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 followed the recipe but this came out very onion-y. In an effort to dilute it, I blended 2 more butternut squash with vegetable broth and then mixed that into the original batch, but it was still way too strong in the onion department. I froze it in small containers and am working my way thorough it slowly and am actually enjoying it, but others in the family want nothing to do with it. Perhaps some shallots are much stronger than others? All of your other recipes have been fantastic. Who knows, maybe I mis-measured on the onions?
I’m sorry you didn’t love it. I appreciate your feedback. You shallots may have been on the larger side, or just not a taste for others.
Mine came out delicious. I had a small butternut squash, so halved the other ingredients. I added a little maple syrup.
Hi, just made this tonight. Great recipe. I cooked the whole butternut in the oven. When it was done, split the butternut and scooped out the seeds, put in blender. Turned out delicious. Only used 1 clove of garlic….
This soup is delicious and not too sweet as I’ve experienced with other recipes I’ve tried. We love garlic, so not a problem here. I am using a little extra garlic and onion in everything to help boost the immune system. I did make a few adaptations with items I had on hand. I used sweet white onion instead of shallot and honey instead of maple syrup. I also added 2 cloves of roasted garlic in addition to the other cloves. I used minced jarred garlic so maybe not as strong as fresh. Also used chicken broth and a few dashes of hot sauce at the end. Topped with diced chives. Yummy!!
I’m glad you love garlic, too! Thank you for your review and comment, Schelli.
I ran out of olive oil and only have coconut oil, sunflower oil, avocado oil, and butter. Which would you recommend?
Thanks!
Butter! :)
I loved this soup:)
In the last 20 minutes of roasting the squash, I added 3 cloves of garlic, one sweet potato, and 3/4 of an onion. I reserved the fourth clove to chuck in while blending and I think that raw clove was what turned my kids off to the soup, as raw garlic is potent. However, part of their dislike is probably due to the fact that purées soups often remind them of baby food. Such is life, sometimes we only appreciate things as we age!
I had a few extra things I wanted to try adding, so I left half as is and to the other half I added a wee bit of honey, cinnamon, fennel, fresh ginger and turmeric. Those additions lent a sort of Indian vibe and was warm, spicy, perfectly savory sweet. Would be brilliant with a drizzle of coconut milk!
Thank you for sharing and concocting all manner of health conscious recipes, I refer others who need inspiration here:)
Sure, food blogs are fine a dozen, but yours is my go-to because the recipes aren’t complicated, they feature healthy ingredients, the photography is simple, clean and fresh, the site isn’t overrun by miles of text and ads. Everything you put forth feels cohesive ( like an invisible signature), and Kate, you seem genuine:)
This is the best Butternut Soup I have ever eaten. I made the recipe according to the directions and it was fantastic!
Thank you, Laura!
Can I substitute onion for the shallots?
You could try it! I do like it best with shallots. I would recommend yellow onion, if you have it.
The BEST squash soup recipe. That’s all there is to say.
Truly the best and simplest butternut squash soup. I especially like that there are very few ingredients and the soup still is deliciously creamy.
Perfect for a grilled cheese sandwich night.
This soup would have been amazing if not for the maple syrup. It was way too sweet & ruined the whole pot. The advice about the stand up blender was spot on, however. I usually use an immersion blender and this was much better. Ah, it would have been so good but for the sweetness! Trying to figure out now what to do with this immense amount of sweet soup. I have added ginger and curry to cut the sweet but it’s still unbalanced.
Does this soup really freeze well and keep its body or will it turn mushy and watery like other frozen squashes?
Hi! This one freezes well from my experience.
This is one of go to recipes, I probably make it once a month! The only change I make is I add a peeled and chopped apple in with the shallots. Delishious!
I tried this today and it was delish! I didn’t have nutmeg so I had to sub cinnamon but it worked perfect. I kind of miss the shallot a bit so I wish I had added more but it was still awesome.
I’m trying it tonight. Thank you. It appears to be easy for us old farts :)
This soup is amazing! I just finished making it and have already texted the recipe to three friends. What an easy and healthy method. I could have eaten the butternut squash plain. I omitted the butter / olive at the end and think the consistency is perfect as is. I don’t have a blender, so I combined all the ingredients (squash, onion mixture, broth) in the pot beforehand and then blended three batches in a nutribullet. Thought it came out fabulous.
This is a great stuck-at-home recipe since squash lasts awhile and most of the other ingredients are common pantry foods.
Thanks for sharing how you were able to make this soup work for you, Julia! I appreciate your review.
Hello!
I was thinking of serving this soup cold during the spring and summer months. Can it be served cold or does it not taste as good?
Hi Patricia! That’s an interesting idea. If you enjoy creamy chilled soups, I think this soup would be fine chilled. You may have a hard time finding butternut in warmer months, since it’s a cool season vegetable.
I made this soup yesterday. Tasted great then but had it today and tastes really sour? Not sure why? I have looked it up and some people say that the squash could have been underripe, but seemed ripe when I cooked it. Any ideas anyone?
Hi Nicole! That’s strange. It could be the squash. You can adjust the taste by adding some more salt and/or butter when you reheat. If that doesn’t work, syrup could take some of the tart away.
Very easy recipe to follow & would have been lovely, however far too much garlic. Ended up tasting that more than anything else. Would follow this recipe again but add less garlic.
Thank you :-)
Delicious- my family was lukewarm about having butternut squash for dinner. And they all loved it. Very creamy for a broth based soup and well seasoned. Thank you!
Incredible. So rich and velvety, shocked you can obtain this texture without any cream. Just used what I had in my kitchen, so substituted half a white onion for the shallot and honey for the maple syrup. Ended up using 3.5 cups of homemade veggie broth for the perfect consistency (simmered on the stove top while the squash was cooking, super easy and great way to use up extra veggies). Finishing with butter gave an incredible richness (maybe will go with 1 or 1.5 rather than 2 tbsp butter next time!).
Love Cookie & Kate!!
That soup was amazing! And it was so simple to prepare! Thanks for sharing the recipe Kate :)
You’re welcome, Kris! Thank you for your review.
Recipe was easy to follow and make. We thought there was too pungent an onion flavor. Used shallots as directed. Would onions be less pungent? The squash weighed about 2.25 lbs. (smaller than the suggested 3 lbs.) but then again the shallot bulb when chopped appeared to be less than 0.5 cup.
Hi Ed! I could have been that your butternut squash was smaller so didn’t provide as much flavor and your shallots being overwhelming. You can always give them an ice bath in the future if. you find that taste too strong before using.
I made this butternut squash soup yesterday and it was a hit! My husband ate two bowls and was happy that there are two servings for lunch today! I didn’t have shallots so used some minced onion and doubled the garlic! Hubby says definitely a do again! Thank you for a great recipe, creamy but no need for heavy cream!
Going to add another butternut squash to cut the garlic.
Great recipe. Will make it again
UM??? HANDS DOWN EASILY THE BEST BUTTERNUT SQUASH I”VE EVER TASTED< LET ALONE MADE. No exaggeration.
Ha, I love your enthusiasm! Thank you for your review, Angela.
Absolutely incredible! Our family just had it for lunch and we’ll have to double the recipe from now on. It’s so good, I finally have a soup that I’d be proud to give to the neighbors. Five stars!
OMG I am so happy to have found your site…I’ve started working my way through your recipes and each one is more delicious than the last! Made this soup last night for today’s lunch and have just finished it. It was AMAZING. I am recommending you to everyone I know!
Thanks so much for your delicious recipes, this one and your amazing guacamole are my favourites so far!!!
What an amazing hack to blend before heating!!! Tip of the hat to you, madam! This soup was great for a cold, rainy night here in NY. I did add several cups of extra veg broth to thin it to our preferences, and I used precut squash from the store. I also served it with ciabatta toasted in the oven with shredded gruyere cheese. Yummy!
One word: wow! I’ve had homemade squash soup before but never like this. This was my first attempt to ever make one myself. One of my wedding gifts was a “fancy” blender with the soup preset so I thought it’d be the perfect first use. I increased the squash amount by half (2 medium sized) and kept about the same amounts with everything’s else. My local stores don’t carry shallots so I substituted for yellow onion and decreased to 1/4c. I didn’t want the garlic too obvious so I only used 2 cloves. Used exactly 1 box of broth and added 1/8tsp cayenne (I love this soup with just a tease of heat). We had no leftovers. I cannot wait to make this recipe again!!
