This Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup with Apple is made with fresh produce and warm spices for a wholesome soup full of fall flavor. Serve it as-is for a light appetizer, or add your favorite toppings for a filling meal! Dairy free and Vegan friendly.
What’s Better than Butternut?
Did you know that butternut squash is technically a fruit and not a vegetable? It’s true! It’s also one of the most common varieties of winter squash. I love how versatile it can taste! Whether you want something on the sweeter side or prefer a savory flavor, butternut squash can do it all! Not to mention, it’s super good for you, too. Of course, you can roast it and serve it as a side dish like these Foil Packet Potatoes and Eggs. Personally, my favorite way to eat butternut squash is in a soup such as Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Persimmon!
However, variety is the spice of life! Am I right? So, I decided to switch things up in my meal prep routine and created a second butternut squash soup with apple! It’s sweet, savory, and always delicious. Basically, it’s everything you ever needed…at least in a soup!
Is Vegan Butternut Squash Soup Good for You?
You butter believe it is! This butternut squash and apple soup is made fresh produce for nutrient-packed ingredients including:
Onions – Onions are a great source of vitamin C, vitamin B, and potassium. They can help prevent heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.
Ginger – Ginger is full of anti-inflammatory properties and antioxidants to help boost your immune system, lower blood sugar, and aid with osteoarthritis.
Apples – Apples are high in vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium, fiber, and polyphenols. As a result, they can help promote good gut bacteria and health, aid in weight management, help preserve bone density, and more!
Carrots & Celery- Carrots are known for being a good source of beta carotene, fiber, vitamin K, potassium, and antioxidants. As a result, consuming them can help improve your eye health, lower blood cholesterol, and reduce the risk of cancer. Celery is rich in potassium and contains natural salt, which helps balance out the sweetness of the squash and apple.
However, the real star of the show are the benefits of butternut squash!
It’s packed with vitamins and minerals including vitamin A, vitamin C, magnesium, and potassium, and fiber. As a result, it can help reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease, protect against Alzheimer’s disease, and regulate digestion.
Nutrition Tip: Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin which means that it is not created by our bodies so including them in our diets with ingredients such as butternut squash is a great way to boost your immune system!
How to Make Butternut Squash Soup with Apple
Not only is this vegan butternut squash soup recipe nutritious, but it’s also quick to make when you follow the simple instructions below!
- Sauté. Start by sautéeing the onion, garlic, ginger, and carrot for 2-3 minutes. Then, add the squash, apple, and cumin, and sautée the ingredients for another 2-3 minutes until soft.
- Add Broth. Once the ingredients are soft and fragrant, add the broth, and stir to combine. Next, place a cinnamon stick in the pot, and seal it with the lid.
- Pressure Cook. Set your instant pot to manual pressure cook for 12 minutes, and let it natural release for 10-12 minutes before switching to the quick release sweating.
Cooking -Tip: If you don’t have an immersion blender, transfer half of the ingredients at a time to a high-speed blender, and pulse them until smooth.
- Blend. After all the pressure has been fully released, use an immersion blender to blend the soup until it is smooth and creamy.
- Add Ingredients. Transfer the soup back to the instant pot, and keep it warm. To finish, add the remaining ingredients, stir them to combine well, and let them simmer for 10 minutes until the flavor of the spices have blended into the soup.
Note: No instant pot? No problem! Follow the same steps, letting the ingredients sautée and soften. You’ll just skip the pressure release step! Also, you’ll want to note that cooking times will vary.
Recipe Variations for Sweet & Spicy Butternut Squash Soup
One of the best things about this soup is that you can alter it to fit all your needs and flavor preferences by:
- Roasting the veggies: For more depth to the flavor, try roasting the butternut squash, onions, and carrots before adding them to the soup. This will create a slightly more caramelized taste without much extra time!
- Adding gluten free grains: Make this butternut squash soup with apple extra hearty by adding in your favorite grain such as rice, quinoa, or even gluten free noodles.
- Switching up the spices: Feel free to experiment with different spice combinations. For instance, I like to add a bit of chai. Or, leave out the cinnamon, and use chipotle powder instead for a bit of a Mexican flair!
Use fun toppings! When it comes to toppings, you really can’t go wrong. My favorite additions include thyme, parsley, and roasted pumpkin seeds. Some other delicious options include:
- Cheese such as parmesan, mozzarella, crumbled feta, or vegan cheese adds a savory component.
- Nuts and seeds including pine nuts, pepitas, and almonds add delicious crunch and heart-healthy fats.
- Protein like prosciutto can be used to create a sweet and salty contrast and can help boost the protein content for a super filling meal.
Common Questions
Yes! When stored in an airtight container in the fridge, this vegan butternut squash soup will stay fresh for 4-5 days. In fact, it often tastes even better the next day or so as the flavors sink in.
This soup freezes very well and will last for up to 3 months making it perfect to prepare ahead of time for easy dinners.
