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.
This soup is delicious! Even my husband liked it and he doesn’t like butternut squash
Delicious! I was worried I wouldn’t have enough squash (bought it pre-cut) so I added a couple of roasted carrots. I also added a dash of turmeric for color. Used immersion blender with great results. Thank you for the recipe and instructions!
Wow! I have never left a review on a recipe before, but I am that impressed. This soup is so simple and beyond delicious!! Love it!
Thank you for sharing, Shannon!
Just made this and it turned out AMAZING! Sent it to my friends and told them “two thumbs way up” for this recipe :-)
So simple and insanely delicious
Easy and delicious! I used an immersion blender and it’s very nice and creamy. After 50 minutes in the oven the squash was basically falling apart so really it barely needed blending at all. I had to stop myself from eating it all with a spoon so I’d actually have anything left to make soup with!
I used immersion blender and my soup was very very creamy! Not one bit gritty! AND if I were to do this recipe again…which I will..delicious.. I would peel the squash and cut into chunks.. find it a little sweeter and more flavorful with the squash evenly done and slightly browned.. it has a richer flavor and is truly easier than scooping out the messy squash! !
This recipe is wonderful and love the touch of nutmeg!
Thanks!❤️
Made this soup today. Delicious!!! I used 1/4 tsp of nutmeg vs. 1/8 and I added 1/4 cup of half and half. I also upped the maple syrup to 1tbsp vs. 1 tsp. Thanks!!
You’re welcome! Thank you for sharing, Joanne.
My first time to comment. This soup is to die for! So easy and so yummy. Will definitely be making it again. THANKS!
This was really easy to make! However I have to agree with some others that the garlic and shallots really overpowered everything. Luckily I had an extra squash roasted and was able to add more squash to balance it out. I also substituted a cup of broth for apple cider I had on hand which really brightened up the flavor. All in all, no harm done and it made for a delicious meal in a bread bowl!
Hi Rochelle, I’m glad you were able to make it fit what you liked. I appreciate your feedback.
I made this tonight with the immersion blender technique and it came out super smooth and delicious. The only thing I will say is that the amount of soup you end up with 100% depends on the size of the squash you use. The recipe calls for a 3 lb squash, I didn’t see that and so I just grabbed a normal looking squash. It must have been smaller because it only made two bowls. That didn’t matter for us since we had a bunch of crusty bread to dip but something to keep in mind. Great recipe though with great flavors!
I’m glad you were able to enjoy it! Sorry to hear it didn’t yield the expected quantity.
Made this today with some of our squash & shallots–adding a sweet apple–and it was amazing garnished with crumbled bacon and a spoonful of sour cream. So smooth! My new favorite way to make our squash soup!
Thank you for sharing, Lori! I’m glad you loved it!
Just enjoyed a bowl! A little too much garlic but will cut it down next time. I don’t have a large blender so I put the cooked squash into the saucepan and used a potato masher then a whisk. Then I put it in my small blender in batches and then back into the saucepan to heat. Very good recipe .. will definitely make it again.
Thank you.
The texture of this soup is perfect if you use the blender as stated. I prefer my butternut squash soup much more sweeting as I was turned onto the soup eating Panera Bread’s version. I had to add quite a bit of sweetness to this soup, including coconut milk, brown sugar and honey. Also needed more salt. It tastes perfect now to me, however I’m sure the sweet version won’t be for everyone.
I made this with butternut, buttercup and acorn squash together. I also used chicken broth after realizing I was out of veggie broth. I love the complexity of flavor that roasting the squash added and my Ninja blender creamed it nicely. I am glad I made so much of it!
Thank you for the fabulous recipe!
Anyone try this without the nutmeg and maple syrup? Is it really necessary?
I love the combination. If you try it, let me know.
I made this last night and it’s fabulous. Normally I’ve made this Fall soup with addition of apples or pears, fall spices or half & half to make it richer. As s chef, my clients have loved it. When I read your description, I thought I’d try it. If it was too plain, there are many ways to embellish a pureed soup. I didn’t change a thing and I just fell in love with the taste. Great job!!
Smoked Spanish paprika powder is the real secret when comes to butternut squash soup.
This was amazing. We would purchase it as one of the local restaurants for my son. He loves butternut squash soup, I could never make it like them. Thanks to this, he said you did it!
Thank you for sharing it!
I made this once last weekend as written and it was WONDERFUL, my friends loved it. This week I tried it again, but added button mushrooms to the onions and reduced them down, and also browned the butter. Holy smokes – its even better! A little more savory and with a bit more depth of flavor. I’m never using another recipe – thank you Kate!
I’ve tried other butternut squash soup recipes, and hadn’t found one that worked well for me – until now!! This was EASY and OUTSTANDING. So much easier to roast the squash instead of peeling/cutting it all. No crazy ingredients, just a little work (and dishes) with the blender. Thank you for a keeper of a recipe!
I’m glad this one worked for you and you loved it, Teresa! I appreciate it.
It’s garlic soup! Not what I was going for
I’m sorry you didn’t love this recipe, Laurie.
This recipe is really delicious! I made it tonight for dinner and had it with fresh sourdough bread made by my husband.. Yummy! I used all of the veggie broth (4 cups). It sat on the stove a little longer than I wanted and it got really thick. I could have put even more broth in. It was still really tasty!
