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.
I googled recipes for Butternut Squash soup and your page came up. I made this soup yesterday and it was DELICIOUS!!! I substituted low sodium vegetable broth and it was still very tasty!! So glad I found it!! Thanks!
You’re welcome!
Hi Kate – made this soup today for the first time. I looove butternut squash and this soup is terrific! My DH loves it too. This is one I’ll,go to again and again.
Hooray! That’s so great to hear, Robin. Thanks do much.
Kate! You’ve done it again! I made this yesterday and it is SO DELICIOUS! I made it pretty much exactly how the recipe was written, maybe added a bit more salt at the end. I honestly couldn’t stay out of it, and I have leftovers and all I can think about is getting home to eat them. I’m going to make it again this weekend and then again for Thanksgiving. My mom is doing your balsamic and cranberry Brussels sprouts as a side on Thanksgiving and joked that we should just invite you to dinner too since we’re making so many of your recipes. Seriously, thank you for posting so many delicious recipes including this one! I haven’t made a bad meal from your website (or cookbook yet)–and I’ve made a lot!
I’m glad to hear it, Kelly! This is great for Thanksgiving. I appreciate your kind words! I do strive to ensure recipes are perfect before posting them to the blog. :)
Hi Kate –
So many of your responders comment on how delicious this sounds..but I made it. Honestly, this is the easiest and best tasting fall soup I have made…ever. The only addition I made was to top it with some roasted home, grown sage. Thank you for your many recipes that are accessible to all level of cooks. Really, you make preparing a meal a joyful experience.
Hope you and Cookie have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Nita
Sage sounds amazing! Thank you for sharing. I appreciate the comment and review, Nita!
Made this for Thanksgiving last year on a whim as a first course. It was such a hit it was specially requested again for this year!! Yum.
That’s awesome, Lisa! Thanks for coming back to review.
Just made the butternut squash soup. Was in a hurry and just added maple syup, garlic and broth. Tasted great. Blended in my vitamix.
Thanks for sharing, Linda!
Tasty recipe! I used an immersion blender and it tuned out very smooth.
Great! Thanks for sharing, Stephanie!
My first time trying one of your recipes and I’m hooked. This is by far the best butternut squash soup that I’ve ever had, and I had to use an immersion blender! Incredible!!!
Love that you are hooked after just one recipe! Thanks so much, Christy. I appreciate the review.
Didn’t add the nutmeg or maple syrup, but followed the rest and boy was the soup AWESOME! My new winter to go comfort soup.
Thanks so much, Deb! I love hearing what you love about it.
Hello! This soup has the most amazing silky texture but both times i’ve made it the taste seems a little off. Almost sour? Not really offensive but for some reason I dont think its supposed to taste like this. What could have gone wrong?
It’s not suppose to be sour, that’s correct! Hmm.. maybe try a different vegetable broth or add a little more salt and pepper to balance it out.
Great recipe. No need for sugar/syrup. At least for my taste.
Thanks, Caroline!
It was a Cookie and Kate – inspired Thanksgiving feast this year; this was a dish I liked the best. Well nigh perfect, and even better on days two and three.
Love that! Thanks again, Anthony.
I just made the butternut squash soup using my Vitamix. I sent some to a neighbor who said it was the best she has ever tasted. She is a foodie so a compliment coming from her makes my day! Happy to pass the compliment along to you!
Hooray! The best, I agree with that. Thanks for letting me know your neighbor loved it.
Absolutely amazing soup! I made this recipe with acorn squash instead of butternut and used white onion instead of shallots (fresh out of the other ingredients). I’ve only had my Vitamix a few months and it is becoming a workhorse in our kitchen. I also topped it off with seasoned roasted pumpkin seeds and crunchy chickpeas. Delicious!
My kitchen wouldn’t be complete without it! Thanks for sharing, Angie.
Just made this soup yesterday for the second time, after having it at a friend’s house. This will be a staple fall/winter recipe for me! Both times I used an immersion blender and had no problem with grittiness. As long as you blend it long enough (I did about 7-8 minutes) it gets nice and creamy. I make it in a cast iron dutch oven on the stove, which minimizes the number of dishes to clean since everything gets cooked and combined there, save for the pan used to roast the squash.
Next time I’m going to experiment with adding different ingredients, since this seems like it could be so versatile – I like your suggestion of wild rice!
