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This roasted butternut squash soup is fall comfort food at its finest! It’s rich, creamy, and so easy to make. No need to peel or cube the squash, making it the perfect easy fall meal. Roast a whole head of garlic with the squash to add so much flavor!
Need another cozy soup? Try Panera autumn squash soup or creamy chicken tortilla soup next.
Butternut squash soup is one of the best fall soup recipes of all time along with sweet and spicy chili and healthy chicken tortilla soup.
It’s rich and creamy, sweet and savory, and always delicious. It’s a classic soup for Thanksgiving and is easy to freeze for anytime the craving strikes.
Roasting the squash first adds color and caramelization, similar to making air fryer butternut squash. Blend it up with a few other simple ingredients and you have a soup recipe to serve with your favorite
Love butternut squash? Make butternut squash pasta sauce, brown butter butternut squash ravioli, or sheet pan butternut squash and sausage next.
Ingredients You Need
Here are the simple fresh ingredients for this easy butternut squash soup. Jump to recipe for exact measurements.
- Butternut squash: Look for a medium to large squash at the farmers market or grocery store. You need about 3lbs of squash!
- Garlic: caramelize an entire head of garlic in the oven.
- Onion: Sweet onion is a staple to add depth and flavor.
- Olive oil: to saute the onion, but butter works too.
- Maple syrup: this fall flavor adds a touch of sweetness to the recipe.
- Vegetable broth: This is all you need to thin it out into a smooth consistency. You get all that creamy texture from the roasted butternut squash, so no need for dairy! This is a vegan butternut squash soup recipe.
- Spices: Cinnamon and just a touch of nutmeg enhances the sweet flavors.
- Fresh sage and cream: crispy up the sage to garnish and drizzle with cream or cashew cream for the best squash soup.
Recipe Variations
- Make it creamy: blend in coconut milk to keep it vegan or try heavy cream or creime fresh for a creamy texture.
- Add apples: for sweetness if you have them like in autumn squash soup!
- Curry butternut squash soup: omit the nutmeg and cinnamon and replace them with 1 teaspoon of curry powder like in this curry noodle soup.
- Use acorn squash: swapping another winter squash is easy!
How to Make Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
These are the step-by-step instructions for this easy butternut squash soup recipe. Jump to recipe card for the printable instructions.
Step 1. Cut the Squash. Cut the squash in half lengthwise with a sharp knife and use a spoon to scoop out the seedy centers.
Step 2. Roast Butternut Squash. Cut a whole garlic bulb in half crosswise and rub it with oil. Roast them face down for 40-50 minutes. Check the garlic at 30 minutes.
Step 3. Cook the Onion. Cook the onion in a large Dutch oven or stock pot with olive oil until soft, 2-3 minutes.
Step 4. Add to a Blender. Transfer the onion to a blender with the remaining ingredients. Scoop the butternut squash from the skin and squeeze in the roasted garlic.
Step 5. Cook the Onion. Cook the onion in a large Dutch oven or stock pot with olive oil until soft, 2-3 minutes.
Step 6. Serve and Enjoy! Serve it piping hot with crispy fried sage and a swirl of heavy cream or cashew cream.
Expert Tips for Success
- Use a sharp knife to cut through the squash lengthwise. If you’re having a hard time cutting it, place it in the microwave on high for 2 minutes to soften slightly.
- Don’t skip roasting the garlic! It adds a sweet flavor you won’t get in any other butternut squash soup recipe.
- Scoop the squash directly into the blender with the ingredients and blend until smooth. It’s easier than an immersion blender and prevents you from transferring hot broth to the blender.
- Add a few cubes of butter for richness. They go right into the blender with the spices.
FAQs
Use the soup present if your blender has one! If not, just blend as directed.
Yes! You can scoop the squash into the pot with the onion, add the spices and broth, and use an immersion blender to blend until smooth.
Yes! Peel and cube butternut squash and add it to a slow cooker with the rest of the ingredients. Cook on high for 4-6 hours or low for 6-8 hours. Transfer to a blender to blend until smooth or use an immersion blender.
What to Serve with Butternut Squash Soup
Enjoy this soup as a starter, side dish, or main dish. Here are a few ways I love to serve this soup!
- With bread: add a side of crusty bread, sourdough rolls, or cottage cheese toast.
- With a salad: serve it with kale apple salad, shaved brussels sprout salad, or la scala chopped salad.
- As a side dish: serve it with everything bagel chicken salad, blackened chicken tenders, healthy sloppy joes, curry chicken salad, or sausage stuffed acorn squash for some protein.
- As an appetizer: serve it as an app before a hearty vegetarian main dish like cottage cheese alfredo, vegan mac and cheese, burrata pasta, or cauliflower gnocchi.
- Thanksgiving side: this soup stands up against the best Thanksgiving recipes like cheesecloth turkey, boursin mashed potatoes, and broccoli casserole.
Storing Leftovers
Allow the soup to cool and store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. Butternut squash soup freezes well laying flat in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stove.
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Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
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Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 medium-large butternut squash (3 lbs)
- 1 whole head garlic
- 3 cups low sodium vegetable broth or chicken broth
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon sea salt plus more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper plus more to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and cover a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seedy centers. Rub it with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Cut a whole garlic bulb in half crosswise and rub it with more oil. Roast them face down for 40-50 minutes. Check on the garlic at the 30-minute mark and remove it if it's caramelized on the surface. Set it aside until it's cool enough to handle.3 Tablespoons olive oil, 1 medium-large butternut squash, 1 whole head garlic
- While it's cooling, heat remaining Tablespoon of olive oil in a large dutch oven or stock pot over medium heat. Add the onion and sweat until its translucent and starts to turn golden, 2-3 minutes.1 medium yellow onion
- Transfer the onion to a stand blender with the vegetable broth, maple syrup, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Use a large spoon to scoop the butternut squash from the skin and add to the blender. Squeeze the roasted garlic into the blender.3 cups low sodium vegetable broth, 1/4 cup pure maple syrup, 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon sea salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Cover the blender tight and blend on high until smooth, 1-3 minutes. You can use the soup setting to heat the soup if you have one. If not, return the smooth soup to the pot and simmer over low to warm. Taste and add more salt, pepper, or cinnamon as needed.
- Serve warm with crispy fried sage, heavy cream, crème fraîche, toasted pumpkin seeds, or more cinnamon.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe by: Molly Thompson of What Molly Made | Photography by: Sierra Inn
Nice list! Thanks for that. Homemade can’t be beat. You control everything that goes in and create the greatest dishes.
Harold Burton
hi,
could you use maple extract to lower the carbs?
Absolutely! You could use any sweetener you like for this recipe.
Hi Molly, I can’t wait to try this soup! Thanks for the recipe! I think maybe there is a typo-should the recipe should read 4 TBS not 42? 😉
Hi Christine! LOL yes, you’re right! I fixed it:)