If this low-fat and Vegan Butternut Squash Soup doesn’t scream warm hug in a bowl I don’t know what will.

It is a delicious soup that can be ready in less than an hour in the Instant Pot. This recipe is a quick fall-inspired dinner and a great freezer meal for later. 

Why Does Butternut Squash Make The Perfect Soup?

Fall always means the appearance of one of my favorite winter produce items, the butternut squash.

You can find it year-round in some stores, but when the cooler temps drop this amazing squash comes out in abundance and usually at a fantastic price. 

I wasn’t familiar with this squash until adulthood because I didn’t eat it growing up that I can remember.

So if you are a newbie to this produce item this is the perfect recipe because it is simple and highlights the squash. 

Butternut squash is a winter squash with orange flesh known for its versatility. It is a hearty and hard squash with a sweet and slightly nutty flavor. 

The flesh when cooked reminds me of the texture of pumpkin but with the right spices, it can easily pass for a sweet potato. At least in my opinion and my family agrees. 

With all the flavor it brings to dishes, there is no need for a long list of ingredients to make this soup delicious.

I’ve made this recipe easy to follow, healthy and dairy-free, and most importantly quick in the Instant Pot. 

I truly believe this soup will make even the squash’s harshest skeptic rethink their positions on this yummy winter squash.

If your family is like mine, they will be pleasantly surprised and ask you for this soup over and over throughout the winter. 

What Is The Best Way To Peel and Cut A Butternut Squash?

When preparing the butternut squash for this recipe you’ll need to peel it and cut it into smaller chunks.

The skin on the butternut squash is tough but is easily removed with just an ordinary vegetable peeler. 

I’ve tried to use a knife before but the squash puts off this slippery starchy substance as you are peeling it so it could be a recipe for disaster if you slip and cut yourself with the knife.

So stick to the veggie peeler, it is your friend here. 

Cutting the squash is a bit more tricky as it is a lot harder than a potato or other root veggies.

That hardiness is why this squash is perfect for long-term storage and why it is a great veggie to make in the pressure cooker. 

The hard texture can be daunting to some people when they think about cutting it up.

Here are some safe steps to peeling and cutting this yummy squash that may help put your mind at ease if this is you. 

Step by Step For Peeling Butternut Squash:

• Make sure you have a nice sturdy cutting board or surface to prep your squash on. If you are using a cutting board it is highly important that it is stable and that it will not slip or slide as you are cutting the squash.
• When you are ready to prep the squash, hold it tightly on your cutting board, and using a very sharp knife, trim off the top and bottom ends of the squash.
• Then, carefully split the squash in half right where the skinnier part of the squash meets the larger base section. This will give you smaller sections that are easier to work with. 
• Next, using a veggie peeler, remove the skin from both of the two halves of the squash. Once they are both peeled carefully cut both sections into halves again exposing the seeds in the larger portion. 
• To remove the seeds from the bottom portion, I’ve found the easiest way to do this is with an ice cream scooper. Yep, trust me, you’ll be surprised at how perfectly it slips right into the squash cavity and scoops all of the innards out easily.  
• Finally, you are ready to cut butternut squash into, chunks or wedges, depending on your recipe. In this soup recipe, you’ll just need to cut it into chunks. 

How Do You Make Low Fat and Dairy Free Butternut Squash Soup In The Instant Pot?

Now that we’ve talked about how to best peel and cut up the butternut squash we are ready to go over the other steps of making this soup.

The prep work of course would be preparing the squash and cutting up the celery and onions for the soup. 

After the prep work, there are only four easy steps to follow before you have a perfectly delicious soup.

This is a great soup recipe for those learning how to use the Instant Pot or a new cook needing to start with simple recipes. 

Step 1: Sautee the onions and celery. 

After prepping and cutting up the squash, onions, and celery, add the oil to the Instant Pot and press the Sautee Button.

After the Instant Pot has heated up and the oil is hot, add the chopped onions and celery. Cook them for 5 minutes. 

We are just wanting the veggies to release some of their natural flavors, we don’t want them to brown or cook fully.

If you are in a rush, you can skip this step, it will not be a deal-breaker but would shave off a few minutes if needed. 

Step 2: Add the remaining ingredients. 

Once the onions and celery have been sauteed add the cubed butternut squash along with all the seasonings.

I have some standard seasonings that I love to add to all my soups like garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and onion powder. 

But when I added those in this soup, I still thought it was missing something so I grabbed a couple of tablespoons of Nutritional Yeast.

That is the yellow powder-like substance you see on top of the squash.

I love this product, it adds such a depth of a nutty and almost cheesy taste to anything you add it to without a lot of calories or dairy.

You can usually find Nutritional Yeast nowadays in most WalMarts on the baking aisle near the flour alternatives. 

Adding it to the soup, was just what the recipe needed to give it an additional depth of flavor. If you don’t have this in your cabinet and don’t want to pick any up, omit it from the recipe. 

The last ingredient to add is the broth, before placing the lid on the pressure cooker.

Turn the steam valve to seal then press the Manual button and set the timer to 8 minutes. 

Step 3: Releasing the steam and blending the soup. 

