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 love this soup!!
And I love that the liquid is broth not cream helping that fat content. Will make again and again I’m sure!
Thank you!
Hooray, thanks Angie!
Sounds delicious. Can you please recommend a vegetable broth? Could I substitute brown sugar for maple syrup?
Thank you
I was going to do that before I went with a less sweet version. I’m sure it would work! :)
Hi Vivien! I’m sorry I didn’t answer sooner. I prefer to buy either Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s store brands of organic vegetable broth in cartons. Clearly Organic is another good option. Yes, brown sugar will work well!
I made this soup as an appetizer for Thanksgiving and it was wonderful! Everyone raved about it and asked what was in it. I used some acorn squash since I didn’t have quite enough butternut squash and substituted onion for the shallot and used the immersion blender to puree the soup and then stirred in about a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil at the end. Thanks for the recipe!
Thank you, Rella! I’m so glad it was a hit.
Wonderful recipe…but I admit I played with it.
Added 1-2 TBS White Wine to the shallot/Garlic. (made a larger batch)
Used Chicken Broth instead of Veg.
Added pinch of cinnamon.
Added 2 bullion cubes.
Roasted 1/2 C. Chopped Pecans, blended with soup.
Added 1/2 tsp. Beau Monde Seasoning.
Turned out amazing!!!
Thanks, Cayce!
I’ll be making this soup today but I wanted to let you know I scoured the internet looking for a good recipe and most comments were saying that the soups were turning out too bland. That’s when I came upon your recipe and I’m excited to give it a go!
I don’t have any shallots however, would it be alright to just use a small onion?
Hi Colin! I’m sorry I didn’t see your question sooner. Yes, a small onion should work great! Hope your soup turned out well.
I made this (or something like it) last night. I forgot to add my celery and purposely left out the potato (had enough squash). I didn’t use nutmeg or maple syrup either. I did add rosemary to the onions and carrots though. Either way, this was great and I’ll definitely be trying it again. It’s so easy! Next time I may even add some crispy pancetta to serve and garnish with a sprig of rosemary.
I also used yellow onion, not shallots and added a bit of cayenne pepper to add a bit of heat to it.
Thank you! Glad it turned out well.
Kate, thanks so much for this great recipe! I’ve made it for two different holidays now, and people love it. No leftovers yesterday — I’ll have to make more just for me!
I couldn’t find maple syrup at one store and substituted blue agave syrup. Works fine.
Happy cooking!
Nina
Thank you, Nina! I’m so glad your guests have been enjoying this soup.
I made this soup for Christmas dinner — everyone was so impressed! It was a double winner for me because I could make it ahead of time AND it was delicious! I served it topped with some chopped green apples. Another triumph, Kate!
Woohoooo! Thanks again, Alexa!
This was amazing, and very easy!
Absolutely delicious. Why mess with something so good? Simple is definitely the way to go. Made a huge batch and ate it all. Had to make another batch a week later!!! I just can’t get enough!
I made this soup today and it was the best ever. I used my Vitamix to blend it smoothe. The only thing I did differently is I used red noon since I didn’t have shallots in the house also I roasted the onions and garlic all at the same time as the butternut squash. Perhaps my squash was larger then the one used in the recipe because it became too thick even with the maximum of liquid in my Vitamix. So I ended up pouring it in a large pot adding more liquid to it. I did us some Thai soup seasoning I had bought from the Vitamix demo guy. But this soup was so heavenly I voted it!
I just came across your delightful blog today searching for butternut squash soup. Oh my! This soup is SO delicious I subscribed on the spot! I didn’t have shallots or maple syrup on hand, so substituted yellow onion and agave, but it was still scrumptious. My two-year old declared, “Thank you for this good soup Mommy!”
Bland and thin. And I followed the recipe exactly. I will not be making this again.
I’m sorry to hear that, Austin. My soup definitely wasn’t thin. Maybe your squash was too small?
In looking for a decent squash soup, read yours and thanks! You might consider rosemary blossoms to top the soup. It works amazingly on a good rich corn soup, so maybe here as well. Cheers.
This was a great recipe! I’m not an experienced cook by any means but this recipe was very easy to follow! It tastes delicious and was the perfect consistency. I only had organic chicken broth on hand so I used that and even though it over powered the flavoring of the squash it was still very tasty. I will definitely try this recipe again with the recommended vegetable broth next time. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you, Karen!
I tried this again with vegetable broth and for some reason the consistency turned out more runny than creamy. Fortunately, I had an avocado on hand so I added that for some density and I was able to salvage the batch! Delicious once again!
