If you’re looking for a smooth, creamy, cozy, and comforting fall soup, this butternut squash soup recipe is what you need. A one-pot soup made with nourishing veggies, spices, and creamy coconut milk will keep you warm and satisfied all season long!
Classic and cozy soup recipes like sweet potato soup and pumpkin soup are perfect for celebrating fall vegetables!
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Table of Contents
- Cozy Squash Soup!
- Why This Recipe Works
- Butternut Squash Soup Recipe Ingredients
- Variations
- How to Make Butternut Squash Soup
- Expert Tips
- Recipe FAQs
- Serving Suggestions
- More Favorite Soup Recipes
- Butternut Squash Soup Recipe Printable Recipe
Cozy Squash Soup!
Part of what makes the changing of the seasons so enjoyable is indulging in our favorite seasonal recipes! Butternut squash soup has got to be one of my family’s favorites, along with others including baked potato soup and broccoli cheese soup.
While the primary ingredient in this soup is butternut squash, celery, carrots, potatoes, and warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg add earthy flavor. Coconut milk adds a rich and creamy consistency plus makes this dairy-free; it’s naturally gluten-free and vegetarian, too!
Why This Recipe Works
- One pot soup. This easy-to-make soup comes with easy cleanup too!
- Grounding and nourishing. A nice change from the holiday dessert indulgence!
- Versatile. Serve this creamy butternut squash soup as a starter to your main meal, a simple lunch, or a light weeknight dinner.
- Comfort food. Is there anything better than coming home to the aroma of a big pot of soup simmering on the stove?
Butternut Squash Soup Recipe Ingredients
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- Unsalted butter & olive oil: Using both to sauté the aromatics and veggies helps to prevent burning but using butter with the oil adds a nice buttery element to the taste.
- Onion & garlic: The aromatics are the foundation of the soup. It’s how we start building layers of flavor.
- Vegetables: Celery, carrot, and potatoes. Extra veggies mean extra nutrients and of course even more flavor. Potatoes are starchy so they’ll help thicken the soup as well.
- Butternut squash: Peel the squash, remove the seeds, and cut it into cubes. This is a bit of a tough veggie when it’s raw so you’ll need a large sharp knife to get the job done. You can also grab some pre-cut butternut squash from the store.
- Chicken broth: For flavor, I like adding chicken stock or broth. If you prefer to keep it vegetarian or vegan, you can use vegetable broth instead.
- Spices & seasoning: Warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg as well as salt and pepper to help elevate the entire dish.
- Full-fat coconut milk: Adding this at the end adds a creaminess that just makes each spoonful of the squash soup that much richer.
- Optional toppings: Coconut cream or heavy cream. Pepitas are also a great crunchy element.
Variations
This recipe for butternut squash soup is perfection as is, but it’s flexible to make it your own and still be just as perfect!
- Feel free to add a sprinkle of curry powder, fresh minced ginger, or paprika to the soup. I sometimes add another clove of garlic or some fresh leeks, too.
- Try adding a bit of cayenne pepper for spice.
- Dried or fresh herbs like rosemary and thyme can brighten it up a bit.
- Cooking apples in the soup is a popular way to add natural sweetness that pairs well with the squash and cinnamon.
- Top your soup with a dollop of sour cream instead. Or, use pumpkin seeds instead of pepitas (no, they’re not the same thing!).
- You can also add other toppings like bacon, Parmesan cheese, homemade croutons, arugula, sprouted greens, walnuts, almonds, you name it!
How to Make Butternut Squash Soup
- Sauté veggies and add squash. Melt oil and butter in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat and cook the onion, garlic, carrot, potatoes, and squash for 5 minutes until lightly browned.
- Add broth and seasoning. Pour in the broth and sprinkle in the cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Bring it to a boil.
- Simmer on low. Now, reduce the heat to low and cover with a lid. Simmer the soup for 40 minutes until the squash is fork tender. Once the cooking time is up, remove the lid and pour in the coconut milk.
