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.
Could i use honey instead of maple syrup?
It’s a chilly mid May day. This is probably the sixth time I have made this soup. I love it, it’s super creamy and simple to make. Now, I just need to get the bread into the oven!
I just made this tonight and loved every mouthful, actually each bowlful as I had one and a half before I couldn’t fit anymore in my gut. I’m pregnant and have been craving butternut squash soup for a week now. The odd thing is, normally I don’t love it – like it, sure, but have never craved it. I made three of your muffin recipes this past month and saw you had soup recipes on your blog and when I looked at them I was in luck – butternut squash soup was present and accounted for!
I did a few things only slightly different. I used avocado oil for roasting the squash and at the very end flipped them upward under the broiler for just a minute to add an extra golden brown to the top. I used chicken stock vs. vegetable broth because I had the perfect amount on hand, and I think that’s the only difference I can think of. The pat of butter at the end was a wonderful addition and my nearly-two-year-old son Tobin LOVED it. He kept signing “more, more!” That made my heart happy as I want him to grow up loving a variety of colorful nutritious foods. We also added the roasted pepitas. Tobin kept pointing to his mouth after eating them attempting to say, “Seeds, seeds.” I told him they were pumpkin seeds. Oh, I did use an emersion blender and after reading your notes took extra time with it. My soup turned out very creamy.
Lastly, thank you sincerely for this gem. My husband told me this was a keeper for our collection of favorite recipes. I agree whole heartedly. So thankful there are cooks like you willing to share your finds with the rest of us. Cheers!
I love, love, loved your soup! I bought a large butternut squash earlier this week, and I was looking for a recipe to use it up. I was craving soup, so I decided to Google for best vegan butternut squash soup recipe. This recipe came up. I had all the ingredients on hand, though did substitute a yellow onion for the shallot. It came out deliciously fabulous! Thanks so much!!
Hooray! Thank you so much, Anne.
Forgot to rate this. See my other post for comments.
So simple to make!…and delicious!
Yay, thanks Maggie!
Hello Cookie & Kate,
Our neighbor just gave us 2 butternut squash. Doubled your recipe & will freeze half of it. Thanks and keep the seasonal recipes coming as the garden is peaking and the last of the harvest will soon be here! Loril
This recipe is a gem! I wasn’t sure how creamy it could be without dairy but the creaminess was on point and the soup is very filling. I used a pressure cooker (instapot with 1 cup of water for 8 minutes) to prepare the butternut squash so the whole recipe took less than 20 minutes. I will definitely be using this recipe again, thanks Kate!
Hello! The only blender I have is a nutribullet. Do you think that would work? The recipe looks delicious and I’d love to make it
Hi Christa! I wish I could say for sure, but I’ve never used one. The squash gets pretty tender in the oven, so I don’t think you’ll have any problems. You might just have to blend in batches.
Bullet works fine, as you said – batches. Need to get the liquid amount right or its hard to get out of the bullet:-)
Great, simple recipe. Some nice, workable variations are brown sugar, dash of chili oil, dash smoked paprika. I did some small toasted Hallah squares for a topper.
I’m glad it worked! Thanks for getting back to me, Chuck.
SO delicious!! We were looking for a soup without cream or flour and this fit the bill. It was super easy to make and scrumptious. My husband and I ate almost all of it in one sitting!
Thank you, Laverne! So glad to hear it!
I make this recipe at least once a month. I am not a soup lover but i love this one and so does my husband.
My tweeks.. I add one large clove of garlic as i found more than that is too garlicky and im a garlic lover. I also add a touch more maple syrup and a touch more nutmeg. I did a few tweeks for my taste. This is def a staple recipe! Thanks for sharing!!
Thank you, Eliza! I’m glad you’re enjoying it!
Im in kc also! This weather (rainy dreary pre-autumn) made me want some creamy soup that wasnt too heavy, and this hit the spot! So so delicious, thank you! My 14 mnth old thanks you, too. She loved it! The only addition i made was some cinnamon & a tad more nutmeg. I think it would be so yummy with caramelized walnuts etc on top.
