Butternut Squash Soup Recipe

November 11, 2018 by Carolyn 35 Comments

This butternut squash soup is subtly sweet, ultra-creamy, and packed with flavor. Everyone who tries it asks for the recipe! A perfect dinner for a chilly night.

Why You'll Love it

This butternut squash soup recipe is inspired by Panera's Autumn Squash soup.

The addition of ginger adds another depth of flavor. There's something incredibly satisfying about soup when it's frigid outside.

For me, the snow amplifies the joy of being warm, sitting by the fire in a ginormous robe with a bowl of hot soup.

Eight years later, I still enjoy the snow most for the warmth of it.

It turns out this warm butternut squash bisque tastes even better when your fingers are frozen solid from creating a killer snowman

If you're like me and you enjoy the frigid weather best for the things that warm you up, this soup is for you. Bonus: the house smells like fall while the vegetables are roasting.

Key Ingredients

Don't let the long ingredient list scare you. This squash soup is worth it!

butternut squash, onion, carrots, olive oil, butter, garlic, honey, brown sugar, lemon, ginger paste.

Butternut squash - You need one large butternut squash, or about 8 cups of diced squash. You can buy precut butternut squash in a plastic container in the produce section.

Carrots & onions - For extra depth of flavor! If you don't want to peel and chop carrots, you can use baby carrots instead.

Ginger paste - Freshly grated ginger pulp works fine too, but ginger paste is a cinch to use. It comes in a resealable tube and lasts for 30 days in the fridge. You can find it in the produce aisle near the herbs.

Apple juice - For extra sweetness! Apple and butternut squash complement each other well.

Pumpkin puree - Don't skip this ingredient! It gives the soup a smooth texture and more squash flavor.

Vegetable stock - This liquid base is made from simmered veggies, herbs, and water. It gives any soup an instant flavor boost. I buy reduced sodium broth to avoid an excess of sodium.

Cream - For that velvety consistency and rich flavor! If you can't have dairy, try swapping it with canned coconut milk.

Spices - Curry powder and cinnamon add spice without overpowering the soup.

How to Dice a Butternut Squash:

This recipe is a little involved. If involved recipes make you cringe (trust me, I feel you) and easy recipes make you sing, here's a few ways to simplify it:

Buy precut squash. No peeling, no dicing, no problem!
Buy baby carrots. No need to peel, and super easy to cut up.

How to Cut a Butternut Squash:

Lay the butternut squash on its side and cut off the ends.
Next cut off the neck. Now you can peel the bulb and the neck separately.

hand cutting the end off a butternut squash.

butternut squash cut in half on a cutting board.

Peel both sides of the butternut squash. I use a handheld peeler for the neck and a sharp knife for the bulb.
I find it easier to place the bulb on its flat side and run my knife down the edge of the squash to remove the peel.

peeled butternut squash neck on a cutting board.

Once both sides are peeled, cut the bulb in half vertically.
Use a large spoon to scoop out the goop and seeds.

hand using a spoon to scoop out the seeds of a butternut squash.

Place the bulb on the cutting board, large hole facing down. Carefully cut it into strips.
Cut the strips into large chunks.

butternut squash cut into strips on a cutting board.

knife cutting butternut squash strips into chunks.

Repeat the same process with the neck.
Cut it into strips, then cut it into large chunks.

knife cutting butternut squash into chunks.

When dicing up all your vegetables, perfection isn't the goal. They're all going to be whizzed up into soup anyhow.

diced butternut squash on a cutting board.

How to Make Butternut Squash Soup:

Before you start, preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

Roast the Veggies:

On a large sheet pan, combine the butternut squash, onion, carrots, and garlic cloves.
In a small bowl, combine the melted butter, olive oil, honey, brown sugar, cinnamon, curry powder, lemon juice, and salt.

butternut squash, onion, and carrots on a sheet pan.

butter, oil, sugar, and spices in a small bowl with a small whisk.

Drizzle the butter mixture over the veggies and toss until everything is well coated.
Roast the veggies for 25 minutes or until the veggies are soft and fork-tender.

pouring butter/honey mixture onto sheet pan with veggies.

veggies coated in butter, oil, and brown sugar on a sheet pan.

Blend the Squash:

Once all the veggies are roasted, it's time to blend them.

Scoop the roasted butternut squash into a high-speed blender. Try to get as much of the butter as you can.
Pour ½ cup of apple juice and 1 cup of vegetable stock into the blender. .

hand scooping roasted squash and dumping it into a blender.

roasted butternut squash, onion, and carrots in a blender.

Start the blender on low speed, then increase the speed to high. Blend until smooth.

Finish the Butternut Squash Soup:

Pour the butternut squash puree into a dutch oven or large pot.

pouring butternut squash puree into a dutch oven pot.

adding pumpkin puree to a large pot of butternut squash puree.

Add the pumpkin puree, 1 cup of vegetable stock, ½ cup of water, 2 tablespoons of ginger paste, and 6 ounces of heavy cream.

pouring chicken stock into pot with butternut squash puree

pouring cream into a pot of butternut squash soup.

Stir until incorporated.
Bring the soup to a simmer, then remove from the heat and enjoy!

stirring cream into butternut squash soup with a spatula.

stirring butternut squash soup in a large dutch oven.

Storage:

Store leftover squash soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
To reheat individual portions, pour some soup into a heat-proof bowl and microwave until hot.
To reheat an entire pot of soup, pour the soup into a pot and heat on medium until it comes to a gentle simmer. Stir, remove from the heat, and enjoy!

Butternut Squash Soup Variations:

Consistency - The hubs and I like our soup a bit thick. If you prefer it on the soupier side, you can add more liquid. Just do it gradually, because just like an impulsive angry rant - you can't take it back.
Vegan/dairy-free - Swap the heavy cream with canned coconut milk. Swap the honey with maple syrup and the butter with vegan butter or olive oil. Tastes just as delicious!
Ginger - If you're not a ginger fan, just omit it. This soup is still the best.

Cozy Soup Recipes:

If you are constantly on the lookout for soup recipes once jacket weather comes, check out these: