Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
This simple homemade butternut squash soup is the best I've ever tasted! It's super creamy (yet cream-less) and full of delicious roasted butternut flavor.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on July 10, 2024
Let’s cozy up with a bowl of warm, creamy butternut squash soup. Butternut squash and cool weather go together like they were made for each other—which, really, they were. I was so happy to find butternut in stock again, and came home to make my favorite soup.
My butternut squash soup is ultra creamy and full of complex roasted butternut squash flavor. This recipe has become a smash hit with readers, receiving a 5-star rating from well over 500 reviews!
This traditional butternut squash soup will round out your fall and winter meals. Serve it with grilled cheese sandwiches and salads through the end of winter. Keep it in mind for the holidays, too. I designed this soup to complement typical Thanksgiving fare, like green beans and mashed potatoes.
This easy butternut squash soup recipe is also a great make-ahead option. In fact, it tastes even better the next day. Let’s get to it!
The Best Butternut Squash Soup
Here’s why readers love this recipe:
Simple Ingredients
I kept the ingredients list simple so the squash flavor can shine through, but the end result offers exceptionally rich flavor. You’ll only need eight basic ingredients to make this luscious soup: butternut squash, olive oil, butter, shallot, garlic, vegetable broth, maple syrup and nutmeg.
Butter is Better than Cream
A little bit of butter rounds out the flavor and makes it truly irresistible, without weighing down the soup like heavy cream tends to do. (You can substitute olive oil for vegan/dairy-free soup. It’s already vegetarian.) That’s a little trick that I used in my tomato soup in my cookbook, too. It’s by far the best butternut squash soup I’ve ever tasted, and infinitely better than any canned or boxed option.
Roasted Butternut Yields Major Flavor
Most of this soup’s flavor comes from the cooking method, which starts with roasting the butternut squash to bring out its caramelized best. Bonus! That means you don’t have to peel and chop the squash. Once the squash is out of the oven, you can start sautéing some shallot and garlic.
Serve It Now or Later
If you’re planning to make this soup for company, you can serve the soup straight from your blender. Or, make it the day before and reheat it in your blender or in a pot on the stove. Thanksgiving table real estate is always limited, so you might want to serve this soup in matching mugs or tea cups to leave room for the salad plates.
Garnishes Are Optional
This soup really doesn’t need a garnish, but feel free to add a sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper or some toasted pepitas (green pumpkin seeds) for extra visual appeal.
How to Blend Butternut Soup
This is when the soup deviates from other butternut squash soups. You usually have two options, and I don’t recommend either of them:
- You can add the remaining ingredients to the pot and then try to blend it with an immersion blender, which inevitably leaves the soup disappointingly gritty.
- You can very carefully transfer hot soup to a blender in batches, which is always a little harrowing but yields creamier results.
I found a better way with this soup. We’re going to use a stand blender, since it yields creamier soup (see recipe notes if you’re determined to use an immersion blender).
Here’s the gist: Instead of warming all of the ingredients in the pot, simply transfer scoops of roasted butternut squash and sautéed shallot and garlic to the blender. Then, pour in the vegetable broth and remaining ingredients. Blend it until it’s ultra creamy.
If you have a regular stand blender:
Any stand blender will do! Once you’ve blended the ingredients into creamy oblivion, pour the soup back into your soup pot. Warm it up on the stove over medium heat, stirring occasionally. That’s it.
If you have a fancy blender with a soup preset:
Use the soup preset, and you can serve your hot soup straight from the blender. I used my Vitamix (affiliate link/provided by Vitamix) and it worked great. The container is 64 ounces, which allowed me to fit all of the ingredients for this soup without surpassing the maximum fill line.
If you have a fancy blender without a soup preset:
(By fancy, I mean a high-end performance Vitamic, Blendtec, KitchenAid or similar.) Oftentimes, blending your soup for 4 to 6 minutes will heat it up sufficiently to serve directly from the blender. Consult your manufacturer’s directions for details.
Or, simply pour the mixture back into your soup pot and reheat on the stove. That will certainly work.
