Creamy Butternut Squash Soup
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This simple recipe produces a luxuriously creamy butternut squash soup. It almost melts in your mouth as it rolls off the spoon. It’s a warm cozy meal packed with nutrients and homemade goodness. It makes you say mmm.
📌 PIN BEST BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP
If you love Panera autumn squash soup, you’ll love this deeply-satisfying homemade recipe that doesn’t contain all the sugars and fat of the restaurant version: brown sugar, granulated sugar, honey, cream cheese.
This seasonal favorite is so quick and easy to assemble, from now on you’ll head to your kitchen to make this simple recipe instead of out to Panera.
The silky smooth texture of this fall soup is so delightful. Like sweet and savory sweet potato fluff, this creamy butternut squash soup is savory and delicious. It’s full of tasty veggies and seasonal flavors.
If desired, you can kick up the rustic taste by adding small pinches of ground nutmeg and ground cloves to the mixture. This healthy no-guilt recipe will satisfy the heartiest of appetites. It’s a meal you’ll feed good about serving.
🛒 INGREDIENTS
Find the most delicious fall ingredients at a local farmers market. Pick up the remaining items at your neighborhood grocery store.
- Olive oil
- Butter
- Sweet onion
- Carrots
- Garlic cloves
- Fresh sage
- Butternut squash, large
- Chicken broth or chicken stock
- Dried bay leaf
- Heavy cream
- Sea salt
- Black pepper, freshly-ground
- OPTIONAL TOPPING: Pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds), roasted and salted
👩🏻🍳 easy ingredient substitutions
Missing an ingredient for creamy butternut squash soup? Don’t put on your shoes and head to the market. Instead, head to your fridge and pantry. Check for these easy ingredient swaps.
It’s convenient and money-saving to use ingredients you already have on hand!
- BUTTERNUT SQUASH: It does take some strength to cut this thick dense veggie. If desired, look for containers of freshly-cut cubes of butternut squash the produce section. You can also use frozen butternut squash.
- OLIVE OIL: This ingredient helps the garlic and onion become golden and fragrant without scorching. Sub with a neutral-tasting cooking oil (without a strong flavor or aroma) like canola oil, sunflower oil, or grapeseed oil.
- BUTTER: This ingredient adds richness and flavor to the soup. The best substitute is margarine.
- SWEET ONION: This ingredient adds rustic earthiness to the recipe. Use tasty shallots instead! Other options include white onion or yellow onion.
- CARROT: This ingredient adds a natural touch of sweetness to the soup while also enhancing its fall orange color. Celery and parsnips are both good substitutes.
- GARLIC CLOVES: Use 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder instead.
- FRESH SAGE: This spice is a classic pairing with butternut squash. Sub with dried sage (same as rubbed sage): 1 teaspoon dried sage = 1 tablespoon fresh sage. More substitutes include thyme and rosemary.
- CHICKEN BROTH: Use hot water with granulated chicken bouillon or bouillon cubes. Dissolve product according to package directions. Another great substitute is vegetable broth.
- HEAVY CREAM: This ingredient adds richness and creaminess to the soup. Sub with sour cream or canned coconut milk.
📖 RECIPE STEPS
RECIPE PREP: Pull out a large Dutch oven or stockpot. Peel and chop onions and carrots. Press or mince garlic. Peel and seed the butternut squash. For helpful tips on this process, see “Recipe FAQ” section below.
- STEP 1: On a wooden board, cut the squash into 1-inch cubes with a sharp knife. The pieces should be approximately the same size so they can cook evenly with the same tenderness.
- STEP 2: Heat half the olive oil and butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and carrot. Sauté about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until onion has softened. Add squash, sage, chicken broth and bay leaf. Stir to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste. Bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover pot. Let soup simmer 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until squash is fork tender.
- STEP 3: Remove bay leaf. To add more richness, stir in 1 tablespoon olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter. If needed, add more salt and pepper. In batches, transfer soup to a strong high-speed blender. Process until ultra-creamy. If you own an immersion blender, you can use that tool instead. But it may take more time and work to get the soup creamy smooth.
