Fall is in the air. The leaves are turning bright orange and crimson. The air is crisp on my morning walks. It’s definitely time to warm up with a steamy cup or bowl of soup. How can we put all the flavors of fall fruit and vegetables in one delicious soup? My favorite way is with Butternut Squash Soup. This creamy soup is naturally sweet and combines the delicious flavors of butternut squash, sweet potatoes and a couple of sweet apples. It’s also made easy by cooking it up in the Instant Pot.
We served this creamy fall soup at our “Souped Up Cooking Class” this week and it was, by far, the favorite of the night. We hope that it will soon become one of your favorite soups too.
I find that it takes little time when I make it in the Instant Pot. After peeling a butternut squash and a couple of sweet potatoes, I chop them up into 1-inch pieces and dump them in the pot. I also chop up 2 Gala or Honeycrisp apples and add them to the mix. Finally, I will add some vegetable broth and we are ready to get cooking! Use the manual or Soups/Stews button and set for 10 minutes. After cooking, release the steam by hand rather than allowing the pressure cooker to release the steam naturally. Then you can add the seasonings.
I pour the contents of the pot into a large bowl. Using an immersion blender, I blend the fruit and veggies until it is smooth and creamy. This only takes a couple of minutes. If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can pour the contents into a regular blender and do the same thing. Then add some sauteed onions, stir it up, and serve this sweet soup to your friends and family.
Butternut Squash Health Bite: Even though butternut squash is low in calories (45-90 calories per cup), it is a very filling food. It is also low on the glycemic index, making it a perfect food for diabetics who want to lower their blood sugars. It also contains polysaccharides, a type of in-digestible fiber which can prevent blood sugars from rising after a meal. Butternut squash, like all winter squashes, is also rich in potassium (about 500 mg in 1 cup) which helps counteract the harmful effects of sodium on high blood pressure. This delicious fall vegetable makes it one of our favorite foods that love us right back.
Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup
Equipment
- Pressure Cooker
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 medium or large butternut squash peeled and cut in 1-inch pieces
- 2 medium sweet potatoes peeled and cut in 1-inch pieces
- 2 Gala apples chopped
- 1/2 tsp coriander
- pinch cardamom
- 1 tsp salt or salt substitute
- 1 tsp basil
- 4 cups vegetable broth
Instructions
- Chop onion and saute' in a non-stick skillet with 3-4 tablespoons water. Cook until tender; set aside.
- Peel squash and sweet potatoes; cut these vegetables into 1-inch pieces. Also chop the apples into 1-inch pieces. I like to use Gala or Honeycrisp apples for a natural sweetener.
- Add the fruit and veggies to the Instant Pot (except for the onions).
- Pour in the vegetable broth.
- Cook on Soups/Stews or use the manual button for 10 minutes. Release the steam pressure manually when cooking is complete.
- Open the pot and stir in the seasonings.
- Pour the contents into a large mixing bowl. Blend with an immersion blender or pour the soup into a regular blender. Process until smooth and creamy.
- Stir in the sauteed onion. Serve immediately or keep warm in the Instant Pot until ready to serve.