I also subbed 1/4 cup white onion bc i had no shallot, honey subbed for syrup and it still was perfect. This seems to be a ‘hard to mess up’ easy-to-customize recipe
Didn’t have shallot, so I just used a yellow onion. I also only used the olive oil to saute the onion and garlic…didn’t add any additional.
Simple and tasty recipe, which is exactly what I was looking for. Easy recipe to customize if you feel the need I just finished blending it and ate two bowls already!
Delicious! I went with the 4 cups of broth, replaced most of the olive oil with butter, and doubled the maple syrup! The end result is beautiful.
Just made this. I had bought cubed butternut squash and needed to use it. It turned out AWESOME! Thank you so much for sharing this healthy and yummy recipe.
Thank you! So delicious and simple
Thank you, Heather!
Hi made this today too much garlic and shallots for me – next time going to cut those portions in half. Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Courtney, I hope your next batch turns out perfectly. I’m not sure why those flavors were too strong; they should have mellowed significantly during the cooking process.
I love butternut squash soup. I recently made this but added in chilli and coconut milk. The chilli gave it the perfect kick :)
Thanks, Liana! Your version sounds awesome.
Absolutely delicious! Will make it again.
Hooray, thanks Cecilia!
Can I make this recipe with chicken broth?
Yes, chicken broth and vegetable broth are always interchangeable (unless you’re a vegetarian like me).
I made this for dinner last night and I loved the simplicity of the recipe! Very hands off. I roasted the squash, sauteed the other veggies, then threw everything in the pot once the squash was cool enough to scoop and pureed with my immersion blender (I got a nice smooth creamy soup this way! I actually omitted the butter because I found it to be plenty creamy as is!) It had a nice basic flavor profile and I decided to add in some curry powder because it sounded good. I think because it does have a nice basic flavor as written the soup can be enjoyed as is or spiced up for different variations! Thanks for the recipe!
Hi,
Looks great!
Just curious if I can freeze this soup?
I defrosted some and used it, tastes just as good as when I made it.
I made this soup today. What attracted me to your recipe over others was it didn’t call for lots of other vegetables and I wanted the squash to stand out.Plus I love that the squash was roasted first I knew that would add t the flavor. I was hesitant about the maple syrup because I didn’t want it to be sweet, but it was perfect! Loved the soup simple and fresh tasting. FYI, I couldn’t do it all in one day so I roasted the squash in advance which allowed me to quickly make the soup when I needed it!
Great recipe, tastes awesome and super easy. I loved it, thanks.
Excellent and SUPER easy!
Thank you, Amanda! So glad you enjoyed it.
This soup is heavenly and tastes so good? I didn’t have shallots but used some dried mushrooms and 4 c wster..garlic powder. Forgot the nutmeg and skipped the oil.. whizzed it in my blender and topped w shaved parmesan. A friend had given me a huge butternut and now it’s soup! Yummy!
I’m so glad you loved the soup, Iris! Thanks for letting me know!
I wanted to thank you for this recipe! I have made squash soup several times and never enjoyed it. I loved this!
I’m so glad you enjoyed this one! Thanks, Brianna!
Wonderful! I added brown sugar and salt and I am in heaven. Thank you so much.
Thank you, Samantha! I’m so glad you enjoyed it.
Oh my this is so very good!!! So creamy and just plain delish!!! I have been doing the Paleo recipes for awhile now and this is wonderful for that. Thank you for the great recipe.
Thank you, Marcie! I’m so glad you enjoyed it.
This might be a dumb question but could a guy use chicken broth instead of vegtable broth?
Yes, they’re pretty much always interchangeable. I always use vegetable broth because I’m a vegetarian.
The soup is excellent – a bit onions and garlicky, but luckily my fiance and I like it that way. Curious if you have nutrition facts for this recipe? Thank you!
Thanks, Lisa! I’m so glad you enjoyed the soup. I don’t have nutrition facts yet, but I’m planning to add them soon. It will be quite a project!
Just made this soup – yummy! I didn’t have vegetable broth so I used chicken instead and the squash still comes through quite lovely! Also added a pinch of cinnamon for some more fall flavor. So good!!!! Thanks for a great recipe -I’ll definitely be making this again!
Thanks, Kathleen! I’m so glad you enjoyed this one.
