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.
A solid, proper butternut squash soup like this is the ultimate comfort food. I love your simple version!
Thank you, Katrina! xo
Beautiful – looks rich, creamy and delicious!! I can’t believe Thanksgiving is almost here….this month…this year…has flown. Looking forward to making some of your recipes for my Thanksgiving feast!
Thanks, Deborah! I agree, I don’t know where this year has gone! Hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving.
This soup looks so simple yet comforting and delicious.
And yes, praise Vitamix for that wonderful machine! I wanted one for nearly 6 years before I finally allowed myself to buy one. It’s not easy to drop that much $ on a blender but now that I have it, I regret not buying it sooner. It does an incredible job pureeing soups and I LOVE the self clean option. Less dishes to wash=happy me. :)
Hooray for your Vitamix! They’re really impressive machines.
Yes i love Vitamix. After about ten year my Vitamix was making a different sound I sent it for a check up and it came back like new. I even use it to blend kitchen scraps for the he compost. In Winter I even spread it directly on the ground. My plants love it.
Thanks for the recipe, the squash is roasting as I write this note. By the way I was glad I had a frozen bag of veggies to make the broth in the instant pot at the same time. That a no peel soup for me today. The quart bags have some leek, a carrot, parsley and a piece of celery. Add a tsp of herb de Provence and you have a broth almost fresh from the garden.
Kate, what plants do you have outdoors that you feed your compost to? I want to start composting but am still getting down the basics.
What a gorgeous color! Love the addition of butter at the end. I’ve just recently remembered what a difference a little butter makes, and can imagine it takes this soup to the next level. Yum!
I also recently bought a Vitamix, and it is everything. Plain and simple.
Thanks, Katie! High five for your new blender. Agreed, sometimes a little butter works magic.
This looks amazingggggg! Definitely adding this to the list, thanks for the inspiration love.
This soup looks so lovely. I have an older model vitamix without the soup preset, but bet it would still be fantastic blended and then warmed in a saucepan. Delicious.
Thanks, Allyson! Yep, that would work. I think you can also just blend the soup for a while and it will get nice and hot after a few minutes!
The fact that it warms up the soup is one of the things I LOVE about the Vitamix! Totally putting this into my weeknight rotation this week :)
If I can get my act together, I am toooootally making this for dinner tonight. With crispy shoestring potatoes served over top, just because. Also.. don’t remind me that Thanksgiving is only 15 (!) days away. ;)
Oh man, crispy shoestring potatoes on top? Gimme that. Hope you love it!
Thank you for including instructions for the immersion blender! It might not be perfect, but it’s fast, and it’s what I’ve got.
You’re welcome, Kelley! :)
I can’t get over how silky and creamy this looks with no cream! I don’t usually make my soups in my Vitamix, but I think you’ve sold me on this one! :)
Oh my I have never seen so much vibrancy in a soup before! I wish I had a powerful vitamix like that to make such wonderful soup like this!
It’s midnight and I just finished making this for lunch tomorrow. I did a little taste testing and I had to stop myself from eating an entire bowl! Absolutely delicious! I didn’t have nutmeg so I left it out. Putting my vitamix to good use! Thanks Kate your recipes are making my vegan transition so easy!
Thank you, Gabby! Yay!
It’s not really Thanksgiving without Roasted Butternut Squash Soup! the addition of maple syrup is perfect!
I love pumpkin soup, especially with roasted butternut squash. It does come with a nice tasty flavor. Every time I made it in the past, my 4 years old had always ask for more :) The pictures here are moutnhwatering!
Creamy without the cream and velvety delicious– my kind of soup!
Made this tonight and what perfect use of the Vitamix for this recipe!
I added a touch of turmeric and a diced apple with the onion & garlic.
So smooth, earthy, perfect Fall soup!
Thank you, Nella! Your version sounds great!
I absolutely adore this soup. I found myself looking forward to a bowl for lunch tomorrow right after dinner. This is the first time I have used my Vitamix hot soup feature, and it was a breeze. I served it topped with a drizzle of pomegranate molasses and your sweet and spicy walnuts. It was delicious.
Thank you, Jennifer! I’m so glad to hear it.
There’s nothing better than a big bowl of soup :) This butternut squash version sounds delicious Kate. I hope you do get the chance to relax with your family on Thanksgiving – you’ve been cooking up a storm lately!
