Instant Pot Kabocha Squash Soup is a simple pureed kabocha soup bursting in savory flavors. It is deliciously creamy and it will fill you up. If you want it with meat, you can always add shrimp, chicken, pork or beef.
This is a versatile recipe that you can even add other vegetables.
What is kabocha
Kabocha is a Japanese squash that is popular among Asians. It has a very hard skin that is not easy to peel especially along the ridges. The inside is deep yellow in color full of seeds. The seeds wrapped in a fibrous stuff are scraped and discarded.
Be very careful when cutting this squash. Use a sturdy knife and cut it along its ridges then lay it flat on the cutting board while peeling the skin.
The skin is edible but I’ve never cooked it with it. Lucky for the people who does, it saves them a lot of time removing the skin.
When my mom can still cook in her early 80’s, I have mentioned to my brother not to let her cut and peel a kabocha squash since it would be hard for her. I am younger and it is a struggle.
Anyway, kabocha is great on its own, an addition to a vegetable dish or in soup. It is creamy with a sweet flavor. In fact, it is also delicious with rice cake.
Kabocha is very versatile. It can be cook in an instant pot or pressure cooker, stove top or in the oven.
How to cook instant pot kabocha squash soup
You don’t need an instant pot to cook this soup. It doesn’t take longer either if cooked on stove top. The cooking procedure is the same either way.
I want to show you that you can cook different kinds of food in your instant pot. I am really glad I got this cookware as it has many uses for me.
It is hard to convince me to buy anything new in the market. I got mine after a few years after hearing great reviews. I want to make sure it will not sit in my counter to occupy space and collect dust.
It is a great investment and safe to use.
Read your instant pot manual if this is your first time to use it. My instructions does not replace the manual.
Steps cooking kabocha squash soup
(1) Prepare, peel and cut the kabocha squash. I am only using a medium size half kabocha the equivalent of 5 cups.
The Asian store I go to sells half sizes kabocha which is great. Scoop out the seeds and fibrous stuff. Cut it along the ridges, take one and lay it flat on a cutting board and peel with a knife. It is safer to do it this way as the skin is so hard. You can use a peeler if you like.
Once peeled, cut it into pieces. Set aside.
(2) Prepare your instant pot.
- Put the water collector at the back of instant pot before pluging it.
- Set SAUTE PROGRAM to 30 minutes. You can always CANCEL this program when done.
- Add and heat oil.
(3) Saute onion until soft. Add garlic and cook for a few minutes until golden. Stir-in ginger and continue cooking until aromatic.
(4) Add kabocha, red curry paste, curry powder, Knorr chicken flavor and water or chicken stock and coconut milk. Mix it. Then CANCEL the Saute program. Steps #3 and #4 will only take you 10 minutes.
(5) Cover instant pot with lid. Turn the steam release handle to SEALING. Set the PRESSURE COOK to 12 minutes. Once pressurized, the float valve will rise and cooking time starts. Once it is done, the display will show L000, L001, L002 countdown. Press CANCEL.
Wait for natural pressure release (NPR). The float valve will drop naturally. You can do a quick release but be very careful. Read the manual before attempting to do this.
(6) Once the float valve has dropped, turn the steam release handle to VENTING. It is now safe to open the lid. There will be liquid dripping from the lid, make sure it drops in the pot.
(7) Use an immersion hand blender or a potato ricer to puree the kabocha squash. Or you can use a kitchen utensil to mash the squash but that would take some time and not a smooth creamy soup.
(8) Taste and season with salt if needed. The red curry paste is quite salty so taste before adding salt.
(9) If it is not as hot, you can always turn on the SAUTE PROGRAM and bring it to a boil.
(10) Serve with mint leaves, extra serving of coconut milk (you can warm this if you like) and cayenne pepper.
Note: With my measurements, I took into consideration if you have kids or someone who does not like it too spicy and with subtle flavoring as some don’t care for something minty, coconuty or too much curry.
(a) RED CURRY PASTE - If you like it spicier, add another tablespoon of red curry paste.
