There is nothing like a warm bowl of homemade soup on a crisp fall day. It’s days like this that make me want to pull out my instant pot, make my Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup with Goat Cheese and curl up with a good book.
One of my favorite dishes to make for lunch and dinner over the winter is soup. You may have seen my Creamy Tomato Soup recipe the other day, and today I’m back with an Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup with Goat Cheese. I thought it was about time I dusted off my instant pot and created something new, and butternut squash is one of my favorite seasonal vegetables to make soup with.
I love to meal-prep and save time each week, so I often make this on a Sunday and save it for my lunches throughout the week. It can be kept in the fridge for up to four days in an airtight container and then you can just reheat it on the stove on in the microwave. I know when I’m busy in front of my computer all day at work, the last thing I want to do is take ages making a warming lunch. But a delicious lunch really helps me to get through my working day, and I always look forward to having this soup and enjoying a break away from my screen at lunchtime.
Personally, I love thick, creamy soups, so by adding heavy cream, you can enjoy a rich dish. I know some people do want a thinner soup, so if you are one of those, substitute the cream for milk. The great thing about soups is that they can be completely personalized to your tastes, and you can add more seasoning or garnishes to get it exactly as you desire. I hope you enjoy cooking this Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup with Goat Cheese today.
Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup with Goat Cheese
Equipment
- Instant Pot
- Immersion blender
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 small onion chopped
- 2 large garlic cloves minced (about 1 tablespoon)
- 5 large sage leaves minced (about 1 tablespoon)
- 10 sprigs fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon minced leaves
- 1 medium butternut squash peeled and seeds removed & chopped in 1” cubes
- 1 1/4 cups vegetable or chicken stock
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 4 ounces goat cheese to garnish
Instructions
Instructions
- Turn the Instant Pot to the Saute-Normal function. Heat the olive oil and butter for 1-2 minutes, or until the butter has melted.
- Add the onion and cook until it is soft and starting to turn golden brown around the edges— about 5 minutes.
- Next, add the garlic and sage. Cook for an additional minute.
- Add the thyme, butternut squash, vegetable stock, and salt. Attach the lid and ensure the valve is in the “sealing” position.
- Note: I like to tie all of the thyme stems together using butcher’s twine. It makes it easier to get out once the soup has finished cooking.
- Cook the soup on the Manual Pressure- High Pressure- Normal setting for 12 minutes.
- Note: The Instant Pot will display “on” while it is pressurizing. Once at pressure, it will begin counting down from 12.
- Once the Instant Pot has finished cooking, release the steam manually by switching the valve from the “sealing” position to the “venting” position.
- Note: Be careful! It will release steam and may splatter. I like to move the valve with a long kitchen spoon or tongs— not my bare hand!
- Remove the thyme stems. Use an immersion blender to blend the soup until smooth.
- Note: If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can transfer the soup to a regular blender or food processor.
- Add the heavy cream and stir to combine.
- Serve hot, topped with goat cheese, freshly cracked black pepper, and fresh sage or thyme, if desired.
- This soup can be made in advance and kept warm using the “keep warm” function on the Instant Pot for up to one hour.
- Butternut squash soup should be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop over low heat. If the soup thickens, thin it with milk.
Notes
Cook the soup on the Manual Pressure- High Pressure- Normal setting for 12 minutes. Note: The Instant Pot will display “on” while it is pressurizing. Once at pressure, it will begin counting down from 12.
Once the Instant Pot has finished cooking, release the steam manually by switching the valve from the “sealing” position to the “venting” position. Note: Be careful! It will release steam and may splatter. I like to move the valve with a long kitchen spoon or tongs— not my bare hand!
Remove the thyme stems. Use an immersion blender to blend the soup until smooth. Note: If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can transfer the soup to a regular blender or food processor. Add the heavy cream and stir to combine. Serve hot, topped with goat cheese, freshly cracked black pepper, and fresh sage or thyme, if desired. This soup can be made in advance and kept warm using the “keep warm” function on the Instant Pot for up to one hour. Butternut squash soup should be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop over low heat. If the soup thickens, thin it with milk. Recipe Notes
I like using sweet Vidalia onions in this recipe but standard yellow onions or shallots would work as well. I highly recommend fresh sage for this recipe, although you can substitute the fresh thyme for 1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme. Heavy cream helps give this soup a delicious richness. You can substitute the cream for milk but your soup may be a bit thinner— I’d recommend only adding 3/4 cup of milk. Nutrition Information (per 1 serving, 6 servings per batch)
Calories: 242
Total Fat: 18.5 g
Saturated Fat: 10.8 g
Cholesterol: 52 mg
Sodium: 579 mg
Total Carbohydrate: 13.7 g
Dietary Fiber: 2.1 g
Total Sugars: 3 g
Protein: 7.3 g