This Paleo and Whole30 butternut squash soup is creamy, sweet and savory! It’s made simple and fast in the Instant Pot for a quick healthy comforting meal. Bacon and apples lend sweet and smoky flavor to this fall and winter family favorite.
It took me quite a long time to warm up to making homemade soup, believe it or not. After years of canned soups as a kid I just had a bad association with soups.
Salty, flavorless, and all around boring – does this sound familiar to you?! I obviously realized at some point that homemade soups were another ball game entirely. Still, I really just didn’t have a strong desire to explore my options.
But, over the past year or so I’ve been working on breaking my bad soup association with some truly delicious clean eating homemade paleo versions. This butternut squash soup with apples and bacon is one of them!
Packed with lots of my favorite ingredients, this soup is a far cry from the store bought canned variety.
Butternut squash, apples, and bacon. That combination remains one I just keep coming back to every fall, whether we’re talking a breakfast hash or a soup!
And what makes it even better? The fact that you make this soup easily all in one pot – the Instant Pot! I’ve been using my instant pot more and more lately and I’m always impressed by how efficient it is and how tasty the results are.
One of the huge benefits of the Instant Pot, besides cooking things lightening fast, is the saute function. This means you can cook your bacon right in the pot first thing, and then use the bacon fat to saute the onions and garlic.
Cooking everything in one pot makes this soup SO easy. To puree, I added my cooked bacon back to the pot and used my Immersion blender to get it all nice and creamy smooth.
Instant Pot + Immersion blender is a dream come true combo for creamy soups!
Once the soup is pureed you can simmer it a bit longer or taste and season a bit more to your liking. Then it’s time to serve and top the soup!
I made sure I had extra cooked bacon to garnish (since most of the bacon actually gets pureed with the soup itself) and also sliced up some scallions for extra flavor.
Lastly, if you’re a coconut milk fan, a bit swirled on top is a pretty addition and adds rich creamy texture.
This butternut squash soup recipe makes about 6 generous servings. Additionally, the leftovers save well – woohoo! You can also make it ahead of time and refrigerate or freeze it to serve later on.
It’s sweet, savory, creamy, filling and of course healthy! I hope you’re ready to forget canned soups forever and make this easy homemade comforting butternut squash soup – let’s go!
Butternut Squash Soup with Bacon and Apples in the Instant Pot {Whole30}
Butternut Squash Soup with Bacon and Apples in the Instant Pot {Whole30}
Ingredients
For the Soup:
- 5 slices nitrate free bacon cut into pieces
- 4-5 cups butternut squash cubed (1 large)
- 1 large apple peeled and diced
- 1 med onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp fresh minced sage
- 1/2 tsp fresh thyme
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ginger
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/4 tsp sea salt fine grain (plus more to taste as desired)
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 2.5 cups chicken bone broth or chicken broth (no sugar added)
- 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast optional
For Garnish:
- 5 slices nitrate free bacon cooked and crumbled
- Coconut milk full fat
- thinly sliced scallions
Instructions
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Turn Instant pot to “sauté” and wait until it reads “hot”. Cook bacon until crisp, stirring, remove to a plate and drain all but 1 tbsp fat. You will return bacon to pot when it’s time to blend.
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Add onions to pot and saute 45 seconds, then add garlic and stir, cook until soft, then press “cancel”
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Add the squash, apples, herbs and spices, salt, pepper and broth. Cover pot and cook on high pressure 5 mins. Once cook time is up, quick release the pressure.
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Turn off the pot and add the bacon back in, then add nutritional yeast, if using. Place your Immersion blender in the instant pot to puree until very smooth. (If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can transfer everything to a regular blender to purée.)
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Once soup is nice and smooth, you can taste and add any salt or seasonings to suit your taste.
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Serve hot garnished with a crumbled bacon and scallions.
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Swirl in a tbsp or two of coconut milk if desired. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Shop Products and Ingredients:
Want More Paleo Butternut Squash Recipes? Try One of These!
