It’s no secret we love butternut squash and certainly no secret the Instant Pot is a good friend of ours. Putting the two together? It had to happen! This Instant Pot butternut squash soup is creamy, comforting, quick and easy, plus warm and spicy thanks to a touch of Thai red curry paste.
It’s perfect for chilly days and meal prep and pairs beautifully with everything from peanut tempeh to salads and spring rolls. Bonus? Just 1 pot and 9 ingredients required! Let us show you how it’s done!
How to Make Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup
This soup begins with sautéing onion, carrots, garlic, and ginger to create a sweet and savory base. Next, we build on the Thai-inspired flavors with red curry paste, sautéing it briefly to better disperse the flavor throughout the dish.
Then we add cubed butternut squash along with vegetable broth. Optional cayenne adds an extra kick of heat!
After pressure cooking on high (or cooking on the stovetop!), the squash and carrots become tender. We can then turn it into a creamy soup with the help of an immersion blender and some coconut milk. An optional touch of maple syrup balances the heat and enhances the sweetness of the squash.
We hope you LOVE this butternut squash soup! It’s:
Creamy
Warming
Light yet comforting
Subtly spicy
Naturally sweet
Easy to make
& Perfect for fall and winter!
We love topping it with an extra swirl of coconut milk for creaminess, sriracha for a tangy heat, chopped cashews for crunch, and lime for brightness.
This soup pairs well with other Thai-inspired recipes, including our Crispy Tofu Lettuce Wraps with Peanut Sauce, Peanut & Lemongrass Tempeh Satay, Gingery Kale Salad with Cashew Dressing, and Pad Thai Spring Rolls.
More Instant Pot Soup Recipes
- Instant Pot Curried Lentil Soup (Indian-Inspired)
- Warming Red Lentil Sweet Potato Soup (Instant Pot!)
- Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup (Instant Pot Friendly!)
- Creamy Yellow Split Pea Soup (Instant Pot Friendly)
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup (Thai-Inspired)
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
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without optional ingredients.
Kajal says
Delicious and easy!!
Yay! That’s always our goal with recipes :) We’re glad you enjoyed it, Kajal! xo
Tori says
WOW! Quick, easy and bursting with flavor. This is going in my regular work lunch rotation. Thank you!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Tori! Thanks so much for sharing. xo
Ben says
Best Thai pumpkin soup I’ve had. Easy too. Followed recipe exactly except I only added half a can of coconut milk because I tasted it as I added it and found that was perfect
Thanks so much for sharing, Ben! So glad you enjoyed!
Sharon Dietrick says
Perfect! Everything you could want in a butternut soup and more!!! Made exactly as offered. Thank you so much for the recipe:)
Yay! We’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Sharon. Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Christine says
This was delicious. Increased quantity so I could use a whole can of coconut milk.
Smart! Thank you for sharing, Christine! xo
Ron Sonnevil says
Very disappointing compared to the Minimalist Baker Tom Kha Gai butternut squash soup that we’ve made for years and which everyone we serve it to raves about. I would definitely not make this again.
We’re so sorry you didn’t enjoy this one, Ron. Would you mind sharing which brand of curry paste you used?
Loraine says
That is one of the tastiest butternut squash soups I have made and I’ve made a good number! My curry paste was a little too much on the spicy side (I used a canned imported brand, a penang curry), so it had quite a kick but all in all a delicious combo. The carrots gave a good amount of sweetness so I didn’t end up using maple. So smooth, so delicious.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Loraine! Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Melissa says
Made this last night and was loved by the entire family. Love the addition of Thai curry to this. Also added some fresh baby spinach at the very end. Delicious. Will make again!
We’re so glad you and your family enjoyed it, Melissa! Thanks so much for sharing. xo
Victoria says
This was so tasty! And I already had all the ingredients on hand. Definitely saving this as a favorite. Thank you for sharing (:
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Victoria. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
carolanne says
What is the red “sauce” that is drizzled on the top? It’s not mixed into the soup and I don’t see the “drizzling” mentioned in the recipe.
Thanks,
Carol
Hi Carol, it’s sriracha!
Jess says
I made this soup after getting sick and it’s not only delicious but incredibly easy to put together. Added homemade croutons on top for the crunch with a squeeze of lime. Thanks for all the great soup recipes!
Yay! So glad you enjoyed, Jess. Thanks for the review!
Sierra says
This delicious soup came together quickly and easily. Amazing flavor! Paired with toast or grilled cheese sandwich this is a perfect fall meal.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Sierra. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Ana says
My teenager daughter, who rarely likes soups, asked me to make this again soon. That’s success! I added roasted parsnips that I had on hand and used curry powder instead of curry paste as I didn’t have any. Wonderful flavors and texture. The coconut milk flavor is very subtle and delicious. Thank you for this great recipe!
Amazing! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Ana!
Heather says
I made this last night. So easy and honestly one of the best soups I have had!!! Definitely a must try!
Whoop! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Heather. Thank you for sharing! xo
Danielle says
I really enjoyed this. It was so easy to make, and had great flavor. I added lemon juice at the end, as I thought it needed a little acid. I topped it with cilantro and toasted pumpkin seeds. We’ll definitely make it again!
Yum! Thanks for the great review, Danielle!
Lauren says
WHat plant based milk can I sub for the coconut milk?
Hi Lauren, we think cashew milk or cashew cream would be the best sub!
Mel says
Wonderful and comforting soup! Omitted the maple syrup and it was still perfectly sweet enough for my taste. Served it with your peanut & lemongrass tempeh and some sautéed broccolini, such a delicious combo!
Yum! That sounds perfect. Thanks so much for the great review, Mel!
Suee33 says
We made this last night for our dinner. It is easy and tasty, the brand of curry paste I used was rather hot, for my taste. I added some Vegan Yogurt to cool it down and some peanut butter.
It was delicious and would be great for a cold night. Thanks
Also, I use the frozen Ginger and Garlic cubes from Trader Joe’s and it sure makes it easy and much faster.
Lovely! Thanks so much for sharing!
cindy says
Loved it! Having all the ingredients in the house so wanted to give this one a try. I didn’t need to put in the maple syrup. The soup taste really good and is easy to make.
Thank you for this great recipe.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it. Thanks so much for the lovely review, Cindy! xo
Elena says
Hi! This looks amazing, do you have a version of this recipe that doesn’t require an Instant Pot? Thanks!
Hi Elena, you can find the stovetop instructions beneath the Instant Pot instructions. Enjoy :)
Elena says
Oh yes, sorry..I missed that :)
Thank you!!
Stacey says
This looks delicious! Any tips for making this in the crockpot?
Hi Stacey, this soup would likely work in a crockpot, but we haven’t tested it that way. We’d suggest 3-4 hours on high or 5-6 hours on low. We’d still recommend sautéing the veggies at the beginning for best flavor. Let us know if you try it!
Jonelle says
This looks really good! I was wondering if you could use pumpkin instead of butternut squash for this recipe.
We think that would be lovely! Let us know if you try it!
Adi says
Hi! Love your recipes! I’m wondering is there a decent substitute for coconut milk? We have a coconut allergy.
Thanks for your time!
Hi Adi, we suggest using cashew cream instead! We have a recipe here for it. Hope this helps!
Nadia says
Can you use frozen butternut squash?
Hi Nadia, that should work! You may want to start with less vegetable broth because frozen squash will have a higher liquid content. Let us know if you try it!