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 made this recipe last night, and it was wonderful! I had purchased two 20oz packages of peeled and cubed butternut squash. I decided to roast them in the oven at 400 degrees F for 20 minutes. I followed the recipe after that. Thank you for sharing this recipe with us.
It was delicious and so easy to make!
Thank you for sharing! I love the shortcut idea.
Yummo! I made this with chicken broth because I had no vegetable broth. And regular syrup because I had no maple syrup. My 15 year old daughter and I both loved it–super simple and tasty!
Follow up: I took the leftovers for lunch today, and realized maybe I hadn’t salted it enough but also had some smoked gouda in my lunch. Added that and my goodness, it was tasty and a little gooey and delish.
Hi, Kate I try your recipe was very easy however I added to much salt , I cut up two small potatoes to pull out excess salt then it was delicious . Thank you!!
Adding a little apple can add to the depth of flavor. I peeled and cubed two small Granny Smith apples, roasted them with my butternut squash, and threw into the blender with the squash and a little cinnamon. Not a necessary addition (the recipe is delicious as written), but can be a nice natural sweetness (especially if you prefer to omit the maple syrup). I also added fresh sage and rosemary to my batch.
Oh my goodness!!!! Yum! This recipe is delicious and easy to make thanks for sharing it. I made it on a cold rainy afternoon – perfect!!!!
Hi Kate, I can’t wait to try this! I noticed some folks added apple but didn’t say how exactly. Do you know what they meant? Thanks!
Abby
I don’t, sorry!
Shredded apple is commonly added to other recipes of butternut squash soup. I would imagine something like half an apple, peeled and roughly chopped, added at the blending stage (if using a vitamix. Otherwise, shred the apple before adding to blender). I’m not personally a fan, but some people like the sweetness it adds.
Very tasty butternut squash soup. The only thing I will change next time is to cut the salt in half or use low salt broth instead. Way to salty for me.
Thank you for your feedback, Elizabeth!
So excited to enjoy this. We doubled the recipe for lunches this week!
A great lunch soup!
So excited to enjoy this. We doubled the recipe for lunches this week!
A great recipe for leftovers for the week!
Thank you so much for this recipe! I made this soup yesterday and it is SO DELICIOUS and creamy (even though there is no cream!).
I used my normal stand blender and just divided the recipe into two smaller batches. I then combined both into a large pot and let it simmer on the stove on low for 15 mins while meal prepping other dishes for the week.
I’m SO happy you loved it, Sarah. I appreciate your comment.
Do you think I’d be safe subbing onions for the shallot?
Shallots really allow the flavor to shine here, but you could. Just be mindful the onion might be stronger.
I had the same problem (no shallots) but I had frozen some extra chopped leeks that were left from another recipe. Perfect substitute.
Great to hear, Ruth!
This soup was great. I loved it.
It was so creamy and light. The seasonings were perfect to my taste and I loved the added nutmeg and maple syrup. I loved all the easy suggestions and directions. I decided to give it a try when I saw that you could freeze leftovers – not sure I’d like it since I hated butternut as a child. My hubby didn’t like the hint of sweetness. To be honest, I added double the syrup since we just got back from Vermont and I bought some real syrup there. I ended up eating the whole recipe over the weekend and not having to freeze any of it. I’ll be making some more this week to share with a friend. Thanks for such a good recipe. Thanks for taking the time to explain the steps and prep so clearly. joan
Love the simplicity of this recipe! However I did end up wanting a richer flavor. I doubled the maple syrup and nutmeg, added some cinnamon and a little more butter (I use a vegan brand). Also, I only had a yellow onion on hand which worked fine and used just 2 garlic cloves. Absolutely delicious. It was my first time making this soup and me and my husband devoured it all immediately! Thank you Kate!
I made this soup and it was absolutely delicious ! Easy to make and very tasty due to roasting the squash first. Left out the maple syrup because I did not have any in my pantry. Five stars !!!
This soup tasted fine after I had to adjust some of the ingredients. I used a combination of shallots and red onion(fresh from my garden). I would not recommend the red onion as it overpowered the soup. I also would only use 2 cloves of garlic, but this may just be my personal preference. Anyway, to cut the overpowering of the onions, I added about 1/3 cup of white wine vinegar to add acid to cover the onions. The soup now tastes great with just a little zing due to the additional acid. I will use this recipe as a jumping off point for other experiments on it. Thanks for publishing it.
I’m sorry your variation didn’t workout, I appreciate the feedback.
It did workout in the end. I appreciate that you posted the recipe and the guests loved it.
Then why two stars if you didn’t follow the recipe?
Scrumptious! Now we need cooler days to enjoy this delicious soup.
It is a snap to make. Tried to blend it with an immersion blender but
opted for my Vitamix – perfect!
Thanks for sharing, Susan!
