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This Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup with curry and apples is a fall favorite. A healthier copycat Panera’s Autumn Squash Soup, it is made in less than 20 minutes using an Instant Pot. It’s a flavorful, curry butternut squash soup that’s perfect for cool weather!
Don’t have an instant pot? I’ll also give you tips to make this butternut squash soup in the crock pot or stovetop.
With butternut squash, carrots, apple juice, and a little bit of curry powder, you get the best flavors of the fall season. Not only is this recipe delicious, but it also fits a gluten free diet and can be made dairy free.
This Instant Pot butternut squash soup freezes beautifully for up to 6 months so you can have it on hand for a sick day or those days you don’t feel like cooking. Pair it with an Apple Fennel Salad, a warm baguette, or Ricotta Stuffed Chicken for a great meal.
Table of Contents
Curry Butternut Squash Soup with Apples
I love a good butternut squash soup, but sometimes roasting the butternut squash then blending it takes so much time and effort. A stovetop version is also great, but takes a while – about 40 minutes for the butternut squash to soften and the flavors to combine.
That’s why I love using the instant pot for this Butternut Squash Soup recipe. A favorite of mine at Panera’s is their Autumn Squash Soup. I wanted to create an easy homemade version with all the same flavors, but a little bit healthier and without the high sodium or MSG.
You’ll love this recipe because:
- Fast – This soup can be made in an Instant Pot in about 20 minutes!
- Versatile – Don’t have an instant pot? You can also make this in a slow cooker or on the stovetop.
- Additive-free and Low Sodium – Compared to the one you’d get at Panera, this version has the same flavors, but without any added MSG, flavorings, carrageenan or high sodium.
- Freezer-friendly – This butternut squash soup freezes beautifully and is perfect for meal prep.
- Curry and Ginger – I love using powdered curry here which contains turmeric as well as ginger for anti-inflammatory properties.
Equipment Needed
To make this instant pot butternut squash soup quickly, you will need a 6 quart instant pot or larger. Preferably one with a sauté function. By using an instant pot, you cut down the cooking time by about 30 minutes, and get a deeper flavor.
If you don’t own an instant pot, this can also be made on the stovetop or in a slow cooker, it will just take longer. I also recommend an immersion blender so you dirty one less dish! A lot easier to blend directly in the soup pot than a blender.
Ingredients
This recipe is a little different from the Panera Autumn Squash soup, but uses a lot of similar ingredients. Their soup uses more cream, cheese, and pumpkin.
- Butternut squash – Peel and cube the butternut squash, removing the seeds and pulp or buy pre-cut cubes at grocery stores like Trader Joe’s!
- Shallots – I find these give a much more gentle flavor than onion.
- Carrots – Compliment the butternut squash and give an extra boost of vitamins.
- Apple juice – Adds a little bit of sweetness and fall flavor. You could also use apple cider.
- Vegetable broth – I love to use homemade or Trader Joe’s Hearty Vegetable. You could also use chicken broth for this.
- Honey or Maple Syrup – Adds a little extra sweetness to bring out the flavors of the squash.
- Curry powder – A healing mix of turmeric and warming spices.
- Fresh ginger – Dried will also work with half the amount added.
- Pepitas – Roasted pumpkin seeds are perfect for topping.
- Heavy Cream (optional) – Makes this meal a little more rich and creamy, but can be omitted. It’s delicious both ways.
How to Make Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup
Step 1: Sauté the Veggies
This method is for both an instant pot and the stovetop. In an instant pot, use the “sauté” function and add olive oil, shallots, and carrots. On the stovetop, this would be over medium high heat. Cook, stirring often, till shallots have just softened. Then stir in the butternut squash, broth, juice, honey or maple syrup, curry, ginger, salt and pepper.
Step 2: Pressure Cook
Cover the instant pot with the lid, sealing the valve. Pressure cook for 10 minutes. For the stovetop, simmer on low heat for about 40 minutes, or until the squash is extremely soft.
Step 3: Natural Release
If you’re in a rush, you can open the vent to release the steam, but I highly recommend a natural release for 10-15 minutes after just to give the butternut squash soup flavors more time to develop.
Step 4: Blend
This is so much easier to do if you use an immersion blender, which allows you to blend this soup directly in the instant pot! If you don’t have one, allow the soup to cool a bit then transfer to a blender to blend until smooth.
How to Make without an Instant Pot
If you want to make this Instant Pot butternut squash soup but don’t have a pressure cooker, use these methods instead.
