Creamy Butternut Squash Soup
Easy Butternut Squash Soup is rich, creamy, full of flavor, and satisfying fall comfort food! Make it from scratch right in your kitchen with this easy recipe! Watch the recipe video below and see how easy and festive this dish is!
It is almost Thanksgiving season and soup recipes are always welcome! The chilly weather makes me crave for it and other fall dishes like the Pumpkin Cheesecake, Crockpot Stuffing, and Blueberry French Toast Casserole.
My favorite fall tradition is to make this homemade Roasted Butternut Squash Soup and serve it with a piece of crusty bread on the side. This is an easy and flavorful fall soup to enjoy with the whole family.
Also, it is made with simple ingredients like vegetable broth, fresh herbs, heavy cream and cooked to perfection in a dutch oven. The caramelization of the squash adds depth and the spices make it richer.
The fruit itself is creamy but it is made creamier with the addition of heavy cream. The aromatics make it savory and the toppings add a welcome texture contrast.
The fact that it is homemade makes it seasoned to your preference. You can customize the toppings and add more spices if you want.
And you know everything that goes into it and you can control everything. Ah, the beauty of home-cooking! So, what are you waiting for? Let’s get started!
Ingredients list:
- Butternut squash: You could use a whole squash or roasted one. Both will work just fine.
- Veggie broth: I love using vegetable stock here but feel free to use chicken stock as well.
- Olive oil: To saute the veggies.
- Sweet onion, fresh garlic cloves, and fresh ginger.
- Peanut butter: The secret ingredients here! It adds a sweet tone to this hearty soup!
- Heavy cream or coconut milk.
- Aromatics: I use ground nutmeg, cinnamon, black pepper, and sea salt. However, use whatever you like the most. Some great addition would be a bay leaf, red pepper flakes, curry powder, garlic powder, or onion powder.
- Chopped cilantro and dried cranberries: For toppings.
How do you make butternut squash soup?
- Sauté: First, sauté the aromatics in olive oil over medium heat in a large pot or dutch oven. This will take around 5 minutes.
- Simmer: Next, add in the peanut butter, then, add the raw or roasted squash, salt, and broth. Then, stir everything and allow to boil. Reduce to a steady simmer.
- Season: Add the seasonings and the dairy.
- Puree soup: Then, using a heat-resistant blender or food processor, transfer the soup carefully, and blend until smooth. Also, you could use an immersion blender to puree the soup. Once done, put the soup back to the pot to warm up further and season some more if needed.
- Serve: Put the toppings, then, serve warm.
Variations and substitutions:
- Dairy-free: The heavy cream makes it smooth and adds a rich flavor. However, for a dairy-free version, use coconut milk or almond milk instead.
- Slow cooker: If you want to make it in the slow cooker, then try my Slow Cooker Roasted Butternut Squash Soup.
- Instant Pot: Similarly, give it a try, and make it in the pressure cooker. Here are step-by-step instructions to the Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup Recipe.
- Make it sweeter: For a sweeter note, add a bit of brown sugar or some extra honey.
Do you peel butternut squash before making soup?
Yes and no. If you do not want to peel it, then, you can roast it using the same method that I employed in this roasted spaghetti squash recipe. You just have to halve it and cook it directly, so it is much simpler to do. Besides, the skin is rich in nutrients.
But I highly suggest that you do. To make this soup even more amazing you can use roasted butternut squash. Peeling and cutting the fruit into small cubes, arranging them on the baking sheet, and cooking them in the oven may take some time and a lot of effort.
But trust me that it will all pay off in this recipe because the goal is to maximize the surface area that will caramelize. And caramelization as you know it imparts flavor.
What goes with squash soup?
I like having this with a salad or a good sandwich. Look no further and refer to the following for quick suggestions:
Favorite Topping Suggestions:
I top this silky butternut squash soup with dried cranberries, cilantro, and a drizzle of cream. However, you could top it with the following:
- Cheese: parmesan, goat cheese, or feta
- Croutons
- A dollop of sour cream
- Maple syrup
- Toasted pumpkin seeds
- Red chili
- Shallot crisps
- Chips
Can you make it in advance?
Sure! As you refrigerate it to serve the next day, it may taste even better as the flavors had time to incorporate. You can also roast first, store in the fridge, then, cook the next day.
Or, simply cook everything and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Remember to allow it to cool completely before storing it.
How to Freeze Butternut Squash Soup:
Yes! Let it cool completely then, freeze it in freezer bags with enough headspace to allow expansion of the liquid.
Note though that dairy tends to separate. So, freeze it before adding the dairy. Add the dairy when you reheat it on the stove.
Thaw it first overnight before reheating. Consume it within 3 months.
More favorite soup recipes:
Recipe Tips:
- Be careful when transferring it to the regular blender. Also, do it in small batches and at a low setting.
- Add celery or apple for flavor, or potato to make it creamy even without the cream.
- If you want it buttery, you may opt for butter instead of olive oil.
- For extra flavors, add your favorite seasonings. Some great additions would be curry spices, sage leaves, fresh thyme, etc.
Creamy Butternut Squash Soup
Ingredients
Soup:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 sweet onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger grated
- 1/4 cup peanut butter
- 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth plus more if needed
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 6 cups diced butternut squash raw or roasted
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt plus more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/3 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Freshly ground black pepper
Toppings:
- Chopped fresh cilantro
- Dried cranberries
- Drizzle of cream
Instructions
- Peel and dice the butternut squash, measure, and set aside. If you have time, you can mix it with two tablespoons of olive oil, some salt, and pepper and roast it at 400 degrees F for about 30 minutes. This step will add extra flavor.
- In a large pot over medium heat, add the olive oil. Add the onion, garlic, and ginger and sauté for 5 to 6 minutes, until the onion is translucent.
- Next, stir in the peanut butter for about 30 seconds.
- Add the cubed squash, salt, and remaining vegetable broth. Stir well until combined.
- Bring the soup to a low boil over medium-high heat and then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until the pumpkin is fork-tender.
- Then, add cinnamon, nutmeg, black pepper. Taste and adjust.
- Add the cream and stir to combine.
- Using a ladle, transfer the soup carefully into a blender, make sure the blender is heat resistant. If needed, do this in batches, careful not to overfill the blender. Blend on LOW speed until completely smooth. You can also use an immersion blender, to blend the soup directly in the pot.
- Add the soup back to the pot, taste, and adjust for salt and black pepper. If needed, thin out the soup with a bit more broth.
- Serve the soup topped with cilantro, dried cranberries, and a drizzle of heavy cream.
Nutrition
Video
