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.
Excellent soup. I even omitted the garlic and shallot (subbed a good amount of ground nutmeg, ginger, and dried parsley and sage to make up for flavor deficiencies). It was amazing, the butter method was key.
I agree omit, the garlic! That evil thing makes everything taste the same so one is unable to appreciate the subtleties of flavours individual to this and any other soup. Always omit garlic!!!
I beg to differ on that…..but to each his own. I found the garlic added depth to the soup.
This butternut squash soup is just so fabulous. Made it just as specified in the recipe. First Fall soup of the season. It’s a winner, as it is every year. Kate, thank you so much for all your amazing recipes.
Thank you for your review, Candace! I appreciate your review.
Great recipe! I’m a retired guy trying to learn how to cook a bit after many years of just not having time. I used leeks from my garden and chicken broth. Great hearty taste and encouraging for my efforts to learn.
I followed your recipe and the soup was fantastic! My wife loved it too and wants me to print the recipe to keep. Thank you so much!
You’re welcome, John! I’m glad it was a hit.
Hi Cookie and Kate!
I made this soup last night, just as written, and will definitely make it again. I can’t wait to polish off the leftovers! It was so fresh and delicious! Question: How do you think this would turn out if I tried using frozen cubed butternut squash?
Hi! I’m glad you loved it. I do know others have made it with frozen and didn’t mind the result. You will just need to thaw first.
If using frozen, typically 12 ounce, how many bags to equate the quanity of whole squash?
Hi Linda, I would suggest trying to get as close to the weight suggested in the recipe as you can to make sure you have enough.
I usually follow your recipes to a T because I know they will always turn out delicious. But this time I made a sage brown butter sauce to replace the regular unsalted butter at the end (because I love sage brown butter sauce and we have so much sage growing in our yard) and it is beyond divine! Wow!
Your variation sounds to be just the ticket! I will make it next. A hot bowl of Butternut soup and some canned pears and walnuts on a plate with some cheese on the side, followed by afternoon tea with cookies.
First time making this and after all the comments on butternut soup recipes being bland online, I wasn’t expecting it to be great especially since it’s a slightly sweet soup which I usually don’t like. I was wrong. This turned out wonderful. I did however make some changes. I used leftover turkey stock and topped up with water and msg to make up for stock. Added extra garlic. Added chopped celery and additional seasonings (chilli flakes, thyme, basil) to the onions during sauteeing. Perhaps I changed the recipe too much to be reviewing it but I was scared of not liking it without some extra flavour.
Soooo good! I added a little bit of chai spice blend and a roasted apple, then served with toasted garlic loaf (loaded with Brie cheese, naturally).
A huge hit, this one’s permanently on the roster!
Just made your soup for lunch today and it was wonderful. Thank you for sharing.
The soup smelled so wonderful cooking, but I found it a little too sweet to have as a meal instead of the first course. What could I add as well as the pepper to make it less sweet?
Hi Judy! You could serve it with something savory to balance it out.
Wonderful recipe. I’ve never made butternut squash soup before but this was fantastic. I even roasted the squash a week before and froze it and it turned out perfect!
Made it exactly as instructed. Had to fight the urge to use my immersion blender. But the results were worth it. Much creamier than recipes I’ve tried in the past. The seasoning, as simple as it was, had all the flavor needed. My wife said it was the best I’ve made. Much creamier than in the past. Not sure why this was creamier than when I used the immersion blender, but it was.
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Rod! I appreciate your review.
The garlic is a bit overpowering. I would be sure to cook the garlic down the next time. I love garlic and put it in every dish but this soup would be delicious without it.
My blender is not suitable for hot liquids. Can I cool the baked squash until it’s warm but not hot, and then add it and the shallot/garlic mixture, with the broth to blender to puree them? Or could I do the immersion blender method, but add the finished, cooled soup to the blender to puree?
Hi, you could reheat on the stove once blended or use the immersion blender.
Well I am sure this is an excellent recipe but I added way to much garlic to mine from seeing another post. I LOVE garlic but I did too much. I tried adding more maple syrup and more freshly ground nutmeg and still will enjoy a bowl tonight, it’s just a little strong
My husband thought it would be really good served over some spiralized zucchini noodles or some butternut squash ravioli so I’m looking forward to trying that as well!