I made this for company just before the NYC blizzard. I made it in my cuisinart. Next time I’ll use my immersion blender. My dog Lucy was eating all the food I dropped along the way!
It was delicious and the leftovers will be great during the storm.
Thanks for the recipe
Glad to hear it, Risa! I know Cookie got some good scraps during the making of this soup, too. :)
Soup was delicious and definitely a keeper! There are some minor tweaks I would make next time:
-I used 3 garlic cloves and the soup was still a little too garlicky for my taste, I would use 2 next time.
-I would use less than 4 cups of broth or add the broth a little at a time until I reach desired consistency. Maybe I didn’t have a large enough squash, the soup came out thinner than I would have liked.
Thanks Kate for the delicious recipe!
Thank you, Merri! I appreciate your feedback!
I chose this recipe for it’s simplicity, but the favors couldn’t have been better. I will make this every time I purchase a butternut squash. It was absolutely wonderful! Truly less is more sometimes in cooking, this one proves it. Thanks for the recipe .
Thank you so much, Misti!
I have made this recipe many times. I just finished a batch for dinner tonight that I have put in about 5 flakes of dried chili pepper. I buy peeled and cubed butternut squash at Cosco which really cuts out some of the work. I also roast a couple of good size russet potatoes in with the squash. Thnx for the recipe!
Thank you, Carol! Your tips are really helpful!
I made this soup last night. I love butternut squash soup so I try different recipes regularly. This recipe was so delicious. I have also made your lentil soup (my ultimate favorite). Love your recipes.
Thank you, Karin! Really happy to hear that.
I’ve made this soup before (when you first posted the recipe) and since I’m not feeling well, soup sounds really good tonight. I got the pre-diced butternut squash because I find it quite challenging to slice it! Also, I tend to use half water, half vegetable broth to reduce the sodium content but that’s just my preference. I’m excited to try this again because I know it’s going to be great! Thanks Kate!
Rebecca, I hope you are feeling better now! Those are great tips, thank you for sharing!
This recipe was just delicious!! My husband had his wisdom teeth pulled so I was looking for a creamy and satisfying meal and this was wonderful, he normally wouldn’t have soup for dinner, but didn’t have a choice. :) anyways, I wouldn’t change a thing, just perfect.
This was a wonderful soup! It was easy to make, and it was a hit.
I had to wing a few things. I used blue agave nectar instead of maple syrup and chinese 5 spice mix in place of nutmeg. I also brushed my squash halves with sesame oil before putting them into the oven. It was not bad at all with those changes!
Yes, this soup is incredible. My wife and I decided to cream it up a bit by substituting half the veggie broth with coconut milk. And added some tamarind spiced pumpkin seeds on top when served. That made a perfect/sumptuous day after Valentine’s yummy meal. Thank you!
I just made this for my dinner and found it simple and *scrumptious*!! I can’t wait for lunch tomorrow. Also, for everyone out there who has neither a vitamix nor an immersion blender, this came together just fine in 2 batches in my regular blender. Thanks Kate!
I used your recipe and blogged about it on my site. Check it out and like my blog for more recipes and stories! The soup turned out amazing. I gave your site full credit for the recipe in the post. Thank you!
http://sundaywithachanceofmeatballs.com/2016/02/20/roasted-butternut-squash-soup/
Kate: I made your squash soup – it was amazing! I liked it so much that I searched your site and found so many recipes that look yummy, Also, this recipe was so easy I will absolutely make again – it’s company is coming good! Next step is to subscribe to your site, don’t want to miss a thing.
Hi Kate, just had a bowl of your soup with a bit of tweak. It tasted v good! I didnt have any broth, so substitued it with half milk-half water, and added ground ginger and turmeric. Instead of maple syrup and butter, I added caramel salted butter. With roasted crutons on top, I felt v proud of myself ;-) Thanks for the recipe!
Perfect simple soup, just made it today! My vitamix worked wonderfully to blend the soup. I will be making this again and again. Thank you!
flavor is lovely. was hoping for a thicker consistency. used an immersion blender as i don’t have a vitamix. perhaps that was the difference? would agree with comments above re: decreasing broth quantity to achieve the thickness in the photos.
This soup is off the chart delicious! I followed your recipe exactly as instructed and whipped it up in my blender. I’m visiting an elderly friend tomorrow who asked me to bring butternut squash soup for lunch. She will be thrilled. Also found your 15 vegan Thanksgiving recipes. Can’t wait to try them out! Thank you so much Kate!