More Butternut Squash Recipes to Enjoy
Extra butternut squash? Here are some fun recipes to use it up:
- Balsamic Butternut, Kale and Cranberry Panzanella
- Butternut Squash Chipotle Chili with Avocado
- Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto
- Roasted Butternut Squash Tacos
- Roasted Butternut Squash, Pomegranate and Wild Rice Stuffing
Please let me know how this butternut soup turns out for you in the comments! Your feedback is so important to me, and I hope you love this soup as much as I do. It’s my absolute favorite.
Watch How to Make Butternut Squash Soup
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
This homemade butternut squash soup is the best I’ve ever tasted! This recipe is super creamy (yet cream-less) and full of delicious butternut flavor. Leftover soup tastes even better the next day. Recipe yields about 4 bowls or 6 cups of soup.
Ingredients
- 1 large butternut squash (about 3 pounds), halved vertically* and seeds removed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- ½ cup chopped shallot (about 1 large shallot bulb)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 3 to 4 cups (24 to 32 ounces) vegetable broth, as needed
- 1 to 2 tablespoons butter, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the butternut squash on the pan and drizzle each half with just enough olive oil to lightly coat the squash on the inside (about ½ teaspoon each). Rub the oil over the inside of the squash and sprinkle it with salt and pepper.
- Turn the squash face down and roast until it is tender and completely cooked through, about 40 to 50 minutes (don’t worry if the skin or flesh browns—that’s good for flavor). Set the squash aside until it’s cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a large soup pot, warm 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat until shimmering (if your blender has a soup preset, use a medium skillet to minimize dishes.) Add the chopped shallot and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring often, until the shallot has softened and is starting to turn golden on the edges, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute, stirring frequently. Transfer the contents to your stand blender (see notes on how to use an immersion blender instead).
- Use a large spoon to scoop the butternut squash flesh into your blender. Discard the tough skin. Add the maple syrup, nutmeg and a few twists of freshly ground black pepper to the blender. Pour in 3 cups vegetable broth, being careful not to fill the container past the maximum fill line (you can work in batches if necessary, and stir in any remaining broth later).
- Securely fasten the lid. Blend on high (or select the soup preset, if available), being careful to avoid hot steam escaping from the lid. Stop once your soup is ultra creamy and warmed through.
- If you would like to thin out your soup a bit more, stir in the remaining cup of broth. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons butter or olive oil, to taste, and blend well. Taste and stir in more salt and pepper, if necessary.
- If your soup is piping hot from the blending process, you can pour it into serving bowls. If not, pour it back into your soup pot and warm the soup over medium heat, stirring often, until it’s nice and steamy. I like to top individual bowls with some extra black pepper.
Notes
*How to safely slice your butternut squash: You’ll need a sharp chef’s knife and a slip-free cutting board (place a lightly damp tea towel beneath your cutting board to keep it from moving around). Use the knife to cut off the tip-top and very bottom ends of the squash. Stand the squash upright with the thickest flat side as the base. Carefully slice through it from top to bottom to divide it in half (your fingers should never be in the blade’s way). Lastly, use a large spoon to scoop out the seeds and discard them.
Make it dairy free/vegan: Substitute high-quality olive oil for the butter. It will make your soup taste luxurious and lightly herbal.
Storage suggestions: Let leftover soup cool to room temperature before transferring it to a proper storage container and refrigerating it for up to 4 days (leftovers taste even better the next day!). Or, freeze this soup for up to 3 months.
If you are working with an immersion blender: Cook the shallot mixture in a large soup pot. Then add the scoops of cooked butternut squash, all 4 cups of broth, maple syrup, nutmeg and a few twists of freshly ground black pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 to 20 minutes so the flavors have a chance to meld. Carefully use your immersion blender to blend the soup completely, then add 1 to 2 tablespoons butter or olive oil, to taste, and blend again. Taste and blend in more salt and pepper, if necessary.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
I just made this soup and it is so delicious! I usually make a much more labor intensive butternut squash soup and this one is just as creamy without the calories of the heavy cream! This is a new fall favorite!!!!!