Squash soup is one of my favorite things about autumn/winter. This looks absolutely wonderful. And the Vitamix makes a HUGE difference.
Just made this, and it is delicious! Can’t wait to buy your cookbook :)
Thank you so much, Madelyn!
I just made this and it is so luxurious and nourishing! All I can taste is the goodness of the butternut squash. A perfectly warm and smooth soup for the start of winter!
Hooray, thanks Jessie! That’s exactly what I was going for. :)
Just made this soup for dinner tonight, and it was nothing short of amazing. I don’t use my Vitamin nearly enough, and loved how easy it was to pull off this simple vegetarian dinner. I added some thick sourdough croutons on top (we’re running a marathon next weekend….so, carbs!) The crisp from the crouton was perfect with the silky smooth soup. Thanks for the great recipe!
Thank you, Amy! Really happy to hear it!
Butternut Squash Soup is one of my favorite dishes to have during the fall/winter. It’s one of my go to soups! This recipe looks yum!
Thank you for this very wonderful post. This recipe of squash, look and sound so delicious! Thanksgiving is also one of my favorite holidays and I always make sure that I come up with something new or different on the table every year, and online recipes have helped me a lot!
I saw butternut in groceries store, but got no idea what to do with it plus its quite expensive here. At least now i know what to make out of them. Thanks for sharing.
My vitamix does not have a soup function. How long should I blend it?
Hi Vikki! Around five minutes on high speed should do the trick. That, or pour the soup into a pot and warm it on the stove. Whichever you prefer!
This soup is the quintessential fall comfort food while still being totally do-able…delicious, and healthy! All of the elements I look for in a meal. So happy with it! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks, Lauren! Happy you think so. :)
This looks awesome. I’m visiting my omnivorous cousins for Thanksgiving but am planning on cooking a few vegetarian contributions (so I have something to eat!). This looks like a good option. I’m thinking that adding a pinch of ginger might work well. Really glad to find this site.
Hi Richard! I’m glad you found my blog. You’re right, I think this soup would be great with a little pinch of ginger!
For a soup like this I’m always looking for ways to up the protein content. A couple of possibilities occur to me: add 4 oz cream cheese (I’ve made other soup recipes that do this and they’re really good) or some silken tofu (to keep it vegan). Any thoughts, Kate?
Hi Richard, I’m so sorry it’s taken me a while to get back to you! I think you could serve this soup in a bowl with cooked wild rice and chickpeas! Then you’d have a really hearty soup with complimentary flavors. I don’t add much tofu to meals, but that just might work, and cream cheese (or maybe goat cheese?) is always delicious!
Oops I suppose I should have read your chickpeas comment first. That’s the first place my brain went, LOVE chickpeas!
You could also add chickpeas or have the soup with a side of non-GMO edamame beans (but be careful with the soy as too much is not a good thing).
My 3 yr old: “This is goooood soup! I’m going to eat ALL my soup!” Thanks Kate. Great recipe.
Love that! Thanks, Kyle!
Hi Kate! I had to comment and let you know how wonderful this soup turned out for me! I love how simple and healthy the ingredients are, and how this recipe allows for our natural foods of the earth to really shine through! Just the right balances of flavor – Absolutely delicious, thank you for posting!
Gloria, thank you for taking the time to say so! I’m happy you enjoyed it. :)
Roasted some squash this morning and made the mistake of crowding it on the pan….so it turned to mush. Figured I’d just use it to make this soup! It was wonderful! I did add a little cayenne to give it a little “kick”
I hate it when that happens! Glad you enjoyed the squash in soup form, Gail.
Can I substitute leeks for shallots and all spice for nutmeg ?
Thanks PAC
Yes, I think so!
This recipe was so easy and Delish! Will be a great healthy appetizer for Thanksgiving. My daughter LOVES it. Will definitely make again.
Thank you very much, Marybeth!
I made this soup for dinner tonight. I added a can of unsweetened applesauce and some mild Italian sausage. I would have preferred it without the sausage, but a certain family member thinks there should be meat at every meal. The soup was delicious and even my granddaughter who hates squash loved it. Thank you for the recipe!
Thank you, Karen! I’m glad you all enjoyed it. :)
These modifications are really interesting. I plan on making this soup today, maybe I will try a bowl with a bit of applesauce and sausage too.
i made the butternut squash soup to day, with great results.
