Butternut Squash Soup

Making roasted butternut squash soup at home is easy, and the result is much better than the ultra-processed store-bought version.

With our "bake and blend" technique, you can make this recipe with minimal effort and maximum flavor. First, bake the butternut squash with carrot, garlic, onion, and sage until tender and caramelized.

Roasting at high temperatures makes the veggies super tasty and aromatic without you having to cook them on the stovetop.

Once they are ready, chuck them in a blender, or use an immersion blender and blend them with vegetable broth.

Optionally, you can add coconut milk, heavy cream, sour cream, or butter (or their respective dairy-free substitutes). Still, we assure you that this soup is delicious as is because roasted butternut squash gets freakishly creamy when blended.

Make butternut squash soup for a cozy family dinner, or make it ahead and serve it for a quick lunch in the coming days. Either way, we are sure you will love this warm, creamy, and comforting dish.

Butternut squash

You can use pre-chopped butternut squash to save some time or whole butternut squash that you peel, seed, and chop at home.

You can substitute sweet potato or pumpkin for butternut squash.

Carrot, garlic, and onion

Carrot, garlic, and onion, roasted in the oven, add flavor nuances that make this roasted butternut squash delicious.

The roasted garlic, for instance, adds a mellow earthy flavor. The onion and the carrot caramelize in the oven and add sweet and smokey notes.

Olive oil

Extra virgin olive oil helps us roast and brown the veggies. We recommend extra virgin because it is flavorful and full of antioxidants, making it more resistant to high temperatures than most other oils.

You can substitute avocado oil for olive oil.

Sage and thyme

Our favorite fresh herbs for butternut squash soup are fresh sage and thyme leaves. Their earthy, autumny notes meld perfectly with the squash. You can sub rosemary for thyme.

Ginger

Ginger adds a zesty, sharp edge to the soup, contrasting its sweetness and making it more interesting. We use fresh ginger, peeled, and add it to the blender raw, without baking it.

Vegetable broth

For our soups, we prefer vegetable broth to chicken stock so everyone, including vegetarians and vegans, can enjoy our recipes.

Salt and pepper

We use sea salt or kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Optional spices

Our basic recipe for butternut squash soup is already delicious as is. However, if you'd like to add some extra spices, we recommend a pinch of grated nutmeg, ½ teaspoon of cinnamon, ground cumin, or curry powder. Pick one.

Step 1: Bake

Preheat the oven to 410°F or 210°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Peel, seed, and chop the butternut squash into chunks and add it to the baking sheet with chopped onion, carrot, crushed garlic with the peel on, sage leaves, thyme leaves picked off the steam, salt, black pepper, and olive oil.

Toss, arrange on the baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes until tender.

Step 2: Blend

Discard the garlic peel, then transfer roasted veggies into a dutch oven. Add vegetable broth, peeled and chopped ginger, and blend with an immersion blender until smooth.

Note: you can also blend everything in a regular blender, although you might have to do so in two batches if the blender is not big enough.

Add more broth, if necessary, until you reach your desired texture and consistency. Simmer for 5 minutes to warm up the soup fully, then taste and adjust for salt and spices before serving in a bowl.

Note: Roasted butternut squash soup is naturally creamy; however, if you want to make it even richer, you can add either coconut milk, heavy cream, sour cream, or butter (or their dairy-free alternatives).

Serve with a drizzle of coconut cream or another cream on top and some fresh thyme leaves.

Alternatively, top with our homemade croutons or air-fried croutons and a sprinkle of fresh parsley for a more substantial meal.

And if you are ready to try a delicious plant-based dinner, pair this soup with one of our easy and tasty tofu dishes:

• Italian-inspired oven-baked vegan fish
• Tofu mushroom recipe on the stovetop
• Tofu with creamy lemon sauce
• Orange tofu - better than your local take out
• Tofu in a delicious Italian pizzaiola sauce
• Diced tofu in cacciatore sauce

For lunch, try it next to our:

• Vegan tuna sandwich
• Tofu scramble with mushroom
• Creamy avocado spread on toasted bread
• Deliciously creamy vegan egg salad

You can easily store leftover soup in an airtight container (like a mason jar) for up to 3 days. Then, reheat the soup in the microwave or a pot with a bit of water if the soup gets too thick.

To keep it longer, let it cool down completely and freeze for up to 6 months. Then, thaw it in the refrigerator or the microwave. Do not freeze multiple times.

More Soup Recipes

Are you looking for more creamy and delicious soup recipes? Check out our:

• Roasted sweet potato soup
• Easy tofu soup with seasonal variations
• Delicious zucchini soup
• Roasted eggplant soup
• Earthy Tuscan soup with white beans
• Creamy cauliflower soup
• Nourishing and tasty lentil soup
• Creamy lentil curry

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