This Creamy Butternut Squash Soup is an easy soup recipe filled with Fall-inspired ingredients. Flavorful roasted butternut squash is blended into a silky puree, then finished on the stovetop with butter, maple syrup, and spices.
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Butternut Squash Soup Video
I’ll show you how to make this easy and soul-warming butternut squash soup. You’ll fall in love with how simple and flavorful this recipe is. It also keeps well and reheats beautifully.
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup Recipe
Butternut squash soup is a simple recipe that tastes totally gourmet. Roasting the veggies before blending brings out their very best flavor, while a touch of fall spice elevates the soup to a whole new level of cozy.
Then there are the toppings. My personal favorite is a combination of sweet maple syrup (which brings out the squash’s natural sweetness) and salty crispy bacon, but you can also use pumpkin seeds for an equally lovely vegetarian soup topping.
Ingredients for Butternut Squash Soup
Below is everything you’ll need to make creamy butternut soup from scratch, along with vegetarian substitution options below.
- Butternut Squash – Prepare and chop up your butternut squash beforehand, so it’s ready to go. You can learn how to peel, seed, and cut up butternut squash in our Roasted Butternut Squash Recipe.
- Carrots and Onion – These additional veggies are roasted with the squash, along with garlic, for even more flavor in the soup base.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Tossing the vegetables in olive oil with salt and pepper helps them roast up perfectly.
- Broth – Chicken Stock or Turkey Stock provides a rich flavor and helps to thin out the blended soup.
- Butter – Unsalted butter is what makes this soup extra creamy. No need for added cream.
- Maple Syrup – Pure maple syrup brings the perfect amount of sweetness to the soup.
- Spices – Ground cinnamon and nutmeg add a delicious hint of fall spice.
Natasha’s Tip for Vegetarian Soup: Use vegetable stock in place of chicken stock. For a vegan butternut squash soup, use vegetable stock and olive oil instead of butter, and serve with the toasted pepitas instead of bacon (see below).
How to Make Butternut Squash Soup
While your oven preheats, chop and prep all of your ingredients. See how I chopped the squash in my Roasted Butternut Squash Recipe.
- Roast the Veggies – Toss the cubed squash, carrots, onion, and garlic with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread the veggies in a single layer on a non-stick baking sheet, and bake at 400ºF for 35-40 minutes, turning them halfway through.
- Blend – Working in batches, add roasted veggies with the stock to a Blender and blend until silky smooth.
- Combine – Add the puree to a Dutch oven or large pot. Stir in a half-cup of water along with the cinnamon and nutmeg, then bring the soup to a uniform boil. I recommend partially covering the pot with a lid and stirring often to prevent splattering. Lastly, stir in the butter and maple syrup, and finish the soup with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve – Ladle your butternut squash soup into bowls, then garnish with your choice of toppings.
Pro Tip for Blending Soup: A high-powered blender works best for pureeing soups. Make sure your blender has openings in the lid to allow the heat to escape, and never blend when it’s more than half-full. Alternatively, use an immersion blender to blend the soup right in the pot.
Toppings and Garnishes
Here are more easy topping ideas for a creamy butternut squash soup:
- Pepitas (toasted pumpkin seeds) – for a vegetarian option.
- Crispy bacon and an extra drizzle of maple syrup
- Extra virgin olive oil – use a good quality oil to add great flavor
- Chili – Crushed red pepper flakes, Cajun spice, or cayenne pepper.
- Herbs – Basil ribbons or thyme leaves.
Frequently Asked Questions
We tested adding an apple to this soup recipe. It created an unpleasant sour tinge that we weren’t too crazy about, so I don’t recommend adding apple.
We found that adding heavy cream or coconut cream wasn’t necessary. Adding butter and blending the soup makes it naturally creamy enough, without adding too many extra calories.
Yes, you can experiment with various squashes, such as acorn squash when making this soup. You might also love our Creamy Sweet Potato Soup, or Pumpkin Soup.
What to Serve With Butternut Squash Soup
A bowl of butternut squash soup becomes a meal paired with:
- Bread – Sourdough Bread, French Bread, Focaccia, or Dinner Rolls are great for dunking.
- Salad – Soup is a classic combo with a Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad or Beet Salad with Arugula.
- Sandwiches – pair with a BLT Sandwich or a kid-friendly Grilled Cheese.
We love creamy Autumn soups, and the hint of cinnamon and nutmeg in this squash soup makes it comforting for cooler weather. I know you’ll love sipping a steamy bowl of Roasted Butternut Squash Soup.
Butternut Squash Soup
Ingredients
- 1 large butternut squash, (3 lbs), peeled, seeded, and cut into 1” cubes
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 medium yellow onion, quartered and separated into smaller chunks
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and ends trimmed
- 4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
- 4 cups chicken broth, or vegetable stock
- 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 Tbsp real maple syrup, plus more to serve
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 cup filtered water, or added to desired consistency
Garnish:
- 6 oz Browned Bacon Bits, optional, or 1/3 cup toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
- Maple Syrup to drizzle, added to taste
- Fresh Parsley, finely chopped
Instructions
- Prep – Preheat the oven to 400˚F with the rack in the center of the oven. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or use a non-stick baking sheet. Prep your veggies
- Season Vegetables – Transfer squash, carrots, onion, and garlic to the prepared baking sheet, drizzle with oil, salt, and pepper, and toss to combine.
- Roast – Spread the squash evenly in a single layer and bake until squash and carrots are fork-tender and golden at the edges, about 35-40 minutes, turning the veggies halfway.
- Blend – Transfer the roasted veggies to a high-powered blender in 2-3 batches (don’t go beyond the max fill line), adding some of the stock each time and water if it gets too thick, and blend until completely smooth.
- Finish the Soup – Pour the puree into a Dutch oven or soup pot and set over medium heat. Add 1/2 cup water, cinnamon, and nutmeg and stir to combine. Bring to a uniform light boil, keeping it partially covered and stirring frequently as cream soups tend to spurt and squirt. Swirl in butter and maple syrup, season with salt and pepper to taste if needed then remove from heat.
- To Serve – ladle into bowls, and garnish with a drizzle of maple syrup and bacon (or toasted pepitas), sprinkle of finely chopped parsley, and freshly cracked black pepper.
Notes
- To Refrigerate: Store this soup airtight in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freezing: Allow the soup to cool completely, and then transfer it to a freezer-safe container. Store this soup frozen for up to 3 months, and thaw it in the fridge before reheating and serving.
- To Reheat: Add a splash of water to thin the soup if needed and reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave. If you’re microwaving, heat the soup in 30-second increments, covered with a paper towel, and stir in between to keep it from splattering.
