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This creamy Pumpkin Butternut Squash Bisque is the ultimate fall comfort food. It’s easy to make in the Instant Pot or Slow Cooker, filled with wholesome ingredients, and perfect as a cozy dinner or a festive starter.
As a nutritionist, I love that this soup is nourishing, flavorful, and simple to prepare. No roasting required. Just chop the ingredients, add them to your pot, and let it simmer into something delicious. This is a great example of how easy Instant Pot recipes can be without sacrificing flavor.
Why You’ll Love This Soup
- Kid-friendly and freezer-friendly
- Naturally creamy without any dairy
- Just the right touch of sweetness from the apple
- Easy to prep in under 15 minutes
- Great for meal prep, weeknights, or holidays
The Inspiration
During a quick trip to Trader Joe’s, I spotted a sample of their seasonal Pumpkin Butternut Squash Bisque. My soup-loving daughter was hooked after one taste. I checked the label and realized we could make a healthier version at home using real, whole ingredients. A few tests later, this recipe was born. And because I love anything pumpkin, I’m always finding ways to add it to recipes we love and I knew it would be worth the effort.
Tips to Make It Perfect
- Pair it with zucchini bread or harvest salad for a complete meal
- Use canned pumpkin and fresh butternut squash
- The apple adds natural sweetness and helps balance the flavors
- Blend until smooth using an immersion blender or high-speed blender
- Garnish with roasted pumpkin seeds or fresh herbs
Easy Prep, Big Flavor
This recipe is designed for busy days. No roasting or complicated steps. Just nourishing, seasonal ingredients in a warm and comforting bowl of soup.
This cozy bisque is a perfect way to bring warmth and flavor to your Thanksgiving table. As you cook the big meal, let my free Thanksgiving Planning Guide help you keep everything on track so you can savor the holiday, not just serve it.
Slow Cooker or Instant Pot Pumpkin Butternut Squash Bisque
Ingredients
- 1 large butternut squash
- 1 2-3 lb pie pumpkin
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 medium sized white onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large apple, I used honey crisp, but your favorite is fine
- 3-4 cups vegetable or chicken broth*
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tsp dried basil
- 2 tsp dried sage
- 1 tsp salt, + more to taste
- 1/2 cup coconut milk or cream, optional
Instructions
- Start by preparing your squash and pumpkin. Peel the skin off your butternut squash. Cut in half vertically to remove the seeds. Then cut into 1 inch chunks. For the pumpkin, cut in half and remove the seeds. Continue cutting to carve out the inside flesh of the pumpkin. Cut into chunks.
- For your Slow Cooker:
- Dump all ingredients except for the coconut milk into your slow cooker.
- Set your slow cooker to low, and cook for 8 hours. Remove lid and add coconut milk (if using)
- Use an immersion blender to blend the soup into a bisque. You can also use a high powered blender (be sure to vent the top a bit because of the heat).
- Garnish with pumpkin seeds and fresh herbs.
- For the Instant Pot:
- Select the saute function. Add oil to your pot once hot. Now add the onion, and cook for 2-3 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for another 1-2 mins.
- Add the squash, pumpkin, and apple. Top with broth, vinegar, spices. Secure the lid.
- Select manual on your instant pot, and cook on high pressure for 14 minutes.
- Use a natural release for 15 minutes, then release the pressure before opening the lid.
- Add coconut milk (if using), and blend your soup with an immersion blender or move to a regular blender (venting the top to avoid explosion from the heat).
- Garnish with pumpkin seeds and fresh herbs.
It sounds amazing!!!! I’m definitely going to try it. A quick couple questions first.
If using canned pumpkin, how many oz or cans?
Can you use apple sauce in place of chopped up apple?
Hello! I see it says coconut milk or cream. Would this be regular cream, not of coconut?
Thank you! Looking forward to trying this recipe!
You can use coconut cream or regular cream. Either one works!
I made this today using canned pumpkin and it is simply divine! This will definitely become a staple fall recipe around here. Already looking forward to making it again.
So glad you loved it!
Can you use canned pumpkin?
Yes, but I would lower the amount of broth by 1 cup.
I was super excited to find this recipe! I just made it and am a bit bummed..I think the apple cider vinegar made it taste too acidic so i added more sweet to counter and it didn’t help much. Next time I would do without the apple lr apple cider vinegar and bet it would be amazing!
Thanks for the feedback, Pam! I love acidic food, so maybe it’s more of a personal preference and taming it down would work better for you. Thanks for stopping by!
Do you think canned pumpkin would work in this recipe?
Yes! I would do 2 cups of canned pumpkin.
Well I am out to get the ingredients for the soup. I see someone else had mentioned the canned pumpkin. Do you get a certain one?? Is it the same as what you would use in a pie?
Get canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie purée). I hope that helps! It won’t be as thick but should still taste yummy.