Instant Pot Butternut Cauliflower Soup
Soup
Ingredients
1 onion diced
1-2 tsp oil for sautéing
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb frozen cauliflower
1 lb frozen cubed butternut squash
2 cups vegetable broth (chicken broth works too!)
1 tsp paprika
1/2-1 tsp dried thyme
1/4-1/2 tsp red pepper flakes optional for a spicy kick
1/4 tsp sea salt plus extra to taste
1/2 cup half and half, milk, or cream (see notes)
TASTY TOPPING + MIX-IN OPTIONS
grated cheddar cheese
crumbled bacon (regular... turkey... veggie...)
sriracha or hot sauce
parmesan and/or gouda cheese
sour cream cheddar, and chives
chopped green onions
pumpkin seeds
sunflower seeds
croutons
pesto
green onion and cheddar are probably my favorite mix-ins for this soup - YUM!
Directions
TOOLS NEEDED:
This recipe was developed for a pressure cooker like the Instant Pot - see post below for slow cooker instructions.
Turn pressure cooker to sauté function and heat oil.
Sauté onion until tender and golden, adding the garlic towards the end.
Add cauliflower, butternut, veggie broth, and spices.
NOTE: If the broth you're using is on the saltier side, feel free to skip the salt and simply add it in at the end, tasting and seasoning it as you go. Same goes for the red pepper flakes - if you want a super mild soup you can always sneak some in after and season as you taste. I added a teaspoon of pepper flakes to mine and it gave the soup a delightful zing! You could also give this a fall-spiced flavor profile if you'd like by adding cinnamon and nutmeg to the soup. I've had it both ways and love it!
Set to high pressure for 5 min.
Due to volume, soup should take around 15 minutes to come to pressure and countdown the 5 minutes.
Once it's complete, turn OFF then switch to vent to quick release the pressure.
The soup should take about 20-25 minutes from sauté to pressure release.
Add half and half (or your choice of dairy)
Blend using an immersion blender (my favorite space-saving appliance ever!) or allow soup to cool (hot liquid expands) and blend in batches in your blender or food processor.
Top with your choice of toppings and dig in!
Notes
See post below for slow cooker instructions - this soup works great in the crock-pot too!
I opted for half and half for this recipe, which is equal parts cream and milk. You can also use all cream or all milk if you'd like. Even cream cheese would work to add a little creaminess if you're jonesin' for it. All are delicious options, let your tastebuds (and the contents of your fridge!) be your guide. You can add a little, or a lot!
Go fresh OR frozen! I opted for frozen cauli and butternut to save time in the cooking and chopping department. Adjust cook times as needed if using fresh veggies, approx. 15 minutes on high pressure should do the trick! The general rule of thumb with pressure cooker soups is that you can always add more time as needed, so don't fret if you're new to using a PC. The forgiveness curve of soup recipes is almost always in your favor!
Nutrition
CALORIES 100 CALORIES FROM FAT 27 % DAILY VALUE* TOTAL FAT 3G 5% SATURATED FAT 1G 5% CHOLESTEROL 7MG 2% SODIUM 446MG 19% POTASSIUM 553MG 16% TOTAL CARBOHYDRATES 16G 5% DIETARY FIBER 3G 12% SUGARS 4G PROTEIN 3G 6% VITAMIN A 169.8% VITAMIN C 65.7% CALCIUM 8% IRON 5.9%