- Purée and serve. Grab your immersion blender and purée until it has a smooth texture. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into serving bowls, garnish with pepitas, and drizzle a little coconut cream on top. Enjoy!
Expert Tips
- No immersion blender? No problem. Just use a regular stand-up blender and blend in batches. Be careful, it’s hot!
- Roasted butternut squash soup is a bonus that adds an extra level of flavor if you’ve got the time to roast your squash ahead of time.
- Make it in advance. Do a little of the prep work ahead of time. Cut the veggies and keep them in the refrigerator until you’re ready to dump them in the soup. You can also make the entire soup ahead and reheat it when you’re ready to serve it.
Recipe FAQs
Is butternut squash soup with coconut milk vegetarian?
It’s not in this recipe only because I prefer to use chicken broth for flavor. You certainly can make it vegetarian by replacing it with vegetable broth instead.
To make it completely vegan you would also need to skip the butter and just use oil.
Is soup with butternut squash healthy?
Absolutely! Loads of nutrients, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory properties stem from the veggies that this soup is mostly made from! Fresh, wholesome ingredients in a soup made with love is always a healthy way to eat!
How to store leftover butternut squash soup?
Keep leftover soup airtight in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container or a freezer bag. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
Best way to reheat the soup?
To reheat it, warm it on the stovetop over medium-low heat until warmed through. You can also use the microwave for a single serving.
You may need to add a bit of fresh cream as the soup is reheating if you find that it has separated.
Serving Suggestions
This soul-warming soup needs a refreshing side salad to go along with it. Quinoa and black bean salad and apple cranberry spinach salad are two fall salads that are just the perfect pairing.
A basket of either cornbread muffins or artisan bread on the table is just the thing!
I’m also a big fan of the soup and sandwich combo, and my kids love it when we have it with grilled cheese!
More favorite soup recipes include corn chowder, 3-Ingredient chili and vegetable beef soup!
More Favorite Soup Recipes
Browse all- Crockpot White Chicken Chili
- Crockpot Potato Soup
- Chicken and Rice Soup
- Best Leftover Turkey Soup
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Butternut Squash Soup Recipe
5 from 8 votes
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Author: Jamielyn Nye
If you're looking for a smooth, creamy, cozy, and comforting fall soup, this butternut squash soup recipe is what you need. A one-pot soup made with nourishing veggies, spices, and creamy coconut milk will keep you warm and satisfied all season long!
Prep Time: 20 minutes mins
Cook Time: 45 minutes mins
Total Time: 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins
Servings: 3
Video
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion , chopped
- 2-4 garlic cloves
- 1 stalk celery , chopped
- 1 medium carrot , peeled and chopped
- 2 medium potatoes cubed
- 1 medium butternut squash , peeled, seeded, and cubed
- 3 cups chicken broth
- Pinch ground cinnamon
- Pinch ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ cup full-fat coconut milk , or sub for heavy cream
Optional toppings: Coconut cream or heavy cream, Pepitas
Instructions
In a large stockpot over medium-high heat, melt the butter and olive oil. Add the onion, garlic, celery, carrot, potatoes, and squash and cook 5 minutes, or until lightly browned.
Add broth, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Increase the heat to high andbring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 40 minutes, or until the squash can be easily pierced with a fork. Stir in the coconut milk.
Purée with an immersion blender or in batches in a standing blender until smooth. Taste and season the soup with salt and pepper.
Ladle into bowls and drizzle coconut cream over the top and sprinkle with pepitas, if desired.
Notes
Spices: Feel free to add a sprinkle of curry powder, fresh minced ginger, or paprika to the soup. I sometimes add another clove of garlic or some fresh leeks, too.
Freezing: Freeze in a zip-top bag or a freezer-safe container up to 3 months. Add a little bit of fresh cream when reheating if the soup separates.
Storage: Store in an airtight container up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 411kcal | Carbohydrates: 62g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 1300mg | Potassium: 1737mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 30104IU | Vitamin C: 85mg | Calcium: 175mg | Iron: 4mg
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free, Vegetarian
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