2largish butternut squashpeeled and cubed in ½ inch cubes (about 5 to 6 cups)
6cupschicken stockor vegetable stock
213.5 oz cans full fat coconut milk
2teaspoonsminced garlic
2teaspoonscurry powder
1teaspooncardamom
1teaspoongaram masala
1teaspoonoregano or sage
½teaspooncayenne pepperoptional and adjustable
1teaspoonsaltadjust to taste and salt content of soup stock
½teaspoonground pepper
3large shallotschopped (or use 1 large onion)
1-2tablespoonscoconut oil
Our favorite toppings:
Chopped cilantro
Chopped chives
Chopped radishes
Cooked ground sausage1-2 lbs to serve 8
Caramelized shallots
Sour cream or Mexican Crema
Coconut milk
Instructions
How to Cube Butternut Squash:
Wash the outside surface of the butternut squash.
Next, you want to cut the ends off without wasting too much of the inner flesh.
Now cut it in half so there are a top and a bottom, right above the bulb.
Peel the outer skin off both butternut squash.
The bulb has a seed pocket inside. Cut this in half and scoop out the seeds with a metal spoon.
Finally, you are ready to cube everything up! I recommend shooting for half-inch cubes. They make nice chunks if you want them and fit easily into a blender too.
Making the Soup:
Quick & Easy: place the cubed Butternut Squash into the insert of a 6-quart Instant Pot with the six cups of stock. Set the Instant Pot to the “Saute” adjusted to the “More” setting. Bring to boil, and boil for 15 to 20 minutes, or when you can easily stick a fork through one. Turn the “saute” setting to the “less” mode now.
More Flavorful: roast your butternut squash before adding them to the Instant Pot. Set oven at 400 degrees. Add coconut oil to a cookie sheet, and add the cubed butternut squash and a dash of salt. Roast, turning cubes over once, for 30 to 40 minutes. Don’t over caramelize, but make sure the cubes get a good brown color on a couple of sides. Add the roasted cubes to a 6 qt Instant Pot insert along with six cups of stock and bring to a boil slowly using the “saute” setting on “less”.
Add the coconut milk, minced garlic, spices, and herbs.
Fine chop shallots and pan fry with coconut oil until nicely caramelized. Set some aside to use as a topping if desired.
Use an immersion blender to puree the soup, or use a slotted spoon to transfer all or some of the solid contents to a blender. Add a cup or two of liquid soup, and puree. If you have a small blender, you may need to do this in batches. You also may want a little extra texture, so consider leaving some of the squash in cubes, along with some of the onions. Return to Instant Pot.