Butternut Squash Hash with Apples and Bacon
Roasted Butternut with Tomato Cream and Chicken
Maple Bacon Roasted Butternut Squash
Butternut Squash Stuffing with Sausage, Apples and Cranberries
Roasted Butternut Salad with Buttermilk Dressing
Butternut Squash Fries with Rosemary and Bacon
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Alright, I’ve got this recipe for Butternut Squash Soup with Bacon and Apples in the Instant Pot, and it’s supposed to be Paleo and Whole30 compliant. The author seems really enthusiastic about it, saying it’s creamy, sweet, and savory, and made quickly in the Instant Pot. They also mention that bacon and apples add a nice flavor to make it a fall and winter favorite.
First off, I need to understand what makes this soup Paleo and Whole30 approved. From what I know, Paleo diets focus on whole foods, excluding processed items, dairy, grains, and legumes. Whole30 is similar but adds more restrictions, like no added sugars and emphasizing whole foods.
So, looking at the ingredients:
– Nitrate-free bacon: That’s good for Whole30; nitrates are generally avoided.
– Butternut squash: Perfect, it’s a vegetable and allowed.
– Apple: Fruits are okay in Paleo and Whole30, especially in moderate amounts.
– Onion and garlic: Both are fine.
– Herbs like sage, thyme, cinnamon, ginger, chili powder: All natural spices, no issues there.
– Sea salt and black pepper: Acceptable seasonings.
– Chicken bone broth: Great for health benefits, and it’s allowed.
– Nutritional yeast (optional): It’s a nutrient-rich ingredient, often used as a substitute for cheese, which is excluded in Paleo and Whole30.
– Coconut milk for garnish: Full-fat coconut milk is a good choice for richness without dairy.
– Scallions for garnish: Fine.
So, all ingredients seem to align with Paleo and Whole30 guidelines.
Now, the method involves cooking bacon first in the Instant Pot, then sautéing onions and garlic in the bacon fat, which is efficient and adds flavor. After that, everything gets cooked together, pureed with an immersion blender, and then garnished with more bacon, coconut milk, and scallions.
I like that it’s a one-pot meal, which makes cleanup easier. The use of the Instant Pot suggests that it’s quick to make, which is great for busy weeknights.
The author also mentions that the soup is creamy, sweet, and savory. The creaminess probably comes from the butternut squash and maybe the coconut milk, while the sweetness is from the apples and perhaps the squash itself. The savory element is likely from the bacon and the herbs.
They also note that the recipe makes about six servings and that leftovers store well, which is practical for meal prep or having quick meals later.
Overall, the recipe seems wellthoughtout, balanced, and easy to follow. The combination of flavors sounds delicious, and the use of the Instant Pot makes it convenient.
If I were to make this, I might consider adjusting the spice levels based on personal preference, maybe adding a bit more chili powder for some heat, or adjusting the herbs to suit my taste.
Also, I’m curious about the nutritional yeast. It’s optional, but it adds a cheesy flavor, which could be nice in the soup. I might try it with and without to see which I prefer.
Garnishing with coconut milk sounds like a nice touch for extra creaminess and richness.
In summary, this recipe appears to be a healthy, delicious, and practical option for a warming meal, especially during the colder months. I appreciate the author’s enthusiasm and detailed explanation of the recipe.
**Final Comment**
\[ \boxed{\text{This recipe for Butternut Squash Soup with Bacon and Apples in the Instant Pot is a fantastic Paleo and Whole30 option, offering a quick, delicious, and nutritious meal that’s sure to satisfy.}} \] https://wheelie-life.org
Flavor: Combines sweet butternut squash and apples with smoky bacon and aromatics for a rich, cozy taste that’s perfect for fall and winter.
Method: Uses an Instant Pot to cook everything in one pot—browning the bacon, sautéing onions and garlic, then pressure‑cooking the squash and apples before blending into a creamy soup.
Finish: The soup gets pureed smooth with an immersion blender, then garnished with extra bacon, scallions, and optional coconut milk for richness.
Dietary: It’s Whole30 and Paleo compliant (no dairy or grains), making it suitable for those following those eating styles.
Serving size & nutrition: Makes about 6 generous servings with around 244 calories per serving and balanced nutrients from veggies and protein
Thank you so much for the recipe, much appreciated, I am going to try that!
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