Curried Butternut Squash Soup (Instant Pot)
By the Gracious Vegan
I recommend a serrated peeler for getting the tough skin off the butternut squash. Or buy pre-peeled and cubed squash at the store. The alluring taste of this soup will make your guests think you worked all day on it. The cashews make the soup taste like it was made with coconut milk, but you save a lot of saturated fat by avoiding coconut milk.
Stovetop directions at the bottom.
Makes 8 cups (5 servings) (about 115 calories per serving)
Put the following ingredients in the Instant Pot. Put the valve in the “sealing” position; use the “Manual” or “High” setting for 10 minutes. Immediately release the steam and open the Instant Pot.
1.5 pounds butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes (about 5 cups)
3.5 cups broth
1 medium onion, diced (1 – 1.25 cups)
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
1 cinnamon stick
2 teaspoons turmeric
2 teaspoons ground cumin
While the soup is cooking, make the cashew cream by blending the following ingredients together in a blender on high until the cashews are dissolved, from 30 seconds to several minutes.
3/4 cup water
1/3 cup raw cashews (presoaked in hot water for 20 minutes—you can skip this step if you have a high-speed blender)
1 large or 2 small dates
When the Instant Pot is done and the steam is released, first, remove the cinnamon stick. Then stir in the following ingredients and puree the soup with a stick (immersion) blender, or let it cool a bit then puree in a regular blender. (You will get the smoothest texture with a high-speed blender.)
The cashew cream
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1 teaspoon salt
Ideas for garnishes:
Fresh chopped parsley, finely chopped red pepper, toasted bread slices or cubes, toasted sunflower or pumpkin seeds, vegan crema
Stovetop directions: Increase the broth to 4 cups. In a Dutch oven or other large pan, stir together the first list of ingredients, increase the heat to high, and bring to a boil, then decrease the heat to low and cover and simmer until the squash is tender, about 20-25 minutes.
Decrease the heat to low and stir in the cashew cream, lime juice, and salt. Cover and simmer about 3-5 minutes until desired thickness is reached.
Timing: Hands-on time 25 minutes with the chopping and blending, total time around 35 minutes
Nutritional information per serving (based on 5 servings): 117 calories, 4g fat, 1g sat. fat, 21g carbs, 471mg sodium, 4g fiber, 3g protein
Gluten-free