If your soup is too thin, all you have to do is stir in a quick gluten free slurry after cooking! Add a little bit at a time, and stir to combine adding more until the desired consistency is reached.
Yes, you’ll want to make sure to peel your butternut squash before adding it to this soup. Or, for a quick option, find pre-peeled cubes in the freezer section of your local grocery store!
More of Our Favorite
Nourishing Recipes to Pair with Butternut Squash and Apple Soup
Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup with Apple (Vegan)
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup with Apple is warm and comforting for a nourishing meal perfect for kid-friendly meal prep! Stove Top Option.
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon oil or butter
- 1 small or medium yellow onion, peeled and chopped
- 3 garlic cloves (peeled, whole)
- 1/2 Tablespoon grated fresh ginger
- 1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped (~1/2 cup)
- 1 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled and chopped or diced
- 1 large apple, peeled, cored, and chopped (~1 1/2 cups, chopped)
- 2 1/2 teaspoons cumin
- 3 cups vegetable stock
- 1 cinnamon stick (see notes if you don’t have a cinnamon stick)
- 3/4 cup coconut milk or non-dairy milk/cream
- 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
- 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne or paprika (adjust to your liking)
- pinch of nutmeg
- salt and pepper to taste
- Garnish – chopped fresh thyme or parsley, pepper, and pumpkin seeds
Instructions
- Add oil to the inside of the Instant Pot, and press the SAUTE button. Add onion, garlic, ginger, carrot and celery. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until the ingredients are fragrant.
- Add squash, apple, and cumin, and sauté for an additional 2 to 3 minutes.
- Stir in the broth and cinnamon stick. Lock the Instant Pot lid and set the vent to closed.
- Press MANUAL mode and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes then naturally release. Or, cook the ingredients for 12 minutes, and use the quick release method.
- Once the pressure is safely released, remove the cinnamon stick and use an immersion blender to blend the soup. Or, carefully transfer the soup into a high speed blender (half at a time), and puree the soup until it is creamy. Transfer the soup back into the Instant Pot, and keep it on WARM mode.
- Stir in the coconut milk and additional spices- curry, cayenne, pinch of nutmeg. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Keep the pot on WARM mode for 5-10 minutes until the spices have nicely blended with the soup. Taste and adjust if needed.
- Serve and garnish with fresh thyme and roasted pumpkin seeds.
Stove Top Option:
- Add oil or butter to a large pot, and heat it on medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, ginger, and carrot, and sauté the ingredients for 2 to 3 minutes or until they are fragrant.
- Add the squash, apple, and cumin sautéing for an additional 2 to 3 minutes.
- Next, pour in the broth, and stir the ingredients together. Place a cinnamon stick in the pot, and cover it with a lid.
- Cook the soup for 15 minutes on medium-to-medium low heat.
- Follow the same instructions as the instant pot recipe (starting at transferring to blender) after this step.
Notes
Substitute – A pinch or two of ground cinnamon can used in place of a cinnamon stick.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25. minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 234
- Sugar: 11.6 g
- Sodium: 747.8 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 11.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 26.8 g
- Fiber: 4.6 g
- Protein: 2.7 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Keywords: soup, butternut squash, instant pot, vegetarian, meal prep
This Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup with Apple is one of my fall favorites! Are you a fan of seasonal recipes, too? Let me know what your favorites are below!
Cheers,
LC
This soup was really good! We accidentally only bought 1lb of butternut squash so added 1/2lb of sweet potatoes and a healthy squeeze of lime juice at the end. The pictures look like there is celery but the recipe doesn’t look like it calls for it. Am I missing it?
★★★★★
Thanks for catching that! Celery was supposed to be added, but it’s not a huge deal if you didn’t add it. Celery just helps balance out the sweetness of the onion, squash, and apple. We just updated the recipe card. Thank you!
This is my absolute favorite soup in the entire world!!!! I add a sweet potato just cause I can. I highly recommend. I made this for a pot luck and so many people asked for the recipe. I sent them here. Thank you for this soup!
★★★★★
Thanks for sharing it Lindsay! I love it too! The apple does the trick. 😉
I want to try this soup tomorrow with my last butternut from fall’s farm market. A hint that I never see shared is to use the simple pumpkin carving knife and seed scoopers sold around Halloween when prepping winter squashes. It’s much safer and works so much better. I was an Early Childhood educator for over two decades and have carved many pumpkins. No more worrying about cutting yourself or bending spoons.
Oh well I hope it turns out blissfully delicious! Do report back.
I never realized it was actually a fruit! Whatever you label it, it is sure makes a yummy bowl of soup. The instant pot was was the perfect tool to make this super easy.
★★★★★
Right? Education at it’s yummiest LOL
My favorite soup! It freezes really well too!
★★★★★
ahh yes! That’s a good meal prep option for sure! Thanks Paige.