Made this last night and it was delicious! Rave reviews from the family. We like a little texture so I topped it with toasted slivered almonds and it was perfect. Yum-O
This was SO delicious, will definitely be making again, thank you.
You’re welcome, Kathryn! Thank you for your review.
Is it okay to roast precut squash instead of the halves?
Hi! I believe others have tried it and didn’t mind the results. Just be sure to use enough squash. I hope you enjoy it!
I have made this multiple times! It is so easy and delicious – love that I can use my immersion blender. I haven’t done maple syrup ever, not sure why, just am nervous/intrigued about what it will do to the flavor of the soup and it’s already sooooo perfect. I made it tonight and almost added it but then decided against it – maybe next time!
Thank you for sharing, Jen! I’m happy you enjoyed it.
Delicious!! I didn’t have shallot so I substituted 1.5 leeks. I can’t wait to make this again. This soup is rich and velvety without being heavy and fatty.
too much garlic!
I’m sorry you didn’t love it, Katherine. Thank you for your review.
Kate,
Thinking about you. How is your dog Cookie?
Angela
Hi Angela, she still seems in good spirits! Hoping for the best.
This soup is amazing! So simple and easy to make. Everyone I’ve made this for loves it, too. Great one to have on hand for hosting. I also love freezing this since purees seem to freeze really well.
Is there a brand of Vegetable Broth that you prefer? I’ve noticed that different brands are made with different vegetables, so the color ranges from yellow to brown. It changes both the flavor and color of the soup depending on which brand I use.
Hi! Yes, they can vary a lot. Pacific brand (organic) tends to be pretty good right now!
Did anyone try this with a immersion blender vs. regular blender?
Hi! I prefer my Vitamix for this one, but I believe others have used an immersion blender and not minded the results.
Soup was NOT a repeat in my house.
I’m sorry you didn’t love this one. I appreciate your feedback. Was there something specific you didn’t like about this one?
So glad I decided to give this simple recipe a whirl. Full disclosure: I didn’t have any vegetable stock in the house so I substituted what I did have: chicken bone broth with ginger and apple cider. About half of each. The soup still came out fabulous. Baking the squash halves was a duh moment. Why have I been chopping into little squares all these years. Truthfully I think roasting made the recipe pretty foolproof. I did cook my shallots and garlic until they caramelized so I had to pour liquid in my pot so they’d come loose. I have a pretty simple retro blender and it worked fine. The soup tastes so rich. Great creamy texture with no dairy or coconut milk. We’ll be having this again regularly fall and winter
This soup is delicious! I followed the recipe exactly and used a nutri-bullet to blend the ingredients before cooking. Garnished with some crumbled bacon. Thank you!
OMG. So easy, nutritious and DELICIOUS! I used more maple syrup and nutmeg and added some ginger and cinnamon. I didn’t have shallots so I used onion and lots of garlic. I should say that my squash was very large. Your soup has been uploaded into my saved recipe doc. I shall be making it often! Thank you, Kate.
I’m not an avid soup lover but this soup is so good! Very creamy and full of flavor without any dairy! I make it without the butter and it is still delicious!
Awesome and yummy. Great for holidays.
This came out SO delicious. My husband does not even like butternut squash and he loved it. I made crispy roasted brussel sprouts to go on top and it was perfect. One note, I did use the immersion blender method and it did not come out gritty at all. I don’t have a regular regular blender, only a food processor and small Nutri Bullet. (Also the thought I dirtying another appliance kills me.) Would definitely recommend that method if that’s what you have!
Delicious! Thank you.
OMG….the best!
Loved it! I added ground venison Italian sausage with some red and yellow bell pepper finely minced for a one dish meal. Salad on the side. I just used a potato masher, with the browned meat the texture was great.
Thank you very much.Roasted 2 halved carrots with that Butternut Sqnuash per recipe.Sautéed Leek Onion and finely diced Celery,Garlic in 1 tbsp Olive Oil.One whole Carton of Organic Chicken Broth 2 tbsp of Butter,Nutmeg,Salt and Pepper.Great Start for Dinner tonight.Omitted Maple Syrup on purpose.
One of the best things about winter is getting to eat this soup again. I’ve made the vegan version dozens of times using onion instead of shallots and prepared organic butternut squash from Costco. Your cookbook is the one I use most often because you make icky things like squash taste amazing. Keep these great recipes coming!
Loved it! Licked the bowl clean! I used cinnamon instead of nutmeg. Turned out just fine.
This is my fave butternut squash soup recipe!! I’ve made it 3 times now and it’s always SO good. Next time I will take a pic and post on Instagram. Thank you!
I must admit I was skeptical about the maple syrup in the soup, but it worked. This soup was delicious! I used my immersion blender and the soup was a perfect texture.
Will be sending the recipe link on to family & friends.
Made this soup last night. Used chicken broth and cinamon instead of nutmeg and it was so good! Already planning on making more to out in the freezer.
This is a great recipe and creates the enhanced taste of the Butternut; however I took the liberty of incorporating sweetened vanilla almond milk rather than cream , vegetable or chicken stock. I blended everything in a blendtec soup setting, until creamy added cinnamon and nutmeg. But your roasting idea makes all the difference in the texture and flavor!
Love this recipe, make it all the time. Want to make this for a friend with a dairy allergy. Should I use lard or coconut milk to replace the final step with butter?
Hi! I have my diary free recommendations in the notes below the instructions. I hope this helps!