Thanks for sharing about your experience with the immersion blender! I appreciate your review .
Very tasty soup and simple to make. Next time I make I’ll reduce the salt to 1/2 teaspoon.
Thanks for sharing, Steve!
Delicious! My first attempt at butternut squash soup and it was perfect!
I’m glad to hear it was perfect for you, Catherine!
This was dinner for 3 tonight — along with grilled-cheese sandwiches made with an Einkorn-wheat loaf from the farmers market. It was delicious! I roasted some brussels sprouts on the same pan with the butternut, for a green-veg appetizer, though I also think a small arugula salad would also be a great accompaniment. My 14yo vegetarian daughter loved it! Thanks.
Thanks so much for sharing, Kimberlyn!
Love this soup…..thank u, thank u, thank u
I’m glad you liked it! I saw the one star and was surprised to read the comment that you loved it.
Such a great recipe. I roasted the squash, as in the recipe. I ended up pan searing 1/2 onion and 1 red pepper together with 4 cloves of garlic. I added 3 cups of chicken stock (did not have veggie stock) and cooked it off for 35 minutes. I added this mixture and the butternut squash to a blender and added a bit of melted butter and heavy cream. Garnished with toasted pepitas and some maple syrup. Best soup I’ve eaten.
Thank you for sharing what you did, Joanna!
Just recently came across this recipe, gotta say, just love it! And simple to make too! Thanks. November 2018.
Welcome, Denise! I’m glad you like what you have tried so far.
sorry for the question if it should be obvious but is the butter salted or unsalted?
I typically use unsalted, but if you have salted on hand that should be fine too! You might want to adjust your salt based on the type you use.
Thank you heaps for this recipe. I didn’t have maple syrup, but otherwise I followed your instructions totally, and it was delicious. I’ve made it again since and added some coconut milk, it was even more gorgeous. It freezes well too.
You’re welcome, Claire!
I made this, but had to leave out the maple syrup, difficult to find in France. Otherwise I followed your instructions totally. It was really delicious. I’ve since remade it, and added some coconut milk, equally tasty. Thanks so much for a great recipe which is so easy and quick to produce. I also freezed some, which worked well.
Thanks for sharing, Claire!
AMAZING!!! I just made this soup, substituting 1/2 small yellow onion for shallot. This soup is the perfect creamy, sweet and butternut squash-y. My picky family of 5 approves! Thank you for sharing this recipe.
You’re welcome, Sarah!
Such a crowd pleaser! And so easy!! I’m sure having a Vitamix would make it even easier, but I was still able to get a great texture with my trusty ol’ immersion blender.
Thank you for another beautifully delicious c+k recipe to add to my tool box! :D :D
You’re welcome! Thanks for your review, Miranda.
This is literally the BEST butternut squash soup I have ever had. My Boyfriend and I devoured it all! Thank you for sharing!
I’m glad you love it, Elizabeth!
I prepared this recipe for my daughter when she had her wisdom teeth removed. She loved it. She ate every bit and helped her move through the discomfort towards healing.
This is now our go-to butternut squash recipe. I made no adjustments.
It is a dreamy creamy delicious soup.
I prepare it often.
Thank you for sharing this recipe!
The worst! But I’m glad she loved this to help her after the removal. Thanks for sharing!
I was so looking forward to this recipe, but was sorely disappointed with the results. There is soooo much garlic in this soup, it is all I can taste. I even cut the garlic in half and used two cloves since my squash was on the smaller side. Maybe my cloves are much larger than normal, idk. I’m disappointed after forcing myself to get up and cook while being sick and now I don’t even want to eat the soup. Tried a few bites and feel like I was sucking on a garlic clove. Tried to add some milk to water it down with no success. Probably would be good without the garlic. 4 cloves seems excessive to me. Wish I had listened to my instinct. Also, I am not a garlic hater by any means, but was looking forward to the taste of the squash and it is all lost on the garlic. Bummer.
I’m sorry you didn’t love it, Bernard! You can always adjust to your taste. Thanks for trying it!
Can you use ghee in place of butter. Would it be the same measurement.
I haven’t tried it, but I assume it would be pretty similar measurement. Let me know what you think about the taste!
I love garlic but 4 cloves of garlic in this recipe is about 3 cloves too many. The garlic overpowers all the other flavors.