LOVED your version of Roasted Butternut Squash soup. Simple yet so delicious!
Thank you, Zoie!
I have never liked butternut squash. I seen the look of this recipe and decided to make it for my mother in law. I had so much enjoyment making, I decided to taste it. WOW, I love it. I also love the low calorie because of no heavy cream. Thank you for a wonderful tasting recipe.
Thank you, Liz! I’m so glad you enjoyed the butternut soup.
This soup is fantastic! The perfect blend of creaminess with an amazing flavor… so glad you posted it! I took someone’s advice below and added some apple to the shallot, garlic mix, as well. Thanks again!
Thank you, Elizabeth!
Can this be frozen and reheated?
In my opinion, yes. I freeze homemade soup quite a lot.
Yes, it can!
Thank you! It was delicious. Smooth and velvety, even without cream. I used cubed duck prosciutto to garnish.
Thanks, Susan! I’m so glad you enjoyed it.
Made this today; thanks for the recipe!
We didnt have any maple syrup so I just left it out; the soup is delicious but very very sweet – I can’t imagine how sweet it would have been with the syrup!
We also only used half the broth and the soup was a perfect consistencu .
Perhaps we had a weird squash! :D
Thanks, Jennifer! I’m glad you enjoyed it. The maple syrup is just a tiny accent flavor but I’m glad you enjoyed it without.
This was the best butternut squash soup I’ve ever made. I love that it didn’t have the fattening cream in it and it tasted like it had the fattening cream in it! I had a couple handfuls of yellow and orange bell peppers, so I added them with the onions. I also had just run out of maple syrup so I added a couple of pinches of brown sugar instead. Yum!
Hooray, thanks Lisa!
I had some leftover butternut squash so I made this… AMAZING! Honestly, one of the best soups I ever had, and sooo incredibly easy to make…
I followed your recipe almost completely, but I added some smoked paprika to enhance the roasted flavor. Yummy!
Woohoo! Thanks, Kathrin. Smoked paprika sounds delicious.
Thank you for the great recipe! I just finished making the soup and it came out really nicely, although if I did it again I don’t know if I would add the maple syrup. It was a little too on the sweet side, but still delicious.
:)
Thanks, Juliana! The maple syrup mostly just adds a little more flavor complexity. Maybe add a little more salt or a teeny dash of cayenne pepper to balance it out? So glad you enjoyed it!
This soup was delicious I cant leave a picture because we
ate the whole pot. I was wondering if anyone knew the nutritional values of it.
That is the best I have ever tasted, I did however add celery to fry with the chalotte and garlic. I always add celery to whatever soup i make.
Just made your butternut squash soup with a twist or two. I used chicken boullion, 1/2 &1/2, white onions, no syrup, no butter and a Nutri-Bullet. It is delicious!!
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks, Chris!
This was the best butternut squash soup that I have ever made or tasted! My husband loved it too! He said, “I don’t usually like butternut squash soup, but this was good!” I made a few minor changes. Added fresh ginger and a chopped apple to the onions and omitted the maple sugar. Delicious!
That’s great to hear! Thanks, Jen!
I made this soup while visiting my vegan daughter and her boyfriend in England a few weeks ago. They loved it! And I loved that it is so healthy and simple to make. I plan to make it for a weekend getaway with friends in the Laurentians later this fall.
Hooray! Thanks, Heather. Hope your friends love it, too.
I’m not sure why all the hate on immersion blenders – I used mine for a short time and got super creamy, lovely soup. Thanks for the great recipe, it’s perfect!
Maybe you have a better immersion blender than I do! I’m glad you enjoyed the soup.
OMG! that was the best soup I’ve ever had. so good. thanks for the recipe. It is a keeper.
Tried this soup with my friends and shared with my family. It is now a favorite! What a fantastic way to make a flavorful and (most importantly) healthy soup!! I am actually making it again tonight even though I just had it last week.
P.S. thank you for the immersion blender option!
Delicious soup! I didn’t have vegetable broth so I used chicken, and had to use a little honey instead of the maple syrup, but otherwise I stuck to the ingredients! Will definitely make this again with original instructions. Thank you!!