Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Butternut squash soup is the quintessential fall and winter soup recipe. And this roasted version is top-notch! It’s delightfully creamy, layered with warming sweet and savory flavors, and a favorite for any dinner occasion.

A bowl of butternut squash soup. — *Photo: Gayle McLeod*

My Favorite Butternut Squash Soup – Here’s Why

Every year I look forward to picking out the best butternut squash at the market to make this soup. It’s like I’m on a mission! Because this is my favorite way to enjoy all that this fall vegetable offers — which is sweet, nutty, and buttery goodness. Of course, you can also roast, stuff, and mash butternut squash (see my other recipes below), but this soup is a classic. That’s why it’s one of the top fall and winter soup recipes, along with chicken soup, tomato soup, vegetable soup, cabbage soup, and lentil soup. So here’s why you should make it:

The extra roasting step is a game-changer. Similar to roasted spaghetti squash, roasting the butternut squash imparts an earthy, smoky, caramelized sweet flavor. This really elevates the recipe compared to a traditional stovetop butternut squash soup.
It has just the right amount of flavor. Other recipes I’ve tried are either too heavy on spices and aromatics or a little too bland. This version has the perfect balance of onion, garlic, and warming spices.
It’s highly requested by friends and family. That’s why you’ll always spot it on my menu for weeknight dinners and holiday dinners like Thanksgiving (hint, hint). It’s also naturally gluten-free, vegan, and vegetarian, which makes it perfect to serve a large crowd during the holidays.

Ingredients for butternut squash soup recipe.

Butternut Squash Soup Ingredients

Butternut Squash: You’ll need about 3 ½ pounds of butternut squash for this recipe, so grab ones that are a bit on the larger side. I’d also recommend weighing them on a scale at the market to ensure you have the right amount.
Onion and Garlic: I roast the onion along with the butternut squash. It’s super easy on one sheet pan! And see my notes in the recipe card below about the garlic.
Vegetable Broth: If you’d like to keep the recipe vegetarian, opt for vegetable broth. But you can always swap in chicken broth as well.
Ginger, Nutmeg, and Maple Syrup: These two spices infuse the essence of fall’s best flavors into the soup. And for a touch of sweetness, add a splash of maple syrup. It really rounds out the other flavors in the soup (though you can always tweak the sweetness to your liking).

Find the printable recipe with measurements below

How To Make Butternut Squash Soup

Prep the butternut squash. Instead of cutting the butternut squash into cubes, we’re roasting halves to make the process much easier. Just slice the ends of the butternut squash, stand the butternut squash up on the bulb end, and slice through it lengthwise. Then, use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and membrane.

Season and roast. Transfer the butternut squash to a baking tray cut side up, coat with oil, and sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Then, flip the butternut squash over so the cut side is down and roast for 60 minutes at 425°F (220°C).

Add the onion. After 30 minutes, spread a little oil on the cut side of the onion and add it to the baking tray, cut side down. Continue roasting for another 30 minutes, then remove the baking tray from the oven.

Roasted butternut squash on a baking sheet.

Blend the soup. Once the butternut squash is cool enough to handle, use a large spoon to scoop out the flesh and transfer it to a high-powered blender. Remove the outer layer of the onion and add it to the blender along with the garlic, maple syrup, salt, nutmeg, ginger, and vegetable broth. Start with 3 cups of vegetable broth and add more to achieve your desired consistency. Blend on high for 1 to 2 minutes, until creamy, then taste test to see if you need more salt or black pepper.

Cooking Tips

Make it ultra-creamy by adding a splash of heavy cream or one to two tablespoons of butter as you’re blending. For dairy-free options, you can add coconut milk or ¼ cup soaked raw cashews.
If you don’t have a countertop blender, you could also use an immersion blender.
When it comes to the garlic, I’ve revised this recipe over the years due to the influx of high-powered blenders and your feedback. See the notes in the recipe card below for more details.
Don’t forget to add toppings! Fresh herbs such as parsley, thyme, sage, and chives are a must! And for something crunchy, add pepitas, toasted almonds, crispy bacon bits, roasted chickpeas, or crispy shallots.

More Butternut Squash Recipes

If you make this roasted butternut squash soup recipe, I’d love to know how it turned out in the comment box below! Your review will help other readers in the community. And if you’re hungry for more healthy food inspiration (and exclusive content), join my free newsletter.

Description

Butternut squash soup is so flavorful and easy to make! Just roast the butternut squash and onion, then toss it in a blender with the remaining ingredients and blend it up. Watch my video below to see how quickly it comes together!

Slice it in half and remove the seeds. Preheat your oven to 425°F (220C). Slice the ends off the butternut squash. Stand the butternut squash on end and carefully slice it in half lengthwise. Then, Use a spoon to remove the seeds and membrane. Pro tip: the butternut squash is easier to slice through if you microwave it for 2 to 3 minutes.
Season and roast. Transfer the butternut squash to a baking tray cut side up, coat with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Then flip the butternut squash over so the cut side is down and roast for 60 minutes.
Add the onion. After 30 minutes, spread a little oil on the cut side of the onion and add it to the baking tray, cut side down. Continue cooking for another 30 minutes, then remove the baking tray from the oven.
Blend the soup. Once the butternut squash is cool enough to handle, use a large spoon to scoop out the flesh and transfer it to a high-powered blender. Remove the outer layer of the onion and add it to the blender along with the garlic, maple syrup, salt, nutmeg, ginger, and vegetable broth. Start with 3 cups of vegetable broth and add more to achieve your desired consistency. Blend on high for 1 to 2 minutes, until creamy. Taste the soup and add more salt and pepper if needed. Optional: while this is a dairy-free recipe, if you do tolerate dairy, adding just a tablespoon or two of fresh butter when you’re blending definitely boosts the creaminess factor.
Serve. Pour the soup into serving bowls. If you’d like, garnish the top with pepitas, parsley and black pepper.

To store for the week: Any leftover soup can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days. Perfect for a quick and delicious reheatable meal throughout the week!
To freeze for later: It’s always a good idea to freeze leftovers or a second batch to enjoy throughout the winter months. Just store it in a freezer-safe container (like these Weck jars), and it will keep for up to 3 months.
Notes about the garlic. When I originally made this soup recipe decades ago I used an older, regular blender or immersion blender. Raw garlic wasn’t as much of an issue in those blenders as it is now in high-powered blenders. In fact, high-powered blenders are so powerful (due to the velocity of the blades) that they actually increase and amplify the pungency of the raw garlic, making it seem like you’ve added way more garlic to the soup than you have (I’ve spoken to Vitamix about this directly). So my original recipe morphed from 3 raw garlic cloves (as shown in the video), to 1 small raw garlic clove, which many of you love! But if you’re sensitive to garlic, I do recommend roasting the garlic on the sheet pan with the onion. Just wrap it in some aluminum foil. Roasting the garlic helps to mute that pungency, while still letting you enjoy its wonderful flavor!
Butternut squash soup is naturally ultra-creamy (without any cream). But if you do tolerate dairy, adding just a tablespoon or two of heavy cream or butter when you’re blending definitely boosts the creaminess factor. For dairy-free options, you can add coconut milk or ¼ cup soaked raw cashews.
When it comes to roasting veggies, I always recommend a heavy duty baking tray so it doesn’t bend and warp while cooking.
I’m a massive fan of my Vitamix blender, but if you’re looking to buy one make sure to check out my Vitamix Comparison post.

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Recipe originally posted November 2018, but updated to include new photos and information for your benefit!