Butternut Squash Soup
intro
Velvety, warmly spiced roasted butternut squash soup is a cozy, nourishing fall staple with balanced sweet-savory flavor, perfect for crisp cool days.
Ingredients
Steps
Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F). Toss the cubed butternut squash with 1 tablespoon (15ml) of olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon (2.5g) of kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon (0.5g) of black pepper. Spread the cubes in a single even layer on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet, and roast for 30 minutes until fork-tender and lightly caramelized at the edges.
While the squash roasts, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon (15ml) of olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed stock pot over medium heat (stovetop dial set to 5/10). Add the diced onion and chopped carrot, sauté for 7 minutes until soft and translucent, stirring occasionally to prevent burning.
Add the crushed garlic, ground cinnamon, and grated nutmeg to the pot with the onion and carrot. Stir constantly for 30 seconds until the spices release a warm, fragrant aroma, taking care not to burn the garlic which will turn bitter.
Transfer the fully roasted butternut squash cubes into the stock pot, then pour in all 4 cups (960ml) of low-sodium vegetable broth. Stir to combine, bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low (stovetop dial set to 2/10), cover, and cook for 10 minutes to let the flavors meld.
Turn off the heat. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup directly in the pot until completely smooth and velvety, about 2 minutes. If using a countertop blender, blend the soup in 2-cup batches, venting the blender lid to prevent steam pressure buildup, then return all pureed soup to the pot.
Stir the 1/2 cup (120ml) of heavy cream into the pureed soup, then season with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon (2.5g) of kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon (0.5g) of black pepper, adjusting seasoning to taste. Ladle into warm bowls to serve immediately.
Tips
2.Do not overcrowd the baking sheet when roasting squash: stacked or overlapping cubes will steam instead of developing deep, sweet, caramelized edges; use two baking sheets if needed to keep cubes in a single layer.
3.When using a countertop blender to puree hot soup, never fully seal the blender lid: leave the center vent open and cover it with a folded kitchen towel to let steam escape, preventing dangerous pressure buildup that can cause hot soup to splatter.
OMG this soup is a total game changer! I’ve been struggling to get my kids to eat veggies lately and they went back for SECONDS last night. Roasting the squash first gives it that deep, caramelized flavor that no boiled squash soup can touch. It’s so creamy I didn’t even need to add extra cream, which is perfect for our weeknight dinners. Will absolutely be making this for our neighborhood potluck next month!
This soup is SO good and perfect for meal prep! I made a big batch on Sunday, portioned it into containers, and it’s held up perfectly all week for work lunches. It’s so easy to throw together even after a long day—who knew roasted squash was this low effort? The only swap I made was using oat milk instead of heavy cream to make it dairy free, and it was still perfectly rich and creamy. 10/10
Made this last night when the temp dropped below 40 and it hit every single cozy spot. I topped mine with a dollop of sour cream, some toasted pumpkin seeds, and a pinch of smoked paprika. My husband said it’s better than the butternut squash soup we get at our favorite local bistro. Easy enough for a weeknight, fancy enough to serve to guests. Will be on repeat all fall and winter!
Full disclosure: I’m terrible at cooking. Like, I burn frozen pizza level bad. But this recipe was actually easy enough for me to follow! The directions were super clear, I didn’t have to track down any weird ingredients, and the end result looked and tasted like something I’d order at a restaurant. My girlfriend was shocked I made it from scratch, lmao. Only thing I messed up was almost forgetting to peel the squash, oops. Still turned out great!
Brought this to my office potluck yesterday and it was the first dish gone! I had three people ask me for the recipe before I even left the break room. I served it with little crusty bread slices on the side for dipping and it was chef’s kiss. So creamy, perfectly seasoned, not too sweet like some butternut squash soups I’ve tried. Will absolutely be making this again for Thanksgiving appetizers this year!
This is a great base recipe! I added a pinch of cayenne, a little fresh grated ginger, and a dash of nutmeg to give it a little warm kick, and it turned out incredible. Roasting the squash and garlic together made the whole house smell amazing for hours. It’s so easy to customize to your taste preferences, which I love. Easy clean up too since you only need a sheet pan and a blender!
Was looking for a gluten free, cozy soup recipe for my kid’s celiac friendly diet and this checked every box! No weird thickeners, just simple whole ingredients, and it’s naturally gluten free as long as you use a gluten free broth (which I did). My kid who has multiple food sensitivities ate two bowls no complaints. My only question: can I freeze this without the texture getting weird?
Wow, this is such a budget friendly recipe! I grabbed a giant butternut squash from the farmers market for $2, had all the other ingredients (onion, garlic, broth, a little cream) already in my pantry/fridge, and this made enough soup for 6 servings. That’s way cheaper than takeout and way tastier too. I love that you don’t need any fancy equipment either—my old $20 immersion blender worked perfectly to blend it up smooth.