When you’re craving a meal that is warm, comforting, and incredibly delicious, there is nothing better than a bowl of Creamy Butternut Squash Soup. This Easy Butternut Squash Soup Recipe is the ultimate comfort food hack, delivering a gourmet taste with very little effort. The secret to its deep, rich flavor is in roasting the vegetables first, which caramelizes their natural sugars and creates an unbeatable taste. This is a truly Simple Butternut Squash Soup that is both nourishing and luxuriously smooth, making it the perfect meal for a crisp autumn evening.
Table of Contents
Why This is the Best Butternut Squash Soup Recipe
This recipe is a fall staple for so many reasons. Here’s why you’ll love it:
- Incredibly Flavorful: This is a Roasted Butternut Squash Soup, which means the vegetables are roasted before being blended. This simple step creates a much deeper, sweeter, and more complex flavor than just boiling them.
- Super Easy to Make: This is a Butternut Squash Soup Easy enough for any weeknight. Just chop, roast, and blend!
- Healthy and Nourishing: This is a naturally Butternut Squash Soup Healthy recipe, packed with vitamins and antioxidants from the vegetables.
- Wonderfully Creamy: The texture is velvety smooth, and you can easily control the creaminess by using either heavy cream or coconut milk.
Your Simple Ingredient Checklist
This recipe uses a handful of wholesome ingredients for its signature flavor.
The Ingredient Lineup:
- 1 large butternut squash (about 3 lbs), peeled and cubed
- 1 large onion, roughly chopped
- 2 large carrots, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper (optional, for a little warmth)
- ½ cup full-fat coconut milk or heavy cream
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Optional Toppings: Toasted pumpkin seeds, croutons, a swirl of cream.
Step-by-Step Instructions
The secret to this easy recipe is roasting the vegetables first.
Part 1: Roast the Vegetables
- Preheat and Prep: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Toss the Veggies: On a large, rimmed baking sheet, combine the cubed butternut squash, chopped onion, and chopped carrots. Drizzle with the olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Toss everything together until the vegetables are evenly coated. Add the minced garlic and toss again.
- Roast to Perfection: Spread the vegetables in a single layer on the baking sheet. Roast for 25-30 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender enough to be easily pierced with a fork and have beautiful caramelized, browned edges.
Part 2: Simmer and Blend
- Combine in a Pot: Transfer all of the roasted vegetables from the baking sheet into a large pot or Dutch oven.
- Simmer: Pour in the vegetable broth. Add the cinnamon and the optional cayenne pepper. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for about 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.
- Blend Until Smooth: Use an immersion blender to carefully blend the soup directly in the pot until it is completely smooth and velvety. (Alternatively, you can transfer the soup in batches to a heat-safe blender, blend until smooth, and then return it to the pot).
Part 3: Make it Creamy and Serve
- Add Cream: Stir in the coconut milk or heavy cream until it is fully incorporated. Let the soup warm through gently for a few more minutes, but do not let it boil after adding the cream.
- Taste and Season: Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning with more salt or pepper as needed.
- Serve: Ladle the hot, creamy soup into bowls. Garnish with your favorite toppings, like toasted pumpkin seeds, and enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. Can I make this a Vegan Butternut Squash Soup? Yes, easily! This recipe is a perfect Vegan Butternut Squash Soup. Simply ensure you are using vegetable broth (instead of chicken broth) and use the full-fat canned coconut milk option instead of the heavy cream. The result is just as creamy and delicious.
2. What’s the easiest way to peel and cut a butternut squash? Butternut squash can be tough. The easiest way is to first trim off the top and bottom ends to create a stable base. Use a sharp vegetable peeler to peel the skin. Then, cut the squash in half where the thin “neck” meets the round “bulb.” Cut the neck into rounds and then cubes. For the bulb, cut it in half and use a spoon to scoop out the seeds, then cut the remaining flesh into cubes.
3. How do I store and reheat this soup? This is a perfect make-ahead soup! Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. It also freezes beautifully for up to 3 months. To reheat, simply warm it gently on the stovetop over low heat, stirring occasionally, until it’s heated through.
4. Do I have to roast the vegetables first? While you could technically make this Simple Butternut Squash Soup by just boiling all the vegetables in the broth until tender, roasting them is the “hack” that makes this recipe so special. Roasting develops a deep, caramelized sweetness that you just can’t get from boiling. It’s an extra step that is 100% worth it for the flavor.
The Ultimate Easy Butternut Squash Soup: A Perfect Comfort Food Hack
Equipment
- large rimmed baking sheet for roasting vegetables
- Chef’s Knife for chopping squash and vegetables
- Dutch Oven or Soup Pot
- Blender or immersion blender to puree soup
Ingredients
- 1 large (3 lbs) butternut squash, peeled and cubed
- 1 large onion, roughly chopped
- 2 large carrots, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
- ½ cup full-fat coconut milk or heavy cream
- to taste salt and black pepper
- optional toasted pumpkin seeds, croutons, or a swirl of cream for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). On a baking sheet, toss cubed squash, onion, and carrots with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Add minced garlic and mix well.
- Spread vegetables evenly and roast 25–30 minutes, until fork-tender and caramelized on the edges.
- Transfer roasted vegetables to a pot. Add vegetable broth, cinnamon, and cayenne (if using). Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes.
- Blend the soup until completely smooth using an immersion blender, or carefully in batches in a blender.
- Stir in coconut milk or heavy cream. Warm gently without boiling. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Ladle into bowls. Garnish with toasted pumpkin seeds, croutons, or a swirl of cream. Serve hot.