- STEP 4: Ladle soup into individual serving bowls. Top each with a drizzling of heavy cream. If desired, sprinkle some salted roasted pepitas over the top. Serve the soup warm and enjoy.
🤔 RECIPE FAQ
These are the most commonly-asked questions when making homemade butternut squash soup, and the most helpful answers for recipe success.
Yes. This is a must. The skin of the squash is thick, hard and inedible.
Peeling butternut squash can often be tricky. Here’s how to prep the veggie so the skin can be easily removed: prick the squash all over with a fork. Microwave the veggie for 1 to 3 minutes to soften the peel. Let squash cool before using a sharp vegetable peeler to remove the skin.
After squash has been peeled, slice off both ends. Sit the squash upright on a cutting board. Make sure it’s stabilized. Vertically, straight down through the middle, slice veggie in half. Use a firm rocking motion to cut through the thick dense flesh. Scoop out seeds and discard them. Cut each half into 1-inch strips. Slice the strips into small cubes.
It’s easy to cut back on prep time! At the market, buy pre-cubed butternut squash. Find it in the produce section. Another option: frozen chopped butternut squash. Grab a container of pre-chopped onion and celery. (Celery is a great addition to this soup!) Pick up a jar of minced garlic. Buy a packet of pepitas that are already roasted and salted.
Replace the butter with olive oil. Use vegetable stock instead of chicken broth. Instead of heavy cream, drizzle the top of the soup with canned coconut milk. For a richer soup, add coconut milk into the veggie puree.
For more veggies, add diced celery or parsnip. For rustic fall flavor try maple syrup plus 1/16 teaspoon nutmeg and 1/16 teaspoon ground cloves. For a delicious fruit add-in, sauté 1/2 cup diced Granny Smith apple in butter. Sprinkle it over the soup just before serving.
A simple topping: crunchy, salted, roasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds). For a delicious sweet-and-savory topping, garnish the soup with crispy bacon, caramelized onions and chopped Italian parsley. Fry bacon with onion. Keep cooking until bacon is crisp and onions are caramelized. Arrange bacon-onion mix over the soup. Sprinkle with parsley.
Adjust oven rack to center position. Preheat oven to 325°F. In a small bowl, toss 1/2 cup pepitas with 1/2 teaspoon olive oil. Spread seeds in an even layer on a baking tray. Roast 13 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden. Toss the seeds with salt and pepper.
Pair this soup with sautéed mushrooms, a crisp garden salad, cheesy breadsticks, or a loaf of crusty artisan bread with butter. Serve with a pot roast dinner, grilled cheese sandwiches, or cheese quesadillas.
Transfer soup to a strong high-speed blender like Vitamix, Wolf, Blendtec, etc. For blenders with less strength, strain soup prior to blending. Process in batches. Fill canister halfway. Secure top tightly. Start processing on low, increasing speed gradually. An immersion blender can also be used, but it won’t result in a super silky texture.
Stored in an air-tight container, the soup can stay fresh for up to 5 days in the fridge. For longer storage, transfer soup (without heavy cream drizzle) to large freezer bags. Freeze for up to 1 month.
Here are some of the spices they use: onion powder, garlic powder, ground ginger, and curry powder with turmeric. Their soup also contains tomato paste, cream cheese, brown sugar, granulated sugar, honey, apple juice and lemon juice. They also use a vegetable base that includes yeast and potato flour.
MORE FALL RECIPES TO MAKE ASAP
If you love easy recipes like this simple butternut squash soup, then you’ll also enjoy these popular favorites. Keep them at the ready so you’ll have them when needed. Add this collection to your recipe arsenal.
- Italian Wedding Soup
- Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- Minestrone Soup
- Alphabet Soup
- Wonton Soup
- Tomato Basil Soup
- Yellow Squash Soup
- Chicken Noodle Soup
- Loaded Baked Potato Soup
RATE THIS RECIPE ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Family who’ve enjoyed this ultra-creamy fall soup say it’s delicately sweet, yet savory, and slightly nutty. They say it’s absolutely delicious!
