This Butternut Squash Soup Recipe is perfectly creamy, nourishing, and so easy to make! Made with simple, wholesome ingredients, this naturally vegetarian and gluten-free butternut squash soup is cozy and delicious and everyone’s favorite fall comfort food! Stovetop and slow cooker instructions included.
The Best Butternut Squash Soup Recipe
When I think about happiness, I think about this butternut squash soup.
No exaggeration, this is my all-time favorite soup. Like falling into a soft cloud of warm pillowy hugs, it’s my happy place. And it’s the one soup that I make over and over and over again and never get tired of eating.
Made almost entirely from vegetables, this easy butternut squash soup recipe is filled with things like carrots, onion, apples, sweet potato, butternut squash (of course), and is flavored with fresh garlic cloves and ginger. Simple healthy ingredients loaded with the most pleasant and unexpected flavor.
And if you can’t find butternut squash at your local grocery store or farmer’s market, try making it with pumpkin instead. The result will be a pumpkin soup nearly identical in taste and texture to this easy and delicious butternut squash version.
Ingredients in Butternut Squash Soup
- Olive oil
- Onions
- Celery
- Carrots
- Sweet potatoes
- Fresh garlic
- Fresh ginger
- Apples
- Butternut Squash
- Salt and Black pepper
- Water or Broth (chicken broth, vegetable stock, etc).
- Cream, half and half, or coconut milk (all optional)
You will need two medium or one really large butternut squash to make this recipe. The exact weight or amount isn’t super important, however, I always buy a little extra since I love having extra soup to reheat the next day.
Feel free to include what you love and leave out what you don’t – This is my classic, butternut squash soup base recipe. I love the extra flavor from all the other added veggies. Onions, celery, carrots, garlic, and ginger (mirepoix) are always included. These vegetables are first cooked slowly before being boiled and pureed.
Sweet potatoes and apples are optional. Sweet potatoes add a similar flavor as butternut squash and help make the soup extra thick and creamy.
Add cauliflower to cut out carbs and add extra veggies. Or, add a regular russet or Yukon gold potato in place of the sweet potato.
How to Make Butternut Squash Soup
Stovetop Butternut Squash Soup
Start by softening the onions in a little bit of olive oil over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Allowing the onions to soften slowly, first, before adding the other vegetables allows them to sweeten slightly, adding extra flavor to the soup.
After the onions have started softening, stir in the carrots, celery, and sweet potatoes. Cover and cook for around 10-15 minutes, stirring often.
Next, add the garlic, ginger, chopped apples, and butternut squash. Mix really well to combine.
Remember, since we’re going to be blending the soup, the vegetables do not need to be uniformly chopped. However, the larger they are chopped, the longer they will take to soften – and vice versa.
Add the water or broth and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low heat. Cook until all of the veggies are soft and mushy, approximately 30 minutes.
Once softened, remove from heat and blend using your favorite blender or immersion blender. Work in batches if needed. Return the pureed soup back to your pot set over low heat. Stir in any heavy cream, half-and-half, or coconut milk, if desired. Season with additional salt and pepper, to taste.
Butternut Squash Soup in the Crockpot
- Cut the ingredient amounts listed in the recipe card in half.
- Chop the vegetables and apples into large chunks. Peel and roughly chop the garlic and ginger.
- Transfer the vegetables, ginger, garlic, salt and pepper, and broth to a large slow cooker (at least 6-quarts).
- Cook until all of the vegetables are soft and tender, approximately 6-8 hours on low, or 4 hours on high.
- Stir in the half-and-half or cream (if using) and use an immersion blender to puree the soup. Or, transfer to a large blender and blend it there.
- Season with additional salt and pepper, to taste.
What to Serve with Butternut Squash Soup?
This soup is perfect as a starter, side, or main dish. I love to serve it with some fresh sourdough or French bread, garlic bread, or buttery biscuits. And although it is a soup made from vegetables, don’t let that keep you from serving it with a great big salad or roasted vegetables. Here are some of my favorites:
- Orzo Arugula Salad with Feta and Grapes
- Easy Tomato Salad Recipe with Homemade Vinaigrette
- Shredded Brussels Sprout Salad
- Easy Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts Recipe
How to Roast Butternut Squash For Soup?
Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Prepare the butternut squash: Slice the ends from the butternut squash. Use a vegetable peeler or paring knife to carefully slice the skin from the butternut squash. Cut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds and stringy bits from each half. Discard the seeds (or save them for roasting). Flip each half over so that it is cut-side-down and cut the squash into small cubes.