Stovetop – Use a large dutch oven or soup pot and saute the veggies the same way, just over medium heat. After adding the broth, bring to a boil over medium high heat, then cover and cook on low heat about 35-40 minutes or until the butternut squash has softened. Blend till smooth.
Slow cooker – Sauté the shallots and carrots in a pan for extra flavor, or just place all the ingredients into a slow cooker and set on low heat for about 7-8 hours. Once the butternut squash has softened, use an immersion blender to blend inside the slow cooker.
Recipe Edits
This curry butternut squash soup is naturally gluten free, but if you wanted to make this dairy free or vegan, use the following substitutions.
- Replace the butter with olive oil or ghee, if tolerated.
- Leave out the optional cream, or use your favorite non-dairy creamer. Replacing the butter and omitting any cream would also make this paleo and Whole30 as well.
- For low sodium – Use a low sodium broth like my rotisserie chicken broth or vegetable broth from The Dizzy Cook cookbook. Omit any suggested sodium addition!
Serving Suggestions
This curry butternut squash and apple soup is similar to Panera’s Autumn Squash Soup, so I love to make similar pairings:
- A warm baguette
- Simple apple and fennel salad
- Rocket salad with pears
- Baked Chicken Kabobs
- Dill Tuna Salad
- Pomegranate Chicken Salad
Storage Information
Refrigerator – Autumn squash soup will store well in an air-tight container for up to 5 days. Reheat in a small pot on the stovetop over medium heat or in the microwave, covered with a paper towel, in 40 second increments. Stir between each.
Freezer – This soup freezes beautifully! I wait for it to cool and then place into a ziplock freezer bag (double bag for no leaks!). Lay it flat in the freezer and you can stack it easily this way. Defrost overnight in the fridge, or by placing the bag in warm water for about 30 minutes.
Fall Soup Ideas
If you’re craving some hearty, fall soups similar to this curry butternut squash soup check out these other recipes:
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Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup
Equipment
- 1 Instant Pot or Slow Cooker or Large Pot
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 large shallots, peeled and roughly chopped
- 2 large carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled and de-seeded cut into large cubes
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup apple juice
- 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, minced
- kosher salt and black pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup heavy cream (OPTIONAL)
- toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds) for topping
Instructions
Instant Pot
- Turn your instant pot to the "saute" function and add olive oil, shallot, and carrots. Stir, cooking till shallots have just softened, about 1-2 minutes. Add in butternut squash cubes, broth, juice, honey or maple syrup, curry powder, ginger, and start with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Add the instant pot lid, making sure the vent is closed, and set to pressure cook for 10 minutes.
- I like to do a natural release, where I wait to open the vent at least 10-15 minutes once the timer is up. You can do this at your own pace, just be careful to avoid the steam when you open the vent so you don't burn yourself. Release any leftover steam and open the lid. If you have an immersion blender, use it to blend the soup till smooth and creamy, or blend in a heat-safe blender.
- Add cream (if using) and more salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm topped with toasted pepitas.
Slow Cooker
- Add all the ingredients except cream (if using) to a slow cooker and place on low heat for 7-8 hours. Blend and stir in the cream, if using.
Stovetop
- Using a heavy bottomed, large pot add olive oil, shallot, and carrots over medium heat. Stir, cooking till shallots have just softened, about 1-2 minutes. Add in butternut squash cubes, broth, juice, honey, curry powder, ginger, kosher salt and black pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat, then turn to low heat and keep at a simmer for about 35-45 minutes, covered. Once the butternut squash and carrots have become super soft, blend and serve warm.
Notes
- To make dairy free/vegan, omit the heavy cream or use your favorite dairy-free substitute. On the opposite side, butter or ghee can be used instead of olive oil.
- The curry powder I used was mildly spicy at 1 tablespoon (I am a Texan so I like a little heat), but not overwhelming. If you don’t like spicy food, cut the amount of curry powder in half and then taste and adjust after cooking.
- Low sodium – use a homemade vegetable broth, like the one I use from The Dizzy Cook cookbook on page 80. You could also use a homemade broth. Omit any added salt.
- This soup freezes well for up to 6 months.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Can this be made without an instant pot?
Yes, you just want to simmer it on the stovetop for about 30-40 minutes or until the squash is very soft. Then blend the same way. 🙂
The curry powder you link to DOES have onion listed as an ingredient, so if using the HYH diet, it would not be on the approved list. Do you know of other approved curry powders without onion? Thanks so much!
Ugh that must be new. I just linked the one I use – simply organic.