This soup is actually incredible—it’s so smooth and flavorful, and perfect for the fall. It goes great with grilled cheese and roasted/rotisserie chicken!
Fantastic. I did add a few seasonings to the squash before roasting it. Added a dusting of turmeric and cinnamon. Wow this is a great soup
I tried your recipe tonight and it was an absolute hit!!! I topped mine with toasted pumpkin and sunflower seeds and a little fresh parsley. It was delicious!!
Thank you so much for this recipe. I love the simplicity of this soup. I made it tonight and it was so good! The only thing I did was add some milk(I didn’t have any cream). This soup will be on repeat this holiday!❤️
Great recipe! I added a peeled, cored, and diced apple to the squash, shallot, garlic mixture, as well as 1 tsp Madras Curry powder. I have a VitaMix Immersion Blender, and it worked like a charm and way easier than doing it in a blender! I served the soup with some extra nutmeg lightly sprinkled on top. Family loved it!
I have been making this recipe for Thanksgiving for several years. Thank you so much. I have family members with dairy allergies and this is perfect. As my company is usually here for several days, I make this soup and freeze it so all I have to do is heat it in a slow cooker.
This was a straightforward recipe. I made the recipe as it but substituted a kabocha squash. It was thick and tasty. For health reasons I appreciate the fact it does not contain a lot of fat. I will make it again.
Kate,
Good morning young lady. I have been eating butternut squash on and off for the last month and half now and has forgotten how flavorful this is. It took me back to my childhood days when Mom would the skin on, cut into sections and bake with brown sugar, butter and yep pancake syrup. I have yet to make this but I can tell just from the recipe this will be a killer soup. I will let you know how it goes. Wishing you and your baby, what appears to be a blue healer a wonderful Sunday.
This soup is fantastic! If I could I would eat the whole 4 bowls. I followed the recipe with one exception. I roasted the shallot and garlic with the squash. I figured it would save a step.
Hi Linda, glad you found a shortcut! I’m glad you enjoyed it.
Turned out really yummy and flavourful! So easy to make. The only thing I did differently was use a small yellow onion because I didn’t have a shallot. I used a small Vitamix, so I ended up pureeing in two batches and then adding the extra ingredients after returning the puree to the pot. I think the roasting combined with the sauteed garlic really make this special. I’d never made butternut squash soup before, but now this one is going in my saved recipes!
Can you use already cubed squash to roast. Also can you just triple the recipe to serve 12.
Hi Dianne, yes you can use cubed squash, and tripling the recipe will work fine as long as you have a large enough pot.
Thank you for your reply. I tripled the recipe I made the soup in three batches. I also roasted the garlic for about a half hour with the squash. I did not use precut squash but next time I will, much easier when making large quantities. It was perfect.
I made this but added garlic and now its too garlicy! Any ideas how to correct it?
Hi Debora, additional spices may complement the garlic, but won’t neutralize the flavor.
Mine was too garlicky too. I pressed four cloves. Next time I’ll either mince it or use 1-2 cloves.
One of our families absolute favorite soups! So much so we grew our own butternut squash this year, just for this soup! We brown up ground sausage crumbles to put on top for a full meal, I’m obsessed with adding a balsamic glaze drizzle. Making this perfect meal tonight!
Hi Brandi, I love the idea of a balsamic glaze drizzle.
Allergy to nutmeg
Can you suggest a substitute herb/ spice? Would fresh sage work?
Liked the suggestion of turmeric and cinnamon though
I use so many of your recipes .. thank you
Hi Pat, sage, or turmeric and cinnamon would all be great substitutes.
I doubled the recipe and the soup was too “oniony” tasting for my liking! I would suggest just a half of a shallot for one recipe and a small one if doubling! I also added light cream after I used my immersion blender! Very tasty!
Delicious. I added in some pumpkin as I was clearing the counter. I also did not have a shallot on hand, so used a little vidalia onion. With 1 large butternut and a small pumpkin, I ended up with 2 quarts of soup.
Great recipe! I used cayenne infused olive oil when cooking the squash- soooooo good!