Love, Love, LOVE this soup! I’m a soup fanatic and this is at the top of my list. Easy and delicious, how can you go wrong? Only thing I added was cinnamon because, well I add cinnamon to ALMOST everything!
Delicious recipe – thanks for sharing. I used frozen butternut squash that was kicking around in my freezer and it worked perfectly.
My first time making the butternut squash soup. My family loved it. Your recipe is amazing, the nut meg and maple syrup are just a delight!!
Thank you.
We love this soup, we have made it many times and enjoy the flavour so much, thank you for sharing!
Sue
This soup is amazing, I never had butternut squash before this and now I live it. We make this soup at least twice a month.
I printed out your recipe because it looked good. BUT that is the last one I will ever do from your site. IT TOOK 6 PAGES!!! Any other place I might print out a recipe, it takes up one page or at most another half of a page. Perfect for adding to my three ring favorite recipes book. Maybe I am not very tech smart, but for 18 years I have been printing out recipes on this computer and I’ve NEVER had so many pages. Your recipe also came out in landscape mode so I would have to turn the page sideways to read it. I know my computer wasn’t set up that way because I had just printed another recipe from another site on Turkey meatballs and it came out vertical and all on one page.
fantastic recipe! I’ve made it at least 3 times and each time people have asked for the recipe. I add some extra spices at the end (peperika and a dash of cayenne really enhance the flavour and add a delicious bit of heat) and it’s perfect.
Wonderful recipe!!!! I have done about 10 times already :D <3
This was so good! It was easy to make with my immersion blender. We loved it! Even my 18 month old couldn’t get enough. Thank you!
Good job, Kate! The caramelization of the squash really brings out the flavor. My squash was so sweet that I did not use the maple syrup. And I know the shallots would have been great, but I already had half a Vidalia onion in the fridge. (Yeah, more sweet.) And although I have nutmeg in the cabinet and it’s a great spice with butternut squash, so’s the fresh sage from the garden. This is certainly not the first recipe of yours that I have used and loved, it’s just the first one I have commented on.
Can you use almond milk instead of vegetable broth?
Hi! You will want broth here. Or, you could try water. You may need to increase your seasonings a bit as you will be missing some flavoring from the broth.
My daughter loves this recipe. She wants to have it everyday.
That is great! Thank you for sharing, Camille. I’m happy she loved it.
Really delicious! I didn’t have broth, plain water worked fine. No need for the extra butter either (:
Best soup recipe ever! Thank you, thank you!
This is a great recipe and much better without all the cream of my old favorite recipe. I roasted the squash diced in an air fryer (quick and easy) and added a little cumin instead of the nutmeg (did not have any). Followed the rest. Turned out great. A new favorite!
This is a great recipe thank you, before roasting the squash a sprinkle with a bit of turmeric and ginger powder. Why do you cook them face down? I did that the first time and it seems like you lose some tasty squash juices? When you cook them cut side up they collect in the cavity. I’m just wondering if I’m missing something in the flavor by doing it differently? Thank you again I love this recipe and so has everyone who has tried it.
Hi Ryan! It helps it cook consistently with the open side on an even heating source and get the caramelize top. I hope this helps!
Just starting to make this for probably the 10th time and thought it was only fair to leave a review! Wonderful recipe, lots of room to season to your preference and play around with spices, although the original recipe is super tasty on it’s own. Definitely recommend for a quick and hearty meal option, I usually serve with grilled cheese.
The 10th time? I love it! Thank you for sharing, Katie.
Does this soup freeze well? I have a few squash from my misfits box and would love to start prepping freezer meals for fall!
Hi Cathy! Yes, this one does freeze well
Recipe turned out great. Very easy to follow. I followed the instructions as noted. My family loved it. I like that the recipe did not call for cream.
Made this today! Really liked it. Wasn’t as creamy as I’d like but I think that was user error and I over blended. Would make again!