Love this and have made it several times. In the spirit of the Native American, (using the whole buffalo) I roast the squash seeds on the same pan and sprinkle them on top. Fantastic!
I made this today, and it was so delicious! Definitely will be my go-to butternut squash recipe … thanks for creating it :)
Was a bit apprehensive as I’ve not had much success with making a nice Vitamix soup but this is lovely! It is very easy to make, so rich, creamy and satisfying! Made it twice now in the last 3 days. Thank you!
Hi Kate! I was looking for a squash soup recipe and I came across this blog. This recipe was my inspiration.
I’m on dispatch assignment in Nagasaki, so I had to do with a lot of changes.
No blenders here! I had to grind it out on the chopping board. Pun intended.
I used a quarter of an acorn squash and added one long stick of taro.
I cooked the shallot and garlic in butter instead of olive oil.
They have a variety of powdered soup bases here. The one I used is intended for dumpling soup.
I also put a little Pietro salad dressing. It came out great!
The last touch is adding a little ginger and juice of half a lemon.
It was terrific. No need to add syrup or sugar. Thanks for this great recipe!
Hi Kate! I was looking for a squash soup recipe and I came across this blog. This recipe was my inspiration.
I’m on dispatch assignment in Nagasaki, so I had to do with a lot of changes.
No blenders here! I had to grind it out on the chopping board. Pun intended.
I used a quarter of an acorn squash and added one long stick of taro. I cooked them in boiling water and mashed them with a fork.
I cooked the shallot and garlic in butter instead of olive oil.
They have a variety of powdered soup bases here. The one I used is intended for dumpling soup.
I also put a little Pietro salad dressing. It came out great!
The last touch is adding a little ginger and juice of half a lemon.
My companions here loved it! It was terrific. No need to add syrup or sugar. Thanks for this great recipe!
What drew me to this recipe was the simple list of ingredients, I didn’t need to go to the store for anything and I have to say we LOVE LOVE LOVE this! added cayenne to this (about 1/8 tsp – 1/4 tsp), didn’t have shallots so used a large vidalia onion instead.. kept simmering on the stove and used an immersion blender over and over… super creamy and earned a two thumbs up from hubby. You would never know this was a healthy recipe because its so creamy
I love the simplicity of this recipe and it doesn’t skimp on taste. This is my daughters favorite version of this soup! and I have a Vitamix too! thanks for sharing, will try more of your recipes now!
This looks amazing!
What would you think the nutrition content would be for this dish?!
if i use pre-diced butternut squash, how much do i need?
Thanks!
Hi Mary Ellen, you’ll need close to 3 pounds or 48 ounces of diced squash, and you’ll need to keep an eye on the butternut as it roasts—it won’t take as long as halved squash would.
Delicious and easy to make!
Love this recipe! I have made it three time already, on the third attempt I finally did NOT burn my onions and it was the most divine soup I have ever made!
I did modify it a bit to use ingredients I already have: onions instead of shallots and light cream instead of broth. I also fried onion in butter on my third attempt and I think the lower heat helped make sure I don’t burn the aromatics.
Thank you so much, it seems like the most no nonsense butternut squash soup recipe I have found – nothing extraneous, only the good stuff, thank you so much! Love making it late at night and then having it for breakfast – it’s filling without being heavy.
This was great and so easy. Topped each serving with sautéed fresh sage leaves. Delish.
Hi Kate! I know you wrote this article quite a while ago, but I’ve just stumbled onto it and I was wondering if you could tell me is this soup very rich, or is it just thick? If it’s rich I would probably only make a little bit. I was also wondering if there’s a substitute for the maple syrup?
Hi Savannah, it’s not very rich, really, although it tastes more indulgent than it is. You can control the thickness by adding less or more vegetable broth.
Made this with a lowly immersion blender (I has never made butternut squash before, and rarely any soup). It worked great and was delish.
Super yummy and comforting soup! This is what I needed to fight off a cold. I used chicken broth (it’s what I had), and was amazing!
I made this for Thanksgiving dinner as a starter and it was a big hit with everyone. Even the my very young great niece. Made a double batch over the winter and froze half. Freezes very well.
I use an immersion blender and it turns out great.
I made the butternut squash soup but used squash that was already cubed, then roasted that and followed the rest of your directions. It was SO EASY AND DELICIOUS and an easy clean up too!!!
Thank you!!
Obsessed with this recipe! Made it for the third time today. I add a bit of Cayenne Pepper for some heat. So yummy!
Oh!!!! I am going to have to try doing this! I love spicy soups!