Freezer Friendly Butternut Squash Soup
This simple butternut squash soup can be prepared as an easy Instant Pot freezer meal or cooked fresh on the stove with extra vegetables for a thicker, heartier result.
Butternut squash soup is one of my favorite simple dinners when the weather starts cooling down. It is smooth, lightly sweet, and especially good with a warm loaf of bread.
This recipe can be prepared in two different ways. When I am stocking the freezer, I add the uncooked vegetables, seasonings, and broth directly to a freezer bag. On a busy night, the entire meal can go into the Instant Pot and cook with very little effort.
When I make the soup fresh on the stove, I usually add extra butternut squash and carrots to beef it up. I also take a little more time to sauté the vegetables and herbs before adding the broth. This builds more flavor and creates an especially thick, hearty soup.
Both methods are delicious, and the recipe is very forgiving. You can adjust the vegetables, broth, cream, and seasonings depending on what you have and how thick you want the finished soup to be.
Main Ingredients & Swaps
- Butternut squash: One large butternut squash is enough for the freezer version. When cooking the soup fresh, I often add more squash to make it thicker and heartier. You can also use peeled and cubed squash from the grocery store.
- Carrots: Carrots add sweetness and help give the soup its beautiful color. I add extra carrots when making the stovetop version.
- Onion: Onion provides the savory base that balances the naturally sweet vegetables. Yellow, white, or sweet onion will work.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic adds another layer of flavor. Frozen minced garlic works perfectly in the freezer meal version.
- Sage: Fresh sage is wonderful with butternut squash, but dried sage is an easy substitute. Thyme would also be delicious if you want to add another herb.
- Chicken stock: Homemade chicken stock gives the soup a rich flavor and is a great way to use stock made from leftover chicken bones. Store bought chicken or vegetable stock also works.
- Heavy cream: A little cream makes the soup rich and silky. You can leave it out or use coconut milk if you prefer a dairy free soup.
- Apple cider vinegar: A small splash at the end brightens the soup and balances the sweetness of the squash and carrots.
- Parmesan: Parmesan adds savory flavor and makes the finished soup feel a little more special. Stir it into the soup or grate it over each bowl before serving.
Equipment I Use
- Instant Pot: The Instant Pot makes it possible to cook the soup directly from the freezer with very little work.
- Large soup pot: A heavy pot or Dutch oven works well for the fresh stovetop method.
- Immersion blender: An immersion blender allows you to puree the soup directly in the pot. You can also carefully blend it in batches with a regular blender.
How to Prepare It as a Freezer Meal
Peel and cube one large butternut squash. Add it to a gallon freezer bag with one chopped onion, two chopped carrots, 2 to 3 minced garlic cloves, and about 1 teaspoon dried sage. You can also use chopped fresh sage.
Add 4 cups of chicken stock, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper.
Press out as much extra air as possible and seal the bag tightly. Place the bag flat on a sheet pan and freeze until solid. Once frozen, you can remove the sheet pan and stack the bag with your other freezer meals.
Make sure to label the bag with the recipe name, date, and Instant Pot instructions.
How to Cook the Soup from Frozen in the Instant Pot
Take the soup out of the freezer about an hour before cooking so the bag softens enough to break the contents into a few large pieces.
Remove all packaging and transfer the frozen soup mixture to the Instant Pot. If the frozen block does not fit, allow it to thaw a little longer until it can be broken apart.
Secure the lid and cook on high pressure for about 15 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes before carefully releasing the remaining pressure.
Once the vegetables are completely tender, blend the soup directly in the Instant Pot with an immersion blender.
Finish it with a splash of heavy cream, a little apple cider vinegar, grated Parmesan, and additional salt as needed. Taste as you go and adjust everything until the flavor feels balanced.
How to Make It Fresh on the Stove
When I make this soup fresh, I usually use more butternut squash and carrots than I do in the freezer version. This gives the soup a thicker texture and turns it into a more substantial dinner. Begin by first
Begin by warming a little butter or olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and carrots, then cook until they begin to soften.
Add the garlic and sage and cook briefly, stirring frequently so the garlic does not burn. Taking a few minutes to sauté the vegetables and herbs first develops more flavor than adding everything directly to the pot.
