Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup (Printable Version)
Smooth butternut squash soup, blended with spices and topped with a festive spiderweb design for Halloween.
# The Ingredients You'll Need:
→ Vegetables
01 -
2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed
02 -
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
03 -
2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
04 -
2 cloves garlic, minced
05 -
1 medium apple, peeled, cored, and diced
→ Liquids
06 -
4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
07 -
1/2 cup coconut milk, plus extra for garnish
08 -
2 tablespoons olive oil
→ Spices and Seasonings
09 -
1 teaspoon ground cumin
10 -
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
11 -
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
12 -
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, optional
13 -
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Garnish
14 -
2 tablespoons coconut milk or sour cream, for spiderweb design
15 -
12 black olives, for spider bodies and heads
16 -
1 small cucumber or black tortilla chips, for spider legs
# Step-by-Step Instructions:
01 -
Set Instant Pot to Sauté mode. Add olive oil, onion, and carrots; cook about 3 to 4 minutes until vegetables soften.
02 -
Stir in minced garlic and diced apple; sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 -
Add butternut squash, ground cumin, cinnamon, nutmeg, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Stir until vegetables are evenly coated with spices.
04 -
Pour in vegetable broth. Secure lid and set Instant Pot to Manual (High Pressure) for 10 minutes.
05 -
When cooking finishes, allow pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes, then use quick release to finish.
06 -
Blend soup directly in the pot using an immersion blender, or transfer in batches to a blender, until completely smooth.
07 -
Stir in coconut milk and adjust seasoning to taste.
08 -
Ladle soup into bowls. Drizzle a spiral of coconut milk or sour cream on each serving and use a toothpick to drag lines from the center outward, creating a spiderweb pattern.
09 -
Halve black olives for the spider body and head. Cut thin strips of cucumber or tortilla chips for legs. Arrange spiders on soup.
10 -
Serve soup immediately while hot.
# Additional Notes:
01 -
For deeper flavor, roast the butternut squash before pressure cooking.
02 -
To make the soup non-vegan and creamier, substitute coconut milk with heavy cream.
03 -
Add a small pinch of cayenne pepper for a spicier flavor.
04 -
Serve with crusty bread or a crisp green salad for a complete meal.