Once the time has counted down the 8 minutes, let the pressure slow release for 5 minutes then finish removing the steam with the rapid release method.

Carefully remove the lid of the pressure cooker and avoid the large cloud of hot steam that will emerge.

I love to use my Emersion Hand Blender to blend the soup in the pot. It is a quick way to get the job done and since you only have to remove the bottom portion of the stick blender when done, it doesn’t add a lot of extra things to wash during cleanup. 

If you don’t have a stick blender you can use your blender or even a potato masher if you like a more rustic and chunkier soup.

The goal is just to get the soup to your desired texture, so just choose the blending method that works best for you in this step. 

Step 4: Add the creamy element and serve. 

In this fourth and final step, you’ll add in the coconut milk. You could eat it as is, but adding the coconut milk will take this simple low-fat soup to a luxurious bowl of deliciousness.

I choose to use lite coconut milk to keep this soup dairy-free and Vegan.  Another great benefit of using the lite coconut milk is that it keeps the fat and calories lower than if you choose to go with heavy cream or whole milk options.

It is all a matter of preference and the dietary needs of your family, so you can decide which creamy ingredient to add to your soup before serving it.

One thing I can promise you is that you can’t go wrong with any option because this soup is just that tasty. 

Here Are Some Tips And Tricks That Will Help You Make This Butternut Squash Soup.

We’ve covered the step by step process for this soup and demonstrated how easy it is to prepare in the Instant Pot, but I thought I’d share a few more things to help make this recipe even easier for you guys.

I hope you find one or more of these tips that work great for you.

Purchase Precut Veggies: Since we know that peeling and cutting up the butternut squash can be a bit of a pain and takes some patience you may be happy to know that most grocery stores like Walmart, carry bags of this winter squash that are already cubbed for you.

It can be found both in the produce section near the bagged salads and in the frozen section. 

You can also grab the frozen bags of onions and celery. This helps if you are in a time pinch or maybe you just hate cutting up veggies. 

Don’t Have an Instant Pot, Use A Slow Cooker:  It is just as easy to make this soup in the slow cooker. Simply add all the ingredients to your slow cooker.

Next, place the lid don’t the slow cooker and cook on low until the squash is soft. Depending on how large the chunks of squash are this will take  6-8 hours.

After the squash is tender and right before you are ready to serve the soup, use the stick blender or your method of choice to blend the soup.

Mix in the coconut milk and serve. This is a great hands-off way if you want to prep things the night before and throw them in the slow cooker to cook as you go through your busy day. 

How To Freeze Butternut Squash Soup

To freeze this soup follow the cooking directions, then blend the soup until creamy.

I recommend not adding the coconut milk until you are ready to reheat and serve the soup. I think the texture is better this way.

So just keep an extra can of the lite coconut milk in your pantry for those days you want to pull this out for dinner. 

After you cook the soup let it cool completely and then divide it into the portion-sized you would like to serve them in later.

You can use little freezer bags to store the soup or freezer containers like this food prep assorted package. 

You can freeze the entire batch in a large 2-gallon freezer bag or large plastic container.

Thaw the large soup portions the night before and reheat as needed for dinner and that’s all it takes to prep this soup for a yummy freezer meal. 

Continue to Content

Yield: 8 ( 1 1/2 cup) Servings

Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Additional Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Creamy and delicious butternut squash that is ready in under an hour in the Instant Pot. A great low-fat and Vegan option for those colder nights.

Print

Ingredients

• 8 cups of cubed butternut squash
• 5 cups of vegetable broth
• 3 stalks of celery, chopped
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 cup of Lite coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon of avocado oil
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 tablespoons of Nutritional Yeast, optional

Instructions

1. Peel and chop the butternut squash, onion, and celery. Set aside.
2. Turn the Instant Pot on to Sautee and add 1 tablespoon of avocado oil. Add in the chopped onions and celery and saute for 5 minutes.
3. Next, add in the cubed butternut squash, seasoning, and nutritional yeast, and then pour over the vegetable broth.
4. Place the lid on the Instant Pot and turn the pressure valve to seal. Set the pot to Manuel and cook for 8 minutes.
5. Once 5 minutes of natural pressure release has happened then carefully do a quick release for the remaining pressure.
6. Once the pressure has been released, carefully remove the lid of the Instant Pot.
7. Blend the soup using an Emersion Hand Blender until it reaches your desired consistency. If you don't have a stick blender you can use a potato masher or a blender.
8. Stir in the coconut milk and serve.

Nutrition Information

Yield

8

Serving Size

1 1/2 cups
Amount Per ServingCalories 142Total Fat 4gSaturated Fat 2gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 2gCholesterol 0mgSodium 707mgCarbohydrates 26gNet Carbohydrates 18gFiber 8gSugar 6gProtein 4g

I am not a nutritionist. If you have strict dietary needs I always recommend using an online nutrition calculator to calculate your totals using your exact brands you're using in this recipe as values may vary per brand.

Keri Bucci

I am a southern girl through and through that loves to laugh, cook, read and spend time with family. My passions outside of home schooling my son are ministering to those in need and creating art in the kitchen! Every day is an adventure in our little house and I wouldn’t trade it or the chance to share here with you for anything!