Butternut Squash Soup in an Instant
2264 days ago
Skip to recipeThere are two electric appliances I use on a regular basis: the multi-cooker (a pressure cooker with lots of additional features) and a high-powered blender. This recipe takes advantage of both to produce a silky-smooth, rich-tasting butternut squash soup that has no cream or milk.
If you don’t have a pressure cooker or multi-cooker, you can cook the soup on the stovetop. (Bring the stock and butternut squash to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer; it will take about 25-35 minutes for the squash to become tender.)
To prepare the butternut squash for this recipe, use a Vegetable Knife and refer to my easy step-by-step tutorial.
I keep this recipe simple, letting the flavor of the squash shine through, but you could stir in 1/2 teaspoon ground sage or 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg or ginger to the pureed soup. To serve, you could swirl some cream or coconut milk into the soup or top it with a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt and a garnish of snipped fresh herbs, like parsley or chives.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, coarsely chopped
- 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
- 1 celery stalk, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups low- sodium chicken broth
- 1 1/2 - 2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch chunks
- Plain yogurt
- Chives
Directions
- Heat the oil in a multi-cooker or 4-quart or larger pressure cooker. Add the onion, carrot, celery and salt and sauté until just softened, about 2 minutes. (Do not let the onion brown.) Add broth and squash.
- Lock the lid in place. If using the multi-cooker, select manual and set the timer for 5 minutes. (If using a pressure cooker, bring to high pressure over high heat. Reduce heat just enough to maintain high pressure and cook for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat.) Quick release the pressure or let it come down naturally. Remove the lid, tilting it away from you to allow steam to escape.
- Squash should be very tender, if not, cover (without pressure) and heat over medium heat for a few minutes to soften. Transfer mixture to a blender. (Don't fill the blender container more than half-full, vent the cover, and hold a clean kitchen towel over the top while the blender is on.) Puree until smooth. (If mixture is too thick, add water.) Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.