Creamy and great taste this will be a big hit on Thursday
Thanks for recepie oven baked squash is the key
Thanks again
PAC.
Thank you, Pat! Happy to hear it.
This is the best butternut squash soup I have ever made. It seems the long roasting with the olive oil, salt and black pepper really brings out the flavor. I played a little bit with my version and added a teaspoon of grated ginger and substituted the shallot for two sweet onions which were sautéed with the garlic. The pure maple syrup and nutmeg were brilliant touches. Our Professional Series 200 VitaMix did the rest. I roasted some pumpkin seeds to drop on the soup for presentation. Thank you and happy thanksgiving!
Thank you, Victor! Delighted to hear it!
This is the best thing I have ever made in my life, and will definitely go into my winter rotation. Thank you!
Great for today’s snowy weather here in Colorado! Yummy and satisfying. I added a red apple for a little extra sweetness (because I am a sweet-a-holic) and it came out great!. Thank you, Katie!
Thanks, Kecia! :)
Sorry…KATE! (Big Cheesy Grin)
This is amazing! I made this for Thanksgiving dinner and everybody was in love with it. I didn’t have any nutmeg though, so I subbed cinnamon in, but it tastes absolutely wonderful. Thank you for posting this!
Thank you, Rachel! Happy to hear it!
Made this soup for Thanksgiving. it was delicious. we were a small group and everyone loved it – nothing left in anyone’s bowl! I added a little bit of freshly grated ginger just before I blended it. and I did use the immersion blender technique (thanks for adding that to your instructions). I love your recipes!
Hi Vicki! I’m so glad to hear the soup was a hit. Fresh ginger sounds like a terrific addition! Happy holidays!
This was absolutely wonderful. I added cloves and cinnamon for a little extra punch. I am having trouble not eating it all in one sitting. Add a dollop of sour cream or better yet a dollop of plain greek yogurt for added deliciousness!!
Thank you, Ash! Glad you enjoyed it. :)
Holy moly, this soup is so good! Very timely posting as well. I had a few leftover butternut and acorn squash from Thanksgiving, and just purchased a new fancy blender. (That shall remain nameless given that your blog post is sponsored by Vitamix…) Love garlic flavor and bite of black pepper with the creamy squash. Thank you!
Thank you, Christina! Congrats on your new blender, too!
Oh my gosh… you roast it whole! It must be 1000 times easier than peeling and chopping it first… what was I thinking! I am totally doing it your way from now. Yay for shaving 20 minutes off the prep time! :)
It is so much easier! :D
Good flavor, but a mess to make. Oil splattered all over the oven.
Hi Susan, I’m sorry to hear about the oil splatter! That hasn’t happened to me. Did you use a rimmed baking sheet to catch any drip-off? That’s the only suggestion I can think of.
Thank you for taking the time to write. The oil jumped all over my built-in oven. Perhaps next time I’d cover the squash with parchment paper.
Sorry again to hear that. I don’t think I have had that happen, although I must admit I don’t keep my oven super clean, either. Keep an eye on that parchment paper—I’d hate for it to catch on fire!
I just finished making this for a coworker of mine who isn’t feeling the best. I doubled the recipe and it’s amazing!! SO easy! Pinning for future use again, thank you!
I hope your coworker feels better soon! You’re awfully sweet to make him/her some soup. Glad it turned out great for you!
Just had to comment and let you know how much we enjoyed this soup- it is delicious! This will definitely be a go-to recipe going forward. We had some friends over for dinner last night so I made this to go with it and everyone loved it! I added Earth Balance buttery spread to keep it vegan and it was tasty. Thank you for the great recipe!
Thank you for taking the time to comment, Jennifer! So glad you all enjoyed it.
This soup was awesome! I added a little more maple syrup because I live in new Hampshire :) I cooked the squash a few days ahead when I was making a different dinner so it was already ready and it was literally readyou in miinutes! I used my dutch oven and immersion blender and loved it. Thanks for the recipe!
Thank you, Stacey! Roasting the squash ahead of time is such a great idea!
Wow! Just finished supper…eagerly looking forward to leftovers tomorrow! Great soup recipe! Thank you ever so much for the recipe.
Thank you, Sheila! Very glad to hear it.