Cozy Butternut Squash and Kale Soup (Instant Pot or One-Pot Stovetop)

This Butternut Squash & Kale Soup is the ultimate cozy comfort food. With creamy squash, tender sweet potato, hearty beans, and rice, it’s so filling and familiar you won’t even miss the meat. Each bowl is nourishing and satisfying, with over 10 grams of fiber to keep you full for hours. And if you do want to add meat for any meat eaters in your family, simply stir in shredded rotisserie chicken at the end — it blends perfectly with the flavors. It’s easy to make on the stovetop and even quicker and easier in an Instant Pot!

Ingredients

• 1 sweet potato, peeled and diced (or 10 oz frozen cubes)
• 1 medium butternut squash (or 20 oz frozen cubes)
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 2 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp each: sage, rosemary, thyme, oregano, and basil
• 12 cups water + 4 tbsp vegetable broth paste (or use 12 cups broth)
• ¾ cup uncooked rice (or 2 cups cooked rice)
• 2 cans northern beans, drained and rinsed
• 4 cups chopped kale
• 1 ½ tsp salt (or to taste)
• ½ tsp black pepper

Instructions

Instant Pot Method

1. Sauté aromatics: Set Instant Pot to Sauté. Add onions and a splash of oil or water, then cook onion for about 3 minutes. Then add garlic with the dried herbs and sauté for about another minute or until fragrant.
2. Add main ingredients: Stir in sweet potato, butternut squash, carrots, rice, broth, salt, and pepper.
3. Pressure cook: Seal the lid and cook on Manual/High for 7 minutes. Allow a natural release for 10 minutes, then quick release any remaining pressure.
4. Finish the soup: Stir in the beans and kale. Let sit for 5 minutes, until the kale wilts and beans are warmed through.

Stovetop Method

1. Sauté aromatics: In a large soup pot, Add onions and a splash of oil or water, then cook onion for about 3 minutes. Then add garlic with the dried herbs and sauté for about another minute or until fragrant.
2. Simmer: Add sweet potato, butternut squash, carrots, rice, broth, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 25–30 minutes, or until vegetables and rice are tender.
3. Finish the soup: Stir in beans and kale, and cook for another 3-5 minutes until kale is wilted.

Tips & Variations

• Make it faster: Use frozen butternut squash cubes and sweet potatoes.
• Switch the greens: Swap kale for spinach, Swiss chard, or collard greens.
• Make it meaty: Stir in some cooked rotisserie chicken to individual portions after it is cooked to accommodate meat eaters in your family.
• Storage: Keeps well in the fridge up to 4 days, or freeze in single servings for up to 3 months.

This Butternut Squash & Kale Soup is the perfect dish to welcome the season — it tastes like fall in a bowl. It’s cozy, nourishing, and hearty enough to keep you full for hours. Plus, it makes a generous batch that’s ideal for feeding a crowd, stocking the fridge for the week, or freezing for busy nights. Whether you enjoy it plant-based or stir in some rotisserie chicken, this soup will quickly become a family favorite.