Love roasting it first as that always brings out the flavors! Thanks for sharing
Thank you for sharing how you served it, Chris!
No sorry, but roasting this way wasn’t nearly as flavorful as when I peel and roast chunks. It was also messier while scrapping and removing the skin. So for me I will go back to my recipe. But I am always happy to look for a better way. This roasting procedure wasn’t it. For me anyway.
I’m sorry you didn’t love this one. I appreciate your feedback!
Hi. We had our first snow of the season today on Oct 22 so I pulled out this favorite soup recipe and made a double batch because so many people like it I need enough to share! I do add a bit of fresh ginger. It seems to me when I first made this last fall there was a link(?) for these wonderful pepitas that were toasted with spices that were a suggested garnish. I can not find them now! They were wonderful and you mention using pepitas as a garnish but no recipe for the spicy ones. Am I wrong about that or am I confusing it with another site?
Getting ready to make this and I was wondering if you could substitute Chicken broth? (I know a lot of butternut squash soups use Chicken broth) I do not have vegetable broth
Hi Sherri! I know others have tried that and didn’t mind the results.
Hi!! I have an easy trick for roasting the squash. Just pop them in the oven WHOLE (you can use a sheet ban if you like;I put them straight on the racks). Bake at 350 for about an hour. They get soft and slightly brown out the outside. Cool. Slice in half longitudinally. Scrape out guts. The skin falls off. And voila! You’ve got roasted yummy squash with no risk to limbs:)
Easy, good texture. Needs some spices, ginger maybe? If you like bland soup it’s perfect
I’m sorry you didn’t love it, JC. I appreciate your review.
I made this today according to the recipe. I used my food processor and it worked like a dream. I didn’t use all of the chicken broth as it seemed thin enough. As it cools I can still add some chicken broth to thin it out if it gets too thick. I like it a little sweeter so I added a little more maple syrup and some honey. At the end I used white pepper instead of the black pepper and I added the olive oil through the feeding tube of the processor. Great recipe and very easy.
OMGoodness!!!!! Just finished making this recipe and 1) it was easy peasey and 2) it is out of this world delish!!!! I pretty much followed the recipe exactly except I didn’t have a shallot so I just used a vadlia onion in its place. This is definitely a keeper and will be a regular in our dinner recipe rotation. Thanks for sharing!
Easy recipe that really delivers the flavor! A drizzle of chili oil before serving really makes this soup even more special.
I meant to add that the garlic really takes this soup to another level. I did add a little ginger, too. Can’t stop eating it.
I’m glad you loved it, Dana! I appreciate your review.
Reread recipe several times. When does stock get heated. Not clear to me sorry. Is the biggest difference that you don’t boil squash in the broth?
Thank you. Want to try this.
Helen
It seems the blending process will heat it up, but she says you can put it back in the pot to heat after blending. Hope this helps!
Can you serve chilled?
Sure, but I prefer this warm.
This was great. Didn’t have shallot so subbed onion. Added a splash of white wine vinegar for a bit of contrast and topped with roasted pumpkin seeds. It was so creamy without cream! Can’t wait to make it again!
I love to hear that, Elizabeth!
I made this recipe today. I used Kirkland chicken bone broth, otherwise, followed the recipe. Delicious and healthy! I also roasted the squash seeds. Thank you!
Wow !Great flavor! I was looking for recipe that did not have cream in it.This one is perfect. Easy to follow instructions and hints.I have been eating clean for 11/2 years and have tried other recipes of yours with the same kind of results! Keep up the good work!
I’m glad you loved it, Kathy! Thank you for your review.
I made this for a Halloween dinner last year and this year several friends who attended the dinner asked that I bring it again this year! This recipe is so creamy and delicious. Thank you so much!
You’re welcome, Melissa! I appreciate your review.
Yes, it was very good. I used just a regular blender to make soup smooth. From Wisconsin
Unsalted butter, right?
Yes. I hope you enjoy it!
Very easy recipe to follow and it’s delicious. It’s a winner!
Thank you, Lisa!
It was amazing! I have been craving butternut squash soup since I was in France 4 years ago! This tasted soooo good! I wrote the recipe down. So glad I had doubled it so I can have leftovers— one slight change is I added a little cinnamon for some of the nutmeg.
