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Spiced Butternut Squash Soup

Spiced Butternut Squash Soup

  • Makes
    4-6 servings
  • Cook Time
    1¼ hours
  • Slow Cook Time
    4½ to 5 hours
  • Active time plus cooling
    30 minutes active
  • Rating

This aromatic, colorful soup, inspired by a recipe in “Bollywood Kitchen” by Sri Rao, gets its rich flavor from two spice blends (garam masala and curry powder), plus coconut oil and whole-milk yogurt. If you like, substitute vegetable broth for the chicken broth to make the dish vegetarian. Toasted pumpkin seeds sprinkled on just before serving add color contrast, nutty flavor and crunchy texture. You can use store-bought roasted pumpkin seeds (plain or spiced) or you can toast raw ones in the Instant Pot before you begin cooking the soup. Simply cook them on More/High Sauté, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and fragrant, about 4 minutes, then transfer to a small bowl; the seeds will crisp as they cool.

Tip

Don’t add the yogurt directly to the hot puree, as the heat will cause the yogurt to break. Gently warming the yogurt by whisking it with about 1 cup of the puree, then adding the mixture to the pot will prevent it from curdling.

Ingredients
  • 2

    tablespoons coconut oil, preferably unrefined

  • 1

    large yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced

  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper

  • 2

    tablespoons finely grated fresh ginger

  • 1

    tablespoon curry powder

  • 2

    teaspoons garam masala

  • 2

    pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch chunks (4 cups)

  • 1

    quart low-sodium chicken broth

  • ½

    cup plain whole-milk yogurt, plus more to serve

  • ½

    cup toasted pumpkin seeds

Step 1

On a 6-quart Instant Pot, select More/High Sauté. Add the coconut oil and heat until shimmering. Add the onion and 1 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, about 7 minutes.

Stir in the ginger and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the curry powder and garam masala, add the squash and broth. Stir to combine, then distribute in an even layer.

Step 2

Press Cancel, lock the lid in place and move the pressure valve to Sealing. Select Pressure Cook or Manual; make sure the pressure level is set to High. Set the cooking time for 10 minutes.

When pressure cooking is complete, allow the pressure to reduce naturally for 10 minutes, then release the remaining steam by moving the pressure valve to Venting. Press Cancel, then carefully open the pot.

Step 3

In a blender and working in 2 batches, puree the mixture until smooth, about 30 seconds, transferring the first batch to a bowl; return both batches to the pot.

(Alternatively, use an immersion blender to puree the mixture directly in the pot). Select More/High Sauté and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, then press Cancel to turn off the pot.

In a small bowl, whisk together the yogurt and about 1 cup of the puree, then stir into the soup. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve topped with a dollop of yogurt and a sprinkle of the pumpkin seeds and additional pepper.