OMG. This is by far the best soup ever – ever! I follow a plant based diet and used olive oil instead of butter. In fact I didn’t add anymore olive oil at the end and it was still amazingly smooth and creamy. It was so easy to make in my Vitamix, and clean up was simple. I had it for lunch with avocado toast and thought that the creaminess of all would be over the top. It wasn’t. The soup is lovely and pairs well with avocado toast. Thank you for all your amazing recipes!
Just made this wonderful recipe for dinner (with roasted chicken and a salad). It was the hit of the table! I passed your recipe on to four friends! I used to steam the squash and make soup, but roasting the squash made all the difference in the world! This goes into my “favorite recipes” folder!! Thanks!
You’re welcome, Emily! Thank you for your review.
Another winner, Kate! Thanks for creating delicious recipes to share with us. I made exactly as directed. My only regret is that I already had dinner and this soup is for tomorrow. Keep up the great work!
You’re welcome, Jackie! Thanks for your review.
I’m going to try this recipe this weekend, but was wondering if there was any great change if I subbed chicken for the veggie stock? I have a ton leftover and don’t want to waste.
I use chicken stock for this recipe and love it!
I know some have tried it and liked it!
I made this with a slightly smaller squash (2.5 lbs.) It is delicious but way too salty. I suggest starting with a 1/2 tsp. not 1 tsp. of salt then adding more to taste if needed. I’m off to go buy more squash to roast to rebalance the seasoning!
Too much garlic! It tastes like garlic soup. I had hopes for this with the maple syrup and nutmeg but the garlic is overpowering an d I only used 3 cloves.
I’m sorry you didn’t love it! Thanks for your feedback, Cathy.
I agree Cathy. I love garlic and probably have never said a dish had to much, but didn’t think it was a good match with the squash. I will definitely make this again, just with less garlic.
I just made this soup and it is wonderful! So easy and flavorful.
Happy to hear that, Julie!
This is the first soup I’ve ever made and it was DELICIOUS! I slightly changed the recipe and used both butternut and acorn squash, added some carrots, and used onions instead of shallots. Will definitely be making this again (and probably soon)! Thank you for the recipe!!
You’re welcome, Ashley!
Made recipe exactly as described and soup was delicious! Highly recommend this recipe. Do you think the finished soup would freeze well?
Yes! This soup does freeze well, Michelle.
My friend Mark makes this all the time for us and it’s great. Thanks for inspiring him!
You’re welcome!
I made the butternut squash soup yesterday, and I have to say, it is the best soup. I have a recipe with apple in it, but your recipe is so much easier to make!
I’m glad you love it, Lori! Thanks for commenting and for your review.
I’ve made a lot of your recipes and love them. And my family loves soup in general. However, this soup was just…outstanding. So simple! Yet so amazing flavorful and rich and creamy. We used Organic squash from our garden on a cool fall day and it was just perfect. Well done! And thank you for sharing this amazing recipe with our family-my 2 and 4yo boys are by no means picky but they devoured it!
Thanks for sharing, Brittany!
Is this soup suitable for canning?
I’m not an expert when it comes to canning, sorry! I do know it freezes well.
I added canned coconut milk to mine to make it more creamy and stayed away from butter to keep it vegan. Great recipe, thank you!
Thank you for sharing, Eva!
I make butternut squash soup quite often and I would like to suggest:
DO NOT USE AN ELECTRIC BLENDER! use an iron-age hand-held potato masher. Just a couple minutes of mashing will get you a fine-grained soup; you will be able to see the tiny pieces of carrot, onion and squash…AND YOU WILL BE ABLE TO TASTE these vegetables! whereas blending them all together makes for a LESS-TASTY amalgum, which to me just doesnt taste as good as a mashed soup. I treat white-bean soups similarly.
Hi Clive! I appreciate you sharing your variation. I love the effect of the creaminess and the meld of flavors when blending. I’m happy you have found a method that works for you!
Good butternut squash soup recipe. Roasting was very nice .I only roasted for 35’ in convection oven & it was perfect.
I didn’t have shallots & used red pearl onions instead.
I read previous reviews & because of many saying 4 cloves of garlic was too much, I minced fresh garlic & added approximately 1&1/2 tsp which made for a pleasant taste . I also used chicken broth as I didn’t have any vegetable broth. I cut back on the salt as well & adjusted it to taste. My immersion/hand blender worked wonderful.
I would make this again
Thank you for letting me know your approach!
Outstanding. A subtle flavor I didn’t expect. Be chary with the pepper because a little goes a long way. I used an old Waring blender and the transfers from pot to blender and back got messy, but it was fun…
Thanks for your review, Anthony!
Tried the recipe today. Used butternut squash purchased from my local organic farmer. YUM! Easy, great directions and wonderful flavor!!! Froze some for later…can’t wait!
Great for freezing! Thanks for your review, Janell.
Tried this tonight with a larger butternut squash. We really loved this recipe! Baking the squash made it so flavorful. Used the immersion blender; 2 cloves garlic and limited the salt. Served with crusty fresh bread. Topped with toasted pumpkin seeds and a bit of sour cream!