If you too enjoyed this creamy butternut squash soup, give it a 5-star rating in the comments. Then be a recipe hero! Share it with a friend.
CREAMY BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP
- Total Time: 35 Minutes
- Yield: 4 Servings 1x
Description
This creamy butternut squash soup is packed with nutrients and delicious fall flavors. It’s a healthy meal you’ll feel good about serving your family. Make it 35 minutes!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil, divided
- 4 tablespoons butter, divided
- 1/2 cup chopped sweet onion OR shallot
- 2 medium carrots, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
- 1 (packed) tablespoon fresh sage
- 1 large butternut squash (about 3 pounds)
- 3 cups chicken broth or chicken stock
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- Sea salt, to taste
- Freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
- OPTIONAL GARNISH: Pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds), roasted and salted
Instructions
RECIPE PREP: Pull out a large Dutch oven or stockpot. Peel and chop onions and carrots. Press or mince garlic. Peel and seed butternut squash.
- On a wooden board, cut the squash into 1-inch cubes with a sharp knife. The pieces should be approximately the same size so they can cook evenly with the same tenderness.
- In a Dutch oven over medium heat, warm 1 tablespoon olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter. Add onion, garlic and carrot to the pot. Sauté about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until onion has softened. Add squash, sage, chicken broth and bay leaf. Stir to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste. Bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover pot. Let soup simmer 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until squash is fork tender.
- Remove bay leaf. To add more richness, stir in 1 tablespoon olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter. If needed, add more salt and pepper. In batches, transfer soup to a strong high-speed blender. Process until ultra-creamy. If you own an immersion blender, you can use that tool instead. But it may take more time and work to get the soup creamy smooth.
- Ladle soup into individual serving bowls. Top each with a drizzling of heavy cream. If desired, sprinkle some salted roasted pepitas over the top. Serve the soup warm and enjoy.
Notes
HOW TO MAKE THIS RECIPE FASTER: It’s easy to cut back on prep time! At the market, buy pre-cubed butternut squash. Find it in the produce section. Another option: frozen chopped butternut squash. Grab a container of pre-chopped onion and celery. (Celery is a great addition to this soup!) Pick up a jar of minced garlic. Buy a packet of pepitas that are already roasted and salted.
MORE YUMMY ADD-INS: For more veggies, add diced celery or parsnip. For rustic fall flavor try maple syrup plus 1/16 teaspoon nutmeg and 1/16 teaspoon ground cloves. For a delicious fruit add-in, sauté 1/2 cup diced Granny Smith apple in butter. Sprinkle it over the soup before serving.
MORE TOPPING IDEAS: For a delicious sweet-and-savory topping, garnish soup with crispy bacon, caramelized onions and chopped Italian parsley. Fry bacon with onion. Keep cooking until bacon is crisp and onions are caramelized. Arrange bacon-onion mix over the soup. Sprinkle with parsley.
MORE EXPERT TIPS: See the body of this recipe post for helpful tips on peeling and cutting the squash, achieving a super silky texture for the soup, and more!
- Prep Time: 15 Minutes
- Cook Time: 20 Minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP 👉🏻 JOIN THE CONVERSATION
In seasons past, have you experienced the joy of eating a warm bowl of creamy butternut squash soup? What do you think of this healthy recipe? Share your thoughts. Join the conversation in the comments below!
All I can say is this was amazing! My family inhaled it!
My family loves most soups and this butternut squash soup sounds amazing! Can’t wait to try it, thanks!
Such a delicious fall soup! I love the addition of fresh sage!
The butternut squash soup was delicious! I liked including carrots, for more flavor and color. Per your suggestion, I also added some celery. This meal was incredibly flavorful.
I love butternut squash soup in the fall!! And this recipe looks absolutely delicious – it would go perfectly at our Thanksgiving table this year! :)