Creamy Instant Pot Vegan Butternut Squash Soup

Butternut squash, carrots, and a tart Granny Smith apple pressure cook for just 10 minutes, then blend with coconut milk into a silky, dairy-free soup. Think Panera’s autumn squash soup, minus the dairy.

This Instant Pot vegan butternut squash soup is creamy, nutty, and smooth, with a gentle sweetness from a Granny Smith apple. Everything except the coconut milk goes into the pot at once, cooks for 10 minutes at pressure, and an immersion blender does the rest.

The idea started with Panera’s autumn squash soup, which pairs squash with carrots, apple, and a hint of curry. I kept that flavor combination but skipped the dairy. Lite coconut milk gives the soup its richness, and honestly, I think it tastes even better that way.

The base is mild, so it’s easy to steer. Add curry powder, ground ginger, and cayenne for a spicy butternut squash soup, or keep it simple and finish with roasted pumpkin seeds for crunch. If you love winter squash soups, my roasted kabocha squash soup is the oven-roasted, Japanese pumpkin cousin of this one, and there are more ideas in my kabocha squash recipes roundup.

Recipe at a Glance

What it is: A dairy-free, pressure-cooked butternut squash soup with carrots, apple, garlic, and thyme, blended smooth with lite coconut milk.

Why it works: The Granny Smith apple adds sweetness with a little tartness, and the coconut milk brings richness without dairy. Pressure cooking gets dense butternut squash and carrots soft enough to blend in just 10 minutes.

Time: 10 minutes prep, 10 minutes pressure cook, and 5 minutes of immersion blending.

Make-ahead: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 1 month.

Serve with: Roasted pumpkin seeds on top, plus crusty bread or a soft roll on the side. A slice of Japanese milk bread works well for dunking.

Make it spicy: Add ½ teaspoon curry powder, ½ teaspoon ginger powder, and ¼ teaspoon cayenne before pressure cooking.

Ingredients for vegan butternut squash soup

Full quantities are in the recipe card below.

• Butternut squash: One medium squash gives about 6 cups of 1-inch cubes. Peel it thoroughly, past the pale layer and the green veins under the skin.
• Carrots and onion: Two medium carrots and ⅓ cup chopped onion add sweetness and body.
• Granny Smith apple: One small apple (about ½ cup chopped) adds a hint of sweetness and a little tartness, like Panera’s version.
• Lite coconut milk: One 14-ounce can (about 1½ cups) replaces the dairy and makes the soup creamy.
• Vegetable broth: 2 cups. This is what keeps the soup fully vegan.
• Aromatics: Garlic, a bay leaf, and a few sprigs of fresh thyme. Remove the bay leaf and thyme sprigs before blending.
• Roasted pumpkin seeds: For garnish and crunch.

How to Make Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup

1. Split the squash. Cut the butternut squash where the neck meets the round bulb. Two smaller pieces are easier to hold steady while you peel.

2. Peel all the way down and scoop the seeds. Use a vegetable peeler or paring knife. The skin is thick, so keep going until the pale layer and green veins underneath are gone too. Use a spoon to scrape out the seeds and stringy pulp. Save the seeds for roasting if you like.

3. Cube it. Chop the squash into roughly 1-inch pieces, about 6 cups total. Keeping the pieces a similar size helps them cook through in the same 10 minutes.

4. Load the pot. Set aside the coconut milk and pumpkin seeds. Add the squash, broth, carrots, onion, apple, garlic, bay leaf, and thyme to the Instant Pot. For a spicy version, add the curry powder, ginger powder, and cayenne now.

5. Pressure cook. Set to Manual Pressure Cook for 10 minutes. When it finishes, let it sit 5 to 10 minutes, then quick release. Open the lid once the float valve drops.

6. Fish out the herbs. Remove the bay leaf and thyme sprigs before blending so they don’t get puréed into the soup.

7. Add coconut milk and blend. Pour in the coconut milk and blend with an immersion blender until smooth. You can also ladle the soup into a countertop blender.

8. Season and serve. Taste, then add salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and top with roasted pumpkin seeds, or a drizzle of olive oil or coconut milk.

Variations and Toppings

This soup is mild and creamy on its own, so it’s easy to change up. Here are a few ways to add heat, swap in other vegetables, or finish your bowl.

Spicy butternut squash soup: Add curry powder, ginger powder, and cayenne before pressure cooking. The card lists ½ teaspoon, ½ teaspoon, and ¼ teaspoon; use all three or just one or two.

More herbs and seasoning: Dried basil, oregano, sage, smoked paprika, cumin, or coriander.

Other vegetables: Potatoes, sweet potatoes, or parsnips.

Toppings: Roasted pumpkin seeds, toasted quinoa, fried onions, garlic croutons, toasted chopped nuts (almonds, walnuts, or cashews), or a drizzle of olive oil or coconut cream.

Storage and Reheating

Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Freezer: Freeze for up to 1 month. One reader doubled the batch and froze the extra, which makes this an easy soup to stock ahead.

Reheating: Warm on the stove over medium heat, stirring, or in the microwave.

Frequently Asked Questions

I hope this creamy vegan butternut squash soup warms you up this fall. If you try the spicy version or a swap of your own, I’d love to hear how it went. Leave a rating and a comment below, since your notes help other readers too.

Looking for another bowl? Try my 15-minute silky sweet corn soup or the roasted kabocha squash soup, or browse all of my soup recipes.

Thanks so much for stopping by!