Had a hankering for butternut squash soup and came across this recipe. This soup was delicious. I was hesitant about adding the garlic even though I’m a huge garlic fan, so I used two large cloves instead of the four called for in the recipe. It surprisingly gave a very nice flavor. I otherwise made the recipe exactly as called for and I will definitely make it again. Note: Saw a reader comment on another site that said you could roast a butternut squash whole without cutting it. I tried (425 for 90 min) and it worked like a champ. It was still a little firm in the middle when I cut it in half so I threw it back into the oven for another 30 minutes and that did the trick. SO PLEASED to have discovered this hack and avoid possible finger loss lol
Absolutely delicious!!!
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Michelle! I appreciate your review.
Yum!
This truly was delicious
I made this tonight. Roasted the squash 4 days ago and then refrigerated. Also added 3 roasted carrots. I agree with others that you have to be careful not to overdue the garlic. I used chicken broth instead of Veggie broth. So yummy that I had two big bowls as my appetizer for dinner and ate less of my fresh pan fried trout. And you KNOW it’s good soup if you eat less fresh trout!
Kate-I have been asked if I could combine butternut and acorn squashes. I have not found a recipe to do this other than simply mixing them together. I have a Vita-Mix blender and I would prefer to use that.
Pat
You can try it, although I haven’t yet. Let me know if you try it.
I have a KitchenAid stand mixer with both the whisk and beater attachments. I also have an immersion blender (that is not so great) and a Cuisinart food processor. Which one of these should I use for this soup? I couldn’t quite tell from your suggestions, since none of them are a stand blender, like you’re recommending. Thanks in advance!
Hi Marie, you could try the immersion blender or the food processor. I hope you enjoy it!
I have made this soup 3 times now and it is absolutely delicious. I was thrilled to see that I could literally put everything in my blender and just use the soup function. I follow the recipe exactly, but I prefer closer to a tablespoon of maple syrup. I like to top the soup with extra shallot, drizzled with olive oil and a heavy cream. Yum!!
This is my new favorite recipe! Loved how easy it is to make and it tasted great. I’ve made it several times now and added more maple syrup, Morton salt flakes and even a squeeze of orange juice. Always so good! A great soup for Fall.
I really like this soup. It’s easy and yummy. I don’t usually use vegetable broth/stock and am wondering what brand you prefer. I used a store brand and the sodium content is pretty high. I may try chicken broth. the next time and add some herbs for extra flavor.
Great to hear, Barbara! I appreciate your review.
This is a keeper! I added to much garlic too. I will add some more nutmeg and maple syrup to offset as suggested in the comments.
The blender did the trick…so smooth! Thank you!
You’re welcome, Lisa! I appreciate your review.
Soup is excellent! Easy to make and such a comfort on a cool fall day!
It smelled so good! All I can taste is garlic. I will try it again leaving out the garlic. used three cloves, so I am surprised.
I’m sorry you didn’t love it as is, Suz. I appreciate your review.
This was an amazing recipe. I may omit the maple syrup next time though, as it was slightly too sweet for me (may have just been the squash I had though). I ended up adding a bit more salt and some lemon juice to tone it down. Definitely a keeper! I’ve never made any butternut squash soup that turned out this creamy. I did also force myself to use the real blender and not the immersion one. Was also nice to be able to roast the squash without chopping it into pieces first!
I’m glad you loved it, Elizabeth! I appreciate your review.
I did not like this unfortunately :( tasted way too much like butternut squash. It tasted as if I was eating only the vegetable. I followed the recipe to the tea as it is very easy to follow.
I’m sorry to hear you didn’t love it, Emily. I appreciate your feedback.
Love this butternut squash recipe as SO EASY. My friend grew loads of them by accident. I took out the Maple Syrup and added Harira spice instead (not African) – not too much, just to lift it.
Loved it! Followed exactly and stopped at 3 cups broth. Yum!
Kate, can you freeze the soup without the butter? If so, how long. I had a little and it was truly so yummy. I want to have it for Thanksgiving. Thank you
Made this tonight for dinner – kept to your recipe! YUM!!!
Great to hear it, CSM!
Love this Butte Squash soup, So tastym filling and satisfying I grew my own Squash and shared the seeds for more next year along with this recipe. Yummm!!!