(b) MINT LEAVES - Some people don’t care for minty flavor. So instead of adding it directly in the soup I’m serving mint leaves separately. Anyone who likes it minty can break the leaves into pieces and press it with a spoon to release its flavor in the soup.
This Instant pot kabocha squash soup is so REFRESHING and DELICIOUS with MINT LEAVES.
(c) COCONUT MILK – Sometimes coconut milk can be overpowering and some don’t like the rich flavor of coconut milk. Instead of adding more in the soup, I have an extra serving of coconut milk on the side. You can warm this if you like.
But if you want more in your soup, you can increase the measurement from ½ a cup to ¾ cup.
(d) CAYENNE PEPPER – I like it spicy and cayenne pepper adds another layer of flavor to this soup. But again, you also want your kids to be able to eat this soup so serve it on the side.
Mint adds a refreshing flavor to this squash soup while red curry paste and cayenne pepper makes it savory.
Other delicious kabocha dish
Shrimp and Squash Fritters (Ukoy)
Kabocha Squash Shakshuka
Kabocha Squash Long Beans with Shrimp in Coconut Milk
Squash Rice Cake
Recipe
Instant Pot Kabocha Squash Soup
Ingredients
- 1 small onion chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon ginger minced
- ½ medium Kabocha squash or 5 cups kabocha sliced
- ½ cup coconut milk (increase to ¾ cup if you like)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons Knorr Chicken flavor
- 3 cups water
- 1 tablespoon red curry paste (increase up to 2 tablespoons if you like)
- ⅛ teaspoon curry powder
- mint leaves
- pinch of cayenne pepper
- garnish with coconut milk
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Prepare, peel and cut the kabocha squash. Set aside.
- Set Instant Pot SAUTE PROGRAM to normal for 30 minutes. Note: A detailed instant pot instructions are in the blog above.
- Once instant pot is hot, add oil.
- Saute onion until soft. Add garlic and cook for a few minutes until golden. Stir-in ginger and continue cooking until aromatic.
- Add kabocha, red curry paste, curry powder, Knorr chicken flavor and water and coconut milk. Mix it. Then CANCEL the Saute program. Steps #3 and #4 will only take you 10 minutes.
- Cover instant pot with lid. Turn the steam release handle to SEALING. Set the PRESSURE COOK to 12 minutes. Once pressurized, the float valve will rise and cooking time starts. Once it is done, the display will show L000, L001, L002 countdown. Press CANCEL. Wait for natural pressure release (NPR). The float valve will drop naturally.
- Once the float valve has dropped, turn the steam release handle to VENTING and it is safe to open the lid. There will be liquid dripping from the lid, make sure it drops in the pot.
- Use an immersion hand blender or a potato ricer to puree the kabocha squash. Or use a kitchen utensil to mash the squash but this will take some time and the soup will not be as smooth and creamy.
- Taste and season with salt or fish sauce, if needed. The red curry paste is quite salty, so taste before adding salt.
- You can set the SAUTE PROGRAM to warm the soup. Bring to a boil and cancel the program.
- Serve with mint leaves, extra serving of coconut milk (you can warm this if you like) and cayenne pepper.
Notes
- You can substitute 2 teaspoons of Knorr and 3 cups of water to ½ teaspoon Knorr and 3 cups chicken stock.
- In the blog, I mentioned you can increase some of the ingredients to suit your preference or taste. With my measurements, I took in consideration if you have kids. You don’t want it too spicy so they can eat it. Check my blog above for some tips.
- TO COOK IN STOVE TOP, saute onion until soft. Add garlic and cook for a few minutes until golden. Then stir-in ginger and continue cooking until aromatic. Add kabocha, red curry paste, curry powder, Knorr chicken flavor and water and coconut milk. Cook until kabocha is tender. Use an immersion hand blender or potato ricer to puree the mixture. Taste and season with salt or fish sauce if needed. Garnish with mint leaves.
Nutrition
Jules says
Thanks! But why not cook the squash whole in the IP and not cut it up? Seems easier!
Fortune says
You are right, it can be done whole. Thanks too!