Hi Sarah! I love serving this with homemade bread and a salad. Personally, I really like to serve with a seasonal fall salad, like Brussels Spouts Salad, Kale Apple Salad, or Butternut Squash Salad (if that is not too much squash for you😉) I hope you enjoy!
I have cooked frozen butternut squash …can I use that? How much would I use …it is all mashed before frozen?
Hi Mary! I have not tried using mashed frozen butternut squash–I would cook for 8 minutes on high pressure. Just keep in mind that it will take longer for your Instant Pot to come to pressure when using frozen food. Just be sure to add in the stock and then the squash to help prevent a burn warning. Also, I would decrease the apple cider to 3 cups for pre cooked squash. Enjoy!
I just tried this yesterday and *wow* what a wonderful flavor. I used 100% apple juice instead of apple cider, omitted the greek yogurt and added heavy cream to taste and a sprinkling of black pepper in our bowls upon serving. My wife just loves it and said to me, “don’t change anything.” “This is the first time I will say follow the recipe exactly.”
Thank you for such a great recipe.
I love hearing that you and your wife enjoyed Ron! Thank you for taking the time to review 🙂
Can I use frozen butternut squash?
Yes Cher and cook time will remain the same. Enjoy!
Could pumpkin be used in place of the butternut squash in this recipe? I have some roasted pumpkin in the freezer and I have heard that pumpkin and butternut squash can be interchanged sometimes.
Yes Dawn! Pumpkin would be delicious! I hope you enjoy!
I found that 4 cups of apple cider vinegar made it to tart. But perhaps I was using older vinegar and it had fermented more.
Hi Jaimie, the recipe calls for apple cider, not apple cider vinegar–they are 2 very different ingredients. I am sorry you misunderstood. The apple cider will make this soup much more enjoyable.
Hi,
this recipe look like a must try. I have butternut squash that I have already roasted in the oven. does this effect the time?
Thank you,
Gina Lewis
Hi Gina! Yes, if your butternut squash is already cooked, I would only cook for 5 minutes on high pressure and then blend together. Enjoy!
I understand there are several types of curry is there a specific curry spice you recommend? Also-I love the Panera soup but don’t usually love curry is there a spice would do instead of curry?
Hi Lisa, I use a mild curry powder for this soup. It is the flavor that panera uses as well 🙂
I love my butternut squash recipe, but your recipe looks like one i definitely need to try!!!
Oh I hope you do Libby! We love this recipe!
I found it a bit sweet, however I think I may have used to much precut butternut squash.
Hi Lori, the apple cider will make this a bit sweeter, in the future, you can replace half the apple cider with chicken stock to make a bit more savory. Sometimes, I will add in 1 teaspoon minced garlic and omit curry for a more savory soup as well.
I want to make this and I have precut squash. About how many cups would I use?
Hi Linda! It will be about 3 cups of squash cubed. Enjoy!
I love the fall and all of the soups and stews. This recipe looks magnificent! Thank you for another great recipe!
Ah, thank you Deb!! I appreciate that