Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup with Bacon Pecan Crumble

Top view of creamy butternut soup in a white bowl.

5 from 3 reviews

Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup with Bacon Pecan Crumble

This creamy Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup is easy, delicious and cooks in a fraction of the time thanks to the pressure cooker. Without the optional topping, this soup is vegetarian and gluten-free.

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Keyword Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 16

Total Time 26

Servings servings

Calories 156kcal

Author Chef Kathy McDaniel

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Butternut Squash Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 small onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed (about 2 to 2.5 pounds)
1 large apple core and chopped (granny smith or McIntosh)
3 thyme springs
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1/3 cup half and half or heavy cream

For the Bacon Pecan Crumble

4 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups pecans, roughly chopped
6 tablespoons butter, melted
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (more or less to taste)

Instructions

To Make the Bacon Pecan Crumble

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until it begins to crisp up. Don't cook it until completely crispy as the bacon will bake with the rest of the crumble ingredients.
Remove the bacon from the skillet and place it on a plate lined with paper towels.
In a mixing bowl, mix the brown sugar, all-purpose flour, pecans, melted butter, rosemary and ground cayenne pepper until combined. Stir in the bacon and mix to combine.
Place the pecan-bacon mixture on a baking sheet and bake for 15-18 minutes or until the pecans are golden and fragrant, stirring halfway through the cooking.

To Make the Instant Pot Soup

Turn the instant pot to saute mode, add the butter and oil. When the butter is melted and the pot hot, add the onions, carrots and celery and saute, stirring frequently, until soften, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook, stirring constantly for about 30 seconds. Press Cancel to turn off the Instant Pot.
Stir in the butternut squash, apple, thyme sprigs, stock, 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/8 teaspoon of ground black pepper.
Close the lid and seal the pot. Select manual setting; adjust pressure to high, and set the timer for 12 minutes.
When done cooking, quick release the pressure according to the manufacturer’s directions. Open the pot and discard the thyme sprigs.
Stir in the half and half (or cream) and mix to combine. Transfer the soup to a blender or using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth. If the soup is too thick, add additional broth until you reach the desired consistency.
Season with salt and ground black pepper to taste. Serve hot, topped with the Bacon Pecan Topping.

Video

Notes

Make it vegan: This delicious pressure cooker butternut squash soup can be made vegan very easily. Substitute the butter with olive oil or use vegan butter. Instead of dairy, use full-fat coconut milk, oat cream or cashew cream. Top the soup with your favorite seeds, nuts or croutons.
Make it extra sweet. For extra sweetness, you can add an additional apple. You don't need to peel the apple.
Add sweet potatoes: You can add a peeled and chopped sweet potato into the instant pot to add extra nutrients. You may need to add a little bit of extra broth if the soup gets too thick.
Extra Smooth: For a creamier and smoother soup, use a traditional blender instead of an immersion blender.
Gluten-Free: Without the optional topping, this soup recipe is gluten-free.
Freezer Friendly: To freeze, store this soup in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.

Nutrition