With winter weather approaching, I wanted to perfect butternut squash soup that was not only easy to make but also incredibly delicious.
After a few trial runs, I reached the perfect intersection of minimal effort and maximum flavor. Let us show you how easy it is to make this seriously dreamy butternut squash soup that’s perfect for the holidays and beyond.
This 10-ingredient soup starts with roasting the squash, carrots, onion, and garlic to enhance their natural sweetness and maximize flavor. We also tested just sautéing the vegetables in a pot for ease, but the flavor was nowhere near as rich and complex.
Once roasted, the veggies are transferred to a Dutch oven or pot with vegetable broth, coconut milk for creaminess, and cinnamon for a hint of warm spice. And for even more fall flavor and heat, we like to add a little nutmeg and cayenne. That’s it! Simplicity at its finest.
Once the flavors have melded together, the soup is puréed to a creamy and luxurious texture.
And optionally, for a contrast of textures, we like topping it with croutons (gluten-free as needed) and/or toasted pumpkin seeds.
We hope you LOVE this butternut squash soup! It’s:
Creamy
Nourishing
Comforting
Savory-sweet
Subtly spiced
& Delicious!
It’s the perfect side dish for the holidays and beyond! It pairs well with other sides and/or nearly any main. We think it would pair especially well with our Vegan Lentil Nut “Meatloaf”, Radicchio Salad with Cashew Ricotta Dressing, and/or Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic Reduction.
More Squash Soup Recipes
- Curried Butternut Squash Soup
- Tom Kha Gai Butternut Squash Soup
- Creamy Fall Soup in Acorn Squash Bowls
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
Ingredients
SOUP
- 5 cups cubed butternut squash, skin removed (~1 small butternut squash)
- 2 cups carrots (peeled and cut on an angle into ~1-inch slices)
- 1/2 medium white or yellow onion, sliced (~1 cup or 120 g)
- 5 cloves garlic, peeled (left whole or slightly crushed)
- 2 tsp avocado oil (if oil-free, sub a bit more maple syrup and/or a little vegetable broth)
- 2 tsp maple syrup
- 1 healthy pinch each sea salt & black pepper
- 1 ½ – 2 cups vegetable broth
- 2/3 cup light coconut milk, plus more for serving (or sub cashew milk)
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 pinch nutmeg (optional)
- 1 pinch cayenne (optional)
FOR SERVING optional
- Toasted croutons (see notes for instructions)
- Toasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
Instructions
- Heat oven to 400 degrees F (204 C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper (as original recipe is written // adjust as needed if altering serving size).
- Add cubed squash, carrots, onion, and garlic to the baking sheet and drizzle with oil and maple syrup. Season with salt and pepper and toss to combine. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until squash and carrots are tender.
- Transfer to a large pot or Dutch oven and add vegetable broth, coconut milk, cinnamon, nutmeg (optional), and cayenne (optional). Stir to combine, then bring to a simmer over medium heat. Then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 5-10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
- Use an immersion blender or carefully transfer mixture to a high-speed blender (that’s safe for hot foods) and blend until creamy and smooth. If you prefer thinner soup, add more vegetable broth at this time.
- Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding salt and pepper to taste, maple syrup for sweetness, cinnamon for warmth, nutmeg for nuttiness, or cayenne for heat.
- Enjoy as is, or top with toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds) or croutons and an extra drizzle of coconut milk (optional). Store cooled leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days, or in the freezer up to 1 month. Reheat on the stovetop over medium heat (or microwave) until hot.
Video
Notes
*To make croutons, slice day-old bread (we like sourdough) into cubes (it may be easier to cube a slice of bread with scissors if your bread is difficult to cut). Add to a baking sheet or oven-safe cast-iron pan and toss with a little oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Bake for 5-10 minutes at 400 degrees F (204 C) or until golden brown and toasty.
Deborah says
Followed recipe as written (maybe alittle extra roasted garlic). It was DELICIOUS!!! I had it with some garlic bread on the side 😋
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Sounds lovely, Deborah! Thanks so much for sharing. xo
Vicky says
100 percent will make this again! Recipe is perfect as is!
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Yay! We’re so glad you enjoyed the soup and will be making it again. Thank you for the lovely review, Vicky! xo
Emmelia fassett says
I do have some squash from the garden but since sizes vary and also because I prefer to roast my squash by cutting them in half and placing on a sheet with water, I have NO IDEA how much squash meat is really required in this recipe. It would be nice to know that and then one could use a can of pumpkin in a pinch as well.
I presently have scraped out about 6 cups of cooked smooshy squash meat. Hoping that this amount from 2 smallish squashes will suffice to double recipe for my crowd.
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Hi Emmelia, thank you for the feedback! We pulled this from another one of our recipes – 1 small squash yields ~2 cups or 480 g purée after roasting. Hope that helps!
Diana says
Hi! Could I make this on Monday and reheat it in a crockpot on Thanksgiving? I am thinking crockpot setting on low or warm for 1 -2 hours.
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Yes!
Makay says
This is one of the best soups I’ve ever made! Wonderfully easy to make. Couldn’t stop eating it especially with some crusty garlic bread. Very very good.
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
We’re so glad you love this soup, Makay! Crusty garlic bread sounds like the perfect pairing. Thank you for the amazing review! xo
Mary A says
I made this soup this morning during meal prep. I had used cut squash from costco. I roasted it in the over with carrots and tomatoes, onions and a whole garlic. I used chicken bone broth for extra protein. In added more liquid as I wanted my soup to be a little thinner. Its yummy and Im enjoying it.
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Mary! Thanks so much for the lovely review. xo
Angela Adams says
I made this soup this afternoon and it’s extremely tasty. The butternut squash I had was far larger than the recipe called for, I used it all anyway and just increased the rest of the ingredients. I added about 3/4 of a cup of red lentils before blending to add a little more body to the soup, and it worked out very well.
Support @ Minimalist Baker says
Sounds lovely! Thanks so much for sharing, Angela!