Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup (Thai-Inspired)
Creamy, comforting butternut squash soup made in the Instant Pot! Warming and subtly spicy with Thai-inspired flavors. Just 1 pot and 9 ingredients required!
Servings 4 (~2 cup servings)
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup water (or 2 tsp oil)
- 1 cup diced yellow or white onion (1 small onion yields ~1 cup or 150 g)
- 1 cup peeled and diced carrots (2-3 carrots yield ~1 cup or 160 g)
- 3 cloves garlic (3 cloves garlic yield ~1 heaping Tbsp or 12 g)
- 1 Tbsp fresh minced ginger (1-inch or 2 ½-cm piece yields ~1 Tbsp or 7 g)
- 1/2 tsp sea salt (plus more to taste)
- 2 Tbsp red curry paste (ensure vegan-friendly as needed // we like Mike’s Organic Curry Love)
- 6 cups cubed butternut squash, peeled and cut into ~3/4-inch cubes (1 large squash yields ~6 cups or 850 g)
- 3 cups vegetable broth* (or store-bought)
- 1/8 tsp ground cayenne (optional // depending on the spiciness of your curry paste)
- 1 cup canned full-fat coconut milk (plus more to taste)
- 2-3 tsp maple syrup (optional // depending on the sweetness of your squash)
FOR SERVING optional
- Full-fat coconut milk
- Sriracha (or cayenne)
- Chopped roasted cashews
- Lime wedges
Instructions
INSTANT POT
- Turn on the sauté function on your Instant Pot (to the default “Normal” — not high or low). Once hot, add water (or oil), onion, carrots, garlic, ginger, and salt. Stir and sauté for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently, until onion is translucent and softened.
- Add the curry paste and stir for 1 minute, until well coated and fragrant.
- Turn off the sauté function by pressing “Cancel.” Then add the butternut squash, vegetable broth, and cayenne (optional). Stir to combine.
- Put on the Instant Pot lid and turn to seal. Pressure cook on HIGH for 8 minutes. Once the timer goes off, let the steam release naturally (~20 minutes), or carefully press the quick release if in a hurry. Turn off the Instant Pot by pressing “Cancel.”
- When the steam releases and the valve drops, carefully open the lid. Stir in the coconut milk and maple syrup (optional, depending on the sweetness of your squash).
- Purée with an immersion blender until smooth (or let cool slightly before transferring to a high-speed blender). Taste and adjust as needed, adding more coconut milk for creaminess, curry paste for curry flavor, maple syrup for sweetness, or salt for overall flavor.
- Garnish with a swirl of coconut milk, sriracha or cayenne, cashews, and/or lime wedges (all optional).
- Leftovers will keep 4-5 days in the refrigerator or up to 1 month in the freezer. Reheat in a saucepan on the stovetop.
STOVETOP
- Heat a large pot over medium heat.
- Once hot, add water (or oil), onion, carrots, garlic, ginger, and salt. Stir and sauté for 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until onion is translucent and softened.
- Add curry paste and stir for 1 minute, until well coated and fragrant.
- Add the butternut squash, vegetable broth, and cayenne (optional) and stir to combine. Bring to a low boil over medium heat and then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until butternut squash is fork tender.
- Add the coconut milk and maple syrup (optional, depending on the sweetness of your squash).
- Purée with an immersion blender until smooth (or let cool slightly before transferring to a high-speed blender). Taste and adjust as needed, adding more coconut milk for creaminess, curry paste for curry flavor, maple syrup for sweetness, or salt for overall flavor.
- Garnish with a swirl of coconut milk, sriracha or cayenne, cashews, and/or lime wedges (all optional).
- Leftovers will keep 4-5 days in the refrigerator or up to 1 month in the freezer. Reheat in a saucepan on the stovetop.
Video
Notes
*If you’d prefer a thicker soup, use 2 cups vegetable broth instead of 3 cups.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without optional ingredients.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without optional ingredients.
Nutrition (1 of 4 servings)
Serving: 1 serving Calories: 244 Carbohydrates: 36.2 g Protein: 3.7 g Fat: 10.8 g Saturated Fat: 9.6 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1 g Monounsaturated Fat: 0 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 822 mg Potassium: 925 mg Fiber: 9.3 g Sugar: 10.1 g Vitamin A: 29051 IU Vitamin C: 38 mg Calcium: 129 mg Iron: 2.3 mg