Season: Toss the butternut squash cubes with a little olive oil, salt, and black pepper and transfer them to the prepared baking sheet.
Roast: Cook for approximately 20-30 minutes, or until the squash is tender and browning around the edges.
Recipe Variations
One of the best parts about this recipe is how easy it is to transform and play with different flavors. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
Seasonings and spices: Taco seasoning, Cajun seasoning, cinnamon, chili powder, cayenne powder (for heat), nutmeg, honey or brown sugar, cumin, curry powder, paprika.
Roast the vegetables: Feel free to roast just the butternut squash or as many as you’d like! Roasting will add additional cooking time, but the flavor will be so worth it.
Add some toppings: There are so many great toppings for butternut squash soup. Some of my favorites include:
- Shredded cheese
- Nuts and seeds
- Store-bought or homemade croutons
- Pomegranate arils
- Fresh herbs including oregano, thyme, chives, sage, or rosemary
- Additional cream or half and half
- Sour cream or Greek yogurt
- Crispy bacon or prosciutto
More Butternut Squash Soup Recipes:
- Black Bean and Butternut Squash Soup – One of the most classic butternut squash soup combinations, this delicious recipe is made with roasted butternut squash, black beans, and flavorful taco seasoning.
- Lentil Butternut Squash Stew! Just a few of the reasons why this butternut squash soup is so fantastic.
- Chunky Vegetarian Butternut Squash Chili – Not all soups need to be creamy.
- Spicy Thai Butternut Squash and Pumpkin Ramen Soup – It’s a real thing and it’s delicious.
- Curried Butternut Squash Soup – Roasted butternut squash covered in warming curry spices.
Tips and Tricks
- Make it vegan and/or dairy-free: Swap the half-and-half or heavy cream for coconut milk instead.
- Save time: Purchase pre-chopped butternut squash from the grocery store. You will need about 8 cups or so.
- Roast your squash: This will yield soup with better, bolder flavor.
- Keep the ingredients simple: All you need are some onions, carrots, maybe some celery, an apple or two, and butternut squash. Everything else is extra and distracting, so try to keep them simple.
- Be careful when blending: Never fill any blender more than halfway full with hot ingredients or soup. Patience is paramount in preventing accidents.
How to Store Butternut Squash Soup
To store: Keep leftovers stored in an airtight container and in the refrigerator for up to 5-7 days. You may need to add a cup or two of water or stock when reheating as the soup thickens upon cooling.
To freeze: Allow the soup to cool before transferring to freezer-safe ziplock bags or storage containers. Remove as much air as possible. Lay flat on a baking sheet and transfer to the freezer (stacking multiple bags, one on top of the other, if necessary). To thaw, allow the soup to thaw in the refrigerator overnight or transfer to a bowl filled with warm water for faster thawing. Once frozen, it’s best to thaw and enjoy within 4 months.
Have you tried making Homemade Butternut Squash Soup?
Tell me about it in the comments below! I always love to hear your thoughts. And tag me #theforkedspoon on Instagram if you’ve made any of my recipes, I always love to see what you’re cooking in the kitchen.
RECIPE CARD
Butternut Squash Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 medium yellow onions - chopped
- 4 stalks celery - chopped
- 5 carrots - chopped
- 2 small sweet potatoes - peeled and cut into large chunks
- 5 cloves garlic - chopped
- 1 2-inch piece fresh ginger - peeled, roughly chopped and smashed
- 2 apples - cored and diced
- 2 medium butternut squash - peeled, seeded and chopped into 1-inch cubes
- 2 teaspoon salt - plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper - plus more to taste
- 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth - or water or low-sodium chicken broth (plus more as needed)
- ½ cup half and half - (note 1)
- Optional Toppings - Homemade Croutons, cheese, fresh herbs, nuts, seeds, everything-but-the-bagel seasoning, bacon, etc.
Instructions
Stove Top Method
- Cook the root vegetables – Heat one tablespoon olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring often, for 4-5 minutes or until the onions soften and turn translucent. Add the carrots, celery, and sweet potatoes and mix well to combine with the onion. Cover and continue to cook over medium heat for 10-15 minutes, stirring often.
- Add the apples and butternut squash – After approximately 10 minutes or so, after the root vegetables have had a chance to soften slightly, stir in the minced garlic and ginger and sautè for approximately 1 minute. Add the chopped apples and butternut squash, mixing well to combine.
