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Restaurant-Quality Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup

A person being served a beautiful bowl of gourmet Butternut Squash Soup at an elegant dinner party.

A rich and creamy butternut squash soup made quickly and easily in an Instant Pot. The recipe builds a deep, savory flavor base by first crisping pancetta and then sautéing carrots, celery, and onion in the rendered fat. The butternut squash is then pressure-cooked with the vegetables in chicken stock until perfectly tender. The soup is pureed until smooth with an immersion blender and served with delicious toppings of the crispy pancetta, sautéed mushrooms, and a drizzle of crème fraîche or Greek yogurt.

Ingredients

Scale
  • For the Soup:
  • 5 ounces pancetta, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 2 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 stalk celery, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1/2 medium onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 4 large sage leaves, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 7 cups butternut squash cut into 1-inch pieces (from a 2-pound squash)
  • 3 cups chicken stock
  • 1 cup cream (optional)
  • For the Toppings:
  • 8 ounces small white button mushrooms, stems trimmed, cut into 1/8-inch slices
  • Pinch ground cumin
  • Creme fraiche or full-fat Greek yogurt, for serving
  • Minced chives, for serving

Instructions

  1. Set a 6- or 8-quart Instant Pot® to the medium sauté setting. Add the pancetta to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 8 minutes until crisp and the fat is rendered. Remove the pancetta with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate, reserving it for a topping.
  2. Drain all but 2 tablespoons of the pancetta drippings from the pot.
  3. Add the carrots, celery, onion, sage, 1/2 teaspoon of cumin, 2 teaspoons of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes until the vegetables have softened.
  4. Add the squash and chicken stock to the pot. Follow the manufacturer’s guide for locking the lid. Set to pressure cook on high for 25 minutes.
  5. After the pressure-cook cycle is complete, perform a quick pressure release. Carefully remove the lid.
  6. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup directly in the pot until it is smooth. Stir in the optional cream to thin the soup to your desired consistency. Season with additional salt and pepper.
  7. Prepare the Toppings: While the soup is cooking, heat 1 tablespoon of the reserved pancetta fat in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, a pinch of cumin, and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 20 minutes, until the mushrooms have released their liquid and are brown and slightly crisp.
  8. Serve: Ladle the hot soup into bowls. Top with the crispy pancetta, the sautéed mushrooms, a drizzle of creme fraiche, and a sprinkle of minced chives.

Notes

  • Special Equipment: A 6- or 8-quart Instant Pot® and an immersion blender are required for this recipe.
  • Using an immersion blender is a convenient way to puree the soup directly in the pot without having to transfer it to a traditional blender.
  • The rendered pancetta fat is used to cook both the soup base and the mushroom topping, adding a rich, savory flavor throughout the dish.
  • The article references a ‘Cook’s Note’ that is not included in the provided text.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://www.eatswithsoul.com/instant-pot-butternut-squash-soup/