Add the cubed butternut squash and enough chicken stock to nearly cover the vegetables. Bring everything to a gentle simmer.
Cover and cook for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until the squash and carrots are completely tender and easily pierced with a fork.
Blend the soup with an immersion blender until smooth. Add more stock if the soup is thicker than you prefer.
Finish with heavy cream, apple cider vinegar, Parmesan, salt, and black pepper. I add these gradually and taste as I go because the exact amount needed depends on the sweetness of the vegetables and whether the stock was already salted.
Which Method Is Better?
The freezer method is all about convenience. There is no sautéing and almost no work required on the day you serve it. Everything goes into the Instant Pot, cooks together, and gets blended at the end.
The fresh stovetop method takes a little longer, but sautéing the onion, carrots, garlic, and herbs develops deeper flavor. Adding extra squash and carrots also creates a thicker soup that feels more substantial. And I always rely on a hearty loaf of bread (and sometimes grilled cheese sandwiches) to carry this meal to the finish line.
I genuinely like both versions. The best method depends on whether I am planning ahead for a busy night or making the soup fresh when I have more time.
Serving Ideas
- Butternut squash soup is especially good with warm sourdough bread, biscuits, grilled cheese, or a simple sandwich.
- For a little more texture, top each bowl with freshly grated Parmesan, toasted pumpkin seeds, crisp bacon, croutons, or a drizzle of cream.
- You can also serve smaller bowls alongside roasted chicken, pork, or a large salad.
Tips & Storage
- Cut the squash and carrots into similar sized pieces so they cook evenly.
- If the soup is too thick after blending, add more stock a small amount at a time. If it is too thin, let it simmer uncovered until it reaches the consistency you want.
- Wait until after cooking to add the cream, vinegar, and Parmesan. These finishing ingredients taste best when adjusted after the vegetables have been blended.
- The sweetness of butternut squash varies, so always taste before serving. A little extra salt or apple cider vinegar can completely wake up the flavor.
- Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- The prepared freezer bag is best used within 3 months. Keep it frozen until you are ready to thaw it briefly and cook it in the Instant Pot.
Watch my YouTube video below to see me prepare this butternut squash soup as part of a big freezer meal cooking day.
This soup is simple, flexible, and exactly the kind of meal I like having in the freezer. On a busy night, I can cook it in the Instant Pot and add fresh bread for an easy dinner. When I have more time, I can build extra flavor on the stove and add more vegetables to make it as hearty as I want.
Butternut Squash Soup (Freezer Friendly)
Ingredients
Notes
- The amounts of cream, apple cider vinegar, and Parmesan are flexible. Add them gradually and adjust according to taste.
- For a dairy free version, omit the Parmesan and replace the heavy cream with full fat coconut milk.
- Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Serve with warm sourdough bread, biscuits, grilled cheese, or a simple sandwich.
Method
- Heat the butter or olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and carrots and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until they begin to soften. Add the garlic and sage and cook for another minute.
- Add the butternut squash, chicken stock, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 25 to 30 minutes, until the squash and carrots are completely tender.
- Blend the soup with an immersion blender until smooth. Stir in the heavy cream, apple cider vinegar, and Parmesan. Taste and adjust the salt, vinegar, cream, or stock as needed.
- Add the butternut squash, carrots, onion, garlic, sage, chicken stock, salt, and pepper to the Instant Pot.
- Secure the lid and cook on high pressure for 8 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then carefully release the remaining pressure.
- Blend the soup until smooth. Stir in the heavy cream, apple cider vinegar, and Parmesan, then taste and adjust as needed.
- Add the uncooked butternut squash, carrots, onion, garlic, sage, chicken stock, salt, and pepper to a gallon freezer bag. Press out the extra air, seal tightly, and freeze flat.
- When ready to cook, let the bag sit out for about 1 hour, just until the contents can be broken into pieces. Remove all packaging and transfer the frozen mixture to the Instant Pot.
- Cook on high pressure for 15 minutes. Allow a 10 minute natural release, then carefully release the remaining pressure. Blend until smooth and finish with the heavy cream, apple cider vinegar, Parmesan, and additional salt as needed.
Video
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