You won’t be able to get enough of this Creamy Butternut Squash Soup. It’s hands-down the creamiest, easiest, dreamiest, most comforting bowl of squash soup you’ve ever had. Make a double batch on the weekend and eat all week long.
For more mouthwatering vegetarian soup recipes, you’ll want to go ahead and bookmark these for later: Roasted Cauliflower Soup, Best Ever Broccoli Cheese Soup, and Creamy Pumpkin Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons.
Here’s Why This Recipe Works
Savory and Sweet — This butternut squash soup is everything you love about a typical squash soup, but with a little twist. Since I’m a fan of everything sweet and savory, I thought that it would be fun (and tasty) to get the sweetness in this soup naturally, from the use of carrots and apples. (You blend it all up anyway so you can’t even tell there are carrots and apples in the soup but you can taste them in an oh-so-subtle way that really makes you wonder why you didn’t try it before.) It’s not sweet, sweet, but you’ll notice the difference.
So easy — This soup is as easy as throwing nearly everything in a stock pot, cooking it, finishing it off with some coconut milk, and blending it all together.
Freezes well — Are you looking to prep ahead for those busy weeknights when cooking something is just out of the question? Then this butternut squash soup is for you! Simply let the soup cool completely, then add it to a freezer-safe container and store for up to 6 months! I let mine thaw in the fridge then heat it back up on the stovetop.
Healthy — Not only is this soup easy to make and delicious to eat, it’s also good for you! Squash, apples, carrots, pepper, onion, celery — all great veggies packed with minerals and vitamins to keep you full and energized.
Ingredients
- Butternut Squash — The key ingredient to this soup, I look for a squash that’s on the larger side and has no brown spots (a sign of an aging squash).
- Olive Oil — A little olive oil goes a long way in this creamy butternut squash soup.
- Vegetable or Chicken Stock — If you prefer this soup to be entirely vegetarian then you can use vegetable stock. If you want a little extra flavor, then go for chicken stock.
- Carrot — One large peeled and chopped carrot is all you need to add just a little sweetness naturally.
- Green Apple — Same for the green apple — peel the apple first then dice before adding to the pot for just a hint of sweetness and tanginess too.
- Red Bell Pepper — Red bell pepper adds some extra vitamins, flavor, and color to the soup.
- White or Yellow Onion — Either onion will work in this dish.
- Celery — Chop up a stalk of celery to cook and blend in later.
- Minced Garlic — I use jarred garlic but you can mince your own as well.
- Salt and Pepper — I use about one teaspoon of each but you can add as much as you like to suit your tastes.
- Smoked Paprika — Smoked paprika adds the perfect amount of smoky flavor to this squash soup.
- Unsweetened Coconut Milk — The best part, in my opinion, is adding a can of coconut milk to the soup before blending. It gives it a little creaminess and a delicious flavor. You can skip this step and add half-and-half instead if you like.
Instructions
- To make this healthy Butternut Squash Soup, make sure you have all of your parts and pieces ready to go and chopped (more on cutting a squash, below).
- Next, add everything (squash, stock, veggies, apple, garlic, and seasonings) to a stock pot and bring it to a boil, then turn it down to medium heat. Let it cook for about 5-10 minutes to soften all the vegetables.
- Next, stir in coconut milk (be sure to get the whole can, sometimes it solidifies at the top of the lid, you’ll want to scrape all that off too).
- Then get out an immersion blender and blend away. (If you don’t have one, you can use a blender. You’ll want to transfer the soup in batches to the blender to blend one at a time. Be sure to leave the vent off in the lid and cover with a kitchen towel so that steam can escape.)
- Once you’ve got your soup all blended up, season it with salt and pepper and add more stock and/or water to thin it to your desired consistency. Add some fun garnishes and enjoy!
Cutting butternut squash can be a pain and you’ll definitely need some muscle to get through it, at least in those first cuts.
The first thing I do is wash it off and pat it dry. Then I use a vegetable peeler to peel off the outer skin (this works way better than a knife, but watch your knuckles, it gets slippery). Then, I cut it in half one of two ways, depending on how big it is and how it’s shaped. I’ll cut it lengthwise right down the middle if it’s a small to medium size squash. If it’s larger, I’ll cut the top and bottom off about half an inch, then cut it again in the middle, but more toward the larger, bulbous part. This makes it easier to get the seeds out.
From there I scoop out the seeds and start to cube the squash into about 1-inch pieces.
I like to treat soup like a plain taco or baked potato (I know that sounds weird but stick with me on this one). In that, it’s just a base on which to build something (more) magical. Sure, this soup is fantastic on its own, but it’s also even better with fun toppings that add different flavors and textures to the soup, if you’re into that kind of thing.
– Dried cranberries, raisins, or other dried fruit can add another hint of sweetness and/or tartness and a little bit of chewiness.
– Seeds like sunflower, pumpkin, or pepitas give a nice salty, crunchy texture to the soup.
– Dried or fresh herbs or spices can change the flavor of your soup in a subtle way that makes it personalized to your tastes and you can change it up every time.
– Cracked black pepper or hot sauce can add a nice layer of heat to your soup.
– If you like your soup to be heartier you could add in chickpeas, shredded chicken, or rice or another grain after blending.
– Finally, try topping this butternut squash soup with cheese. Parmesan, Asiago, or another hard cheese work really well.
Expert Tips & Tricks
- This soup will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days or up to 6 months in the freezer.
- For a perfect pairing, eat this butternut squash soup with my Chopped Autumn Salad with Apple Cider Dressing.
More Recipes
Did you make this recipe? FANTASTIC. Please rate the recipe below and be sure to tag me on social when you share a photo on social – I love seeing what you’re up to in the kitchen!
Creamy Butternut Squash Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 pounds butternut squash - cubed
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cups vegetable or chicken stock - more as needed
- 1 large carrot - peeled and chopped
- 1 green apple - peeled and chopped
- 1 red bell pepper - seeded and chopped
- 1 white or yellow onion - diced
- 1 stalk celery - chopped
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon salt - or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon pepper - or to taste
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika - optional
- 2 15-ounce cans unsweetened coconut milk
- optional garnishes: dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, parsley or thyme, pepitas or roasted pumpkin seeds, black pepper, parmesan cheese, smoked paprika
Instructions
- In a large stockpot over medium-high heat, combine olive oil, butternut squash, carrot, apple, bell pepper, garlic, onion, and celery. Saute 3-4 minutes until garlic fragrant and onions are translucent.
- Add stock, salt and pepper, and smoked paprika (if using) and bring to a boil. Cook for 5-10 minutes over medium heat until veggies and squash are very tender.
- Stir in the coconut milk. Use an immersion blender to blend until smooth OR transfer in batches to a high powered blender and puree until smooth and creamy.
- Taste, add salt and pepper to taste if needed. Add a little more stock or water to thin if needed. Garnish as desired and serve.
Delicious Fall Soup
This butternut squash soup is a keeper. Perfect for a chilly night. The smoked paprika & yellow curry powder really make this zing!
Thanks so much for your positive feedback! So glad you enjoyed this recipe.
My daughter is allergic to coconut. Would half and half or regular milk work? Would l use same amount? Thank you
I would probably use half and half to keep it creamy!
Wow, I made this and it was delicious! Thanks for the recipe.
This soup was delicious and easy to make.. I topped it with crème fraiche that I mixed in a little garlic salt, nutmeg and cinnamon and added some pepitas on top. Big hit at my dinner party!
Really excited to try this recipe! Just wondering how many cups of butternut squash I would need for this, as I plan to use precut ones from my grocery store. Thank you!