Description
This Instant Pot Thai Curried Butternut Squash Soup is a creamy, flavorful, and comforting dish perfect for cozy fall meals. Made with vibrant red curry paste, smooth almond butter, and rich coconut milk, this soup combines warming spices with the natural sweetness of butternut squash. It’s gluten free, easy to make, and uses the Instant Pot for a quick cooking process that preserves all the wonderful flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup Base
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 white onion, chopped
- 1 tbsp ginger, minced
- 2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed (about 6 cups)
- 1.5 tbsp red curry paste
- 1/4 cup smooth almond butter
- 2 cups vegetable broth (or 2 cups water with a vegetable bouillon cube)
- 1/2 cup full fat coconut milk
- 1/2 lime, juiced
- Salt, to taste
- Ground black pepper, to taste
Garnishes
- Roasted sliced almonds or peanuts
- Chopped cilantro
- Additional coconut milk (for drizzling)
- Red chili flakes
Instructions
- Saute Aromatics: Press the Saute button on the Instant Pot. Once it displays ‘Hot,’ add oil, chopped onion, and minced ginger. Saute for a few minutes until the onions become soft and fragrant.
- Add Butternut Squash and Seasonings: Add the cubed butternut squash, red curry paste, and salt. Mix well to combine and continue to saute for 2 minutes to develop the flavors.
- Add Liquids: Pour in the coconut milk and vegetable broth, stirring everything together.
- Pressure Cook: Close the Instant Pot lid and set the vent to the sealing position. Cancel the Saute mode and press the Pressure Cook button. Set the timer to 10 minutes on High pressure.
- Release Pressure: After cooking, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then perform a quick manual release to release any remaining pressure before opening the lid.
- Blend the Soup: Stir in the almond butter, then use an immersion blender directly in the pot to blend the soup until smooth and creamy. Alternatively, carefully transfer the soup to a blender and blend until smooth.
- Season to Taste: Taste the soup and adjust seasoning by adding salt, ground black pepper, and lime juice as needed.
- Serve and Garnish: Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with roasted almond slices or peanuts, chopped cilantro, a drizzle of coconut milk, and a sprinkle of red chili flakes for extra heat and texture.
Notes
- This recipe is gluten free and uses no animal products, making it vegetarian. It can be made vegan if vegetable broth and almond butter are verified vegan.
- Be careful when blending the hot soup; use an immersion blender or let the soup cool slightly before transferring to a countertop blender.
- Adjust red curry paste quantity for heat preference; add less if you prefer milder soup.
- This soup stores well refrigerated for up to 4 days and freezes beautifully for up to 3 months.
- Serve with a side of crusty gluten-free bread or steamed jasmine rice for a complete meal.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (about 1.5 cups)
- Calories: 250 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 480 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