- Add the broth and simmer – Add the water or vegetable broth to the pot (note 2) and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Allow vegetables to simmer for approximately 30 minutes, or until soft and mushy (note 3).
- Blend soup – Once all the vegetables have softened, remove from heat and grab your best blender, food processor, or immersion blender (note 4+5). Working in batches, fill your blender approximately half full with the butternut squash and broth mixture and blend until completely pureed. Pour your pureed soup into a new pot. Repeat until all the vegetables have been pureed into soup.
- Season to taste -Turn the pot with your pureed soup on low heat. Stir in the 1/2 cup half-and-half and season with salt, pepper, and additional cream to taste. Stir often to prevent soup from burning.
- Serve – Serve with all your favorite toppings including homemade croutons, pumpkin or sunflower seeds, fresh herbs, shredded cheese, bacon bits, or pomegranate arils, if desired.
Slow Cooker Method
- Divide the ingredient amount listed in the recipe card in half.
- Prepare vegetables – Chop the vegetables and apples into large chunks. Peel and roughly chop the garlic and ginger.
- Transfer to a large slow cooker – Transfer the vegetables, ginger, garlic, salt and pepper, and broth to a large slow cooker(at least 6-quarts).
- Cook until tender – Cook until all vegetables are soft and tender, approximately 6-8 hours on low, or 4 hours on high.
- Blend – Stir in the half-and-half or creamer and use an immersion blender to puree the soup. Or, transfer to a large blender and blend it there.
- Season to taste and serve – Season with additional salt and pepper, to taste. Serve garnished with all your favorite toppings!
Jessica’s Notes
- If you plan to cook this recipe in your slow cooker, half the recipe so that it will fit into a 6-quart pot.
- You may use any creamer you like or no creamer at all. It’s entirely up to you. Delicious additions include half and half, heavy cream, or coconut milk.
- The broth or water should reach just below the top of the chopped veggies – in other words enough for all the vegetables to simmer in the broth, but not so much that they are swimming in it.
- For soups like this one, you can’t really overcook your vegetables, so no need to set a timer for 30 minutes exactly. As long as all your vegetables are nice and mushy, you’re good to go.
- You may want to let your vegetables and broth cool slightly before blending. If you’re in a hurry, make sure to only fill your blender halfway and pulse before blending. If your mixture is too thick or you’re having trouble blending, don’t hesitate to add more vegetable broth or chicken stock until you reach your desired consistency.
- Soup will thicken after cooling. Add additional vegetable broth or water as needed to reach the desired thickness when reheating.
- Nutrition information does not include suggested toppings.
- Optional toppings include:
- Homemade Croutons
- Mozzarella or Parmesan cheese
- Fresh herbs
- Nuts and Seeds (pepitas, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, etc)
- Everything-but-the-bagel seasoning
- Bacon
Nutritional Information
(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.)
I just made your soup today. It came out good. I used bought and cut butternut squash and most of the vegetables. Instead of an immersion blender, I used a regular blender. Instead of coconut milk, I added sour cream, a bit of smoked paprika, a bit of turmeric, and a bit of garlic salt. I topped it w/ chia seeds. It came out good.
I appreciate your good feedback and rating, Sarah 🙂
I skipped the apples, but this was still absolutely delicious! Thank you for the recipe, we all loved it! I just made it today for the first time and yummmmm! So good! Thanks!
Hi- does the squash need to be roasted first in the oven or is it just meant to be chopped and put into the pot directly!
It should be chopped and put in the pot directly per the recipe card at the bottom of the post 😀
This is an awesome recipe and so healthy…I used coconut milk instead of cream. LOVING it! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for the awesome feedback and rating Patti 😀
Hi, i have just made the soup on my stove top. I couldn’t find quantities so just “winged”it. I am not a great cook by the way. Anyway after it was all done and bubbling away, I scrolled further down the page and found the required measurements. Duh, me. I am quite proud of myself as i did ok with making half the quantity. I will now print it out for future reference. Hoping it tastes good. Thanks for sharing.
Jean
You never described how to prepare the butternut squash for the soup – how to cut, chop, or peel. What what the best sizes of squash would be best, etc.
I am talking specifically about the stove-top method.
Hi Cee, the recipe calls for “2 medium butternut squash – peeled, seeded and chopped into 1-inch cubes”. You can find the ingredient specifications in the the ingredient section of the recipe card 🙂 Thanks for asking! -Jessica
I just love this receipe can’t wait to try it.
I made this for just my husband and I, but my whole family ended up LOVING it!