I’m sorry you didn’t love this soup, Rhonda! Sometimes cloves can be large so always feel free to use less. Thanks for your feedback!
This soup has become a staple in my house. I make it at least once a month when I can get butternut squash! I love it so much and it is so simple. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
You’re welcome! I’m happy to hear it has become a staple. Thanks for your review!
Just made this and substituted butter/cream with coconut milk. All the flavors combined with the coconut made it really delicious and smooth.
Thank you for sharing, Ashwin! I appreciate the review.
First time making this soup. I added a bit too much broth and made the soup appear brown, but it still taste really good! I added curry powder and (hungarian) paprika to my soup toward the end. Would highly recommend doing so! Next time, I’m going to try toasting my seasonings as well to see if it’ll enhance the flavour even further.
I’m really happy you liked it! Thanks so much for sharing, JJ.
I made this today and it was so good! I added half a scotch bonnet pepper as I like a little heat and I subbed the veggie stock for chicken as that’s all I had on hand. Will definitely make this again.
Thank you, Breanna! I’m excited you plan to make it again. I really appreciate your review!
Made this for the family tonight since we’re all sick. Turned out perfect! Just what the doctor ordered.. lol thanks!
I’m sorry to hear you are all sick. But, I’m glad this one is working well for you!
Absolutely delicious and SO easy to make! I forgot to buy some vegetable stock and just used water. It was fabulous. Thank you for this fabulous recipe.
You’re welcome!
Eliminate the garlic and it would be great. Garlic takes away from the sweetness of the squash. And where it says use oil use butter instead.
I’m sorry you didn’t love this soup, Deb. Thanks for sharing your feedback!
This recipe is amazing!! So creamy!! I cooked some diced up bacon and used the bacon grease instead of olive oil to cook the shallots and garlic. When I served the soup I drizzled a little sage brown butter and heavy cream then topped with the bacon bits. Just my own touch of flavors that I enjoy. This is the best recipe I have made!! Thanks for sharing! My husband could not get enough!
Thanks for sharing you variation, Rebecca!
Bacon?! Genius!!
This is one of my favorite soup recipes! Thank you! Making it today for a yummy lunch on a chilly day!
Thank you for sharing, Julie!
Simply amazing. Easy to make and flavor packed.
Thank you, Kelsey!
loved this recipe. followed it with the olive oil. thank you so much, very rich in flavour, but the one thing I would warn everyone is it’s delicious if you love an overpowering taste of garlic, for someone who doesn’t I would say less garlic or small cloves, cuz I used 4 big cloves, and I love it, but not everyone would….
Thanks for sharing! I love the amount of garlic, but yes, adjust to your tastes here. Thanks for your review!
I tried this recipe tonight as written. It was delicious! I had a smaller squash so used only the 3 cups of broth and it was perfect. I will be enjoying leftovers tomorrow. I have been enjoying the recipes in your blog and ordered your cookbook. I am looking forward to it’s delivery.
Oh my gosh. This soup is amazing! I am a salt freak so I added just a little extra salt and a dash of cayenne. Excellent soup! This will definitely go into my rotation! Thank you.
You’re welcome, Cindy!
Yes, this may be THE best recipe for butternut squash soup! I followed to a T, but it was a bit too garlicky for me. So I added extra maple syrup, 1/4 t cinnamon, an extra 1/8 t nutmeg, and 1/4 t curry powder. Magnifico! Upon serving I added a dollop of sour cream. This will be my go to when I get a hankering! Easy and delicious!
Thanks for sharing, Jane! You can always cut the amount of garlic next time. I appreciate the feedback!
Did you use ‘real’ maple syrup, or something like Log Cabin or Aunt Jemima’s? Thanks! :)
Real maple syrup. :)
This soup was FANTABULOUS!! my 11 year old son requested this soup.. first time I have done anything with squash followed recipe EXACTLY.. Will be making this again…
I just made this recipe today and it is absolutely fabulous!! I used less chicken broth because I enjoy the thicker consistency and I am sooo loving it!
Thank you for your review, Estrella!
Just made this soup. It is quite delicious! I only had chicken broth so I used that and put a bit of honey in place of maple syrup. Will definitely make this again!
Thank you for your review, Barbara!
Excellent recipe! This came out delicious. Used 2 packages cubed butternut squash (2 pounds) for ease of preparation and 3 cups vegetable broth.
Thanks, Cindy!