I made this with my mom in mind. She’s trying to cut down on salt and this looked soooo easy. I didn’t have shallots and substituted half a sweet onion. I also added another clove of garlic and blended with my immersion stick blender. Once blended I decided to add more vegetable stock and it turned out absolutely delicious! My go to fall soup recipe from now on. Absolutely delicious and easy. Thank YOU!
Thank you for your comment, Cynthia!
Kate WOW this recipe was great! My family loved it. I did use my Vitamix and the soup was like velvet… ohh so good. Definitely will be making this again and again
Wonderful to hear, Linda!
sorry I forgot starz
This soup is FANTASTIC! I highly recommend making it, easy and made with simple ingredients. Another “keeper” from C+K!
I wanted to try this both because it sounded good and because my friend whom I often share food with is lactose intolerant. I roasted a small sweet ‘tater halved lengthwise with the squash. My shallot must have been the hottest one in the store, it made me cry more than an onion and it was kind of too strong in the soup!
I found my version to be a bit too bland for us, so I stirred in a T or so of white miso paste, a couple of pinches of ground chipotle pepper, and a very small splash of rice vinegar.
My vitamix was the bomb for blending it creamy smooth, which I love, and it was quite good. Thank you for this, it sure was easy and did the job!
Delicious! I think roasting the squash makes it more flavorful. I am new to eating vegetarian and find that I’m always searching for ways to enhance the flavor and complexity of the food I’m cooking. This is a great step in the right direction.
OMG! After reading your comments about using a stand blender rather than an immersion blender I was skeptical. Out of pure laziness, I always, always use my immersion blender for pureeing soups. I own a stand blender but never use it (not a smoothie person). But I thought I’d give it a try. And OMG, this is a game changer! I do not know the magic or physics behind it, but using a stand blender indeed results in a much (and I mean: MUCH) creamier consistency!! I did the soup as I always do, so the only difference really was the blending technique. It’s magic! People, get your stand blender out and never use an immersion blender again! Thank you so much for this tip, you rock!
SO GOOD!!! I can’t wait to bring this to my family’s thanksgiving! Served with warm bread of course
Hello! I like you photos very much! They are incredible! What camera and light do you use? Thanks.
Hi! I use natural light currently.
Delicious and so easy love your recipes thanks
Made this today and it’s amazing ! Much easier then I thought it would be.
I made this last night and I LOVE it!! I followed the recipe exactly as it’s written. After roasting the butternut squash, the skin fell off almost in one piece so that part was a lot easier than I was expecting. I made a grilled cheese to go along with it and I can’t wait to eat it again tonight. Perfect fall meal.
I love the combination! Enjoy your leftovers, Whitney.
Loved it! So easy and delicious! I put some in a bowl and topped it with goat cheese and sea salt roasted pumpkin seeds!
Thanks for sharing, Angie! I love your toppings.
This was amazing!! So rich and creamy without being too heavy, and the butternut squash flavor absolutely shines! And super easy and quick too. I don’t have a real blender and so had to use a small smoothie blender and make it in several batches–didn’t get fully blended ingredients and had little pieces of shallot floating around, which was actually fine because it added some texture. The butter at the end is VERY important, it raised the flavor to a whole nother level.
I’m sharing this with everyone I know!
Love your description, Abby! I appreciate your review.
Restaurant quality soup yet super easy to make. A keeper! Thank so much.
You’re welcome, Robin! I’m glad you love it.
This looks very delicious and I think we would love it! I have a couple of questions about the recipe: 1. If I don’t have a blender, would a food processor similarly work? 2. Would this work as an entree/what would be a good option to pair it with? Thank you!
A food processor should work too, just be careful. You could pair with a hearty salad, sandwich, etc.
This recipe was delicious and very easy to make. Because I was making it for my toddler I left out the maple syrup. In my opinion it didn’t need it since roasting the butternut squash brought out all of its natural sweetness. I’ll definitely be making this more often.
Wonderful, Ciara!
This is my first soup I’ve ever made in my life and it was delicious. Thank you so much. This might have been life-changing! I also bought your cookbook and can’t wait to try more!
Thank you so much for this recipe! I have never been a huge fan of butternut squash soup, but when my mother-in-law brought over one from her garden, I started looking for a good recipe. I wasn’t expecting much, but this soup was fantastic! I used chicken broth because it I had it on hand, and I just threw a bit of nutmeg and syrup in-no measuring-but it turned out so well. I told my husband we will definitely be growing butternut squash next year. Can’t wait to make this soup again!
This soup is absolutely AMAZING and incredibly simple to make! My husband, who does not like butternut squash, LOVES this soup! Fortunately the seeds I planted in my garden, which I thought were cucumber seeds, were actually butternut squash seeds! So I am looking forward to making a batch of soup for each squash harvested. :)
That’s a win! Thanks for sharing, Dana.