Easy Butternut Squash Soup Recipe

This cozy butternut squash soup is an incredibly rich and cozy soup that’s perfect for fall.

It’s wonderfully sweet, creamy, and warm. It won’t only satisfy your hunger, but will also soothe your heart and soul. 

Best of all, this butternut squash soup recipe is a breeze to make.

Why You’ll Love This Butternut Squash Soup Recipe

Made from carrots, potatoes, and butternut squash, this recipe is wonderfully sweet, smooth, and creamy. 

It’s a feel-good soup that never fails to cheer up even the saddest, grumpiest folks.

And there’s no need to be a master chef to make this soup recipe. It’s 100% foolproof. 

So don’t worry if it’s your first time making butternut squash soup.

I’m here to arm you with tons of tips and tricks to ensure that you get the most mouthwatering, tastebud-tingling soup. 

Ingredients

Butternut squash soup is packed with so much flavor, so it might come as a surprise that it only requires the simplest things.

There’s nothing fancy needed here, just your regular basic pantry ingredients. This ensures that the flavor of butternut squash shines in this winter recipe.

• Butternut Squash. All you’ll need is one medium squash. The hardest part is peeling and slicing it because raw squash is really tough. Fortunately, there is a way to make this whole process so much easier. More on this later!

• Butter. Just a bit, for sauteing the vegetables. You can add more, though, to give the soup more flavor. You can use olive oil in place of butter, but in my opinion, butter gives the best flavor.

• Onion. Onions add such a wonderful depth of flavor and slight sweetness. 

• Celery. Some people don’t like the flavor, so you can leave this out. 

• Carrots. It adds sweetness to the soup and a beautiful color. 

• Potatoes. The starch in potatoes helps thicken the soup. If you want to keep things sweet, though, you can use sweet potatoes instead.

• Chicken stock. Vegetable broth works, too. You can easily customize the base to suit your tastebuds. 

• Salt and pepper. Salt and pepper are added at the end of cooking. Don’t skip out this step! You’ll be amazed by how much flavor these two add to the soup.

How to Make Butternut Squash Soup

Let’s take a quick look at how easily butternut squash soup comes together. I love any opportunity to bust out that immersion blender!

1. Saute veggies. Melt butter in a large stock pot under medium heat. Then, add the onion, celery, carrot, potatoes, and squash. Cook until veggies are browned for about 5 minutes. 

2. Simmer the veggies in broth. Add half of the stock, and simmer veggies until soft for around 40 minutes. 

3. Blend until silky smooth. Using an immersion blender, puree the veggies until no more chunks remain. 

4. Add more stock. Pour in the remainder of your stock until it’s perfectly thick, garnish with salt and pepper, and enjoy!

Tips For Making the Best Soup 

Want restaurant-quality butternut squash soup? Check out these quick and easy tips and tricks below. 

• Roast the butternut squash first. Sure, you can add it right to the pot, but roasting it before is a real game-changer. It carmelizes the squash for added sweetness and adds such a wonderful depth of flavor. 

• Make it sweeter. If you want to add more sweetness to this soup, try adding maple syrup or honey. Always start slow and taste as you go. You don’t want it to taste like dessert!

• Don’t like butternut squash? I know, it’s not for everyone. But the good news is you can swap butternut squash for pumpkin. Adding pumpkin puree tastes amazing, and eliminates the need to prepare your butternut squash. 

• Dial up the heartiness factor. For even more richness, you can also add butter or heavy cream.

How to Blend Soup

There are several ways to blend this butternut squash soup recipe. It depends on two things: the type of blender you have, and how smooth or chunky you want your soup to be. 

Here are a few options you can use to make your butternut squash recipe creamy and dreamlike. 

• Immersion blender. The immersion blender is your best option for silky-smooth soup. Place the blender toward the bottom of the pot and turn it on. Move it around as you go to get any loose veggies. 

• Stand blender. A stand blender works just as well as an immersion blender but requires an extra step (and more dishes to wash). Simply pour the cooled soup into the blender, and pulse at a low speed until it reaches the ideal thickness.

How to Thicken Soup

This recipe already yields an ultra-creamy butternut squash soup, but if you want to take its consistency to the next level, take note of these tips.

• Cream or milk. The most obvious choices are cream and milk. Use either to replace chicken stock, and your soup will be extra rich and creamy. Coconut milk is great, too.

• Yogurt. Yogurt works like magic, as well! It’s a cream alternative, especially if you don’t mind the subtle tartness. 

• Stale bread. Adding starch, such as stale bread, will also help thicken the soup. Slice the bread into small cubes, add them to the blender with the soup, and puree away. It doesn’t add much flavor but thickens like magic. 

• Cornstarch. You also can’t go wrong with cornstarch, the most common thickening agent there is. Make a slurry by combining one tablespoon of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water, and then adding it to the soup.

Butternut Squash Soup Variations 

Another great thing about butternut squash soup is that there are tons of ways to modify it to suit your preference or diet.

Here are fantastic ways to switch things up a little.

• No butternut squash on hand? No problem. Canned pumpkin works, too. Sure, fresh is best, but canned pumpkin puree is the next best thing. Plus, it eliminates the arduous step of peeling, seeding, and pureeing.

• Make it vegan. If you’re vegan or want to serve the soup to friends who are, just use vegetable stock instead of chicken. Vegan butternut squash soup is just as tasty and delicious!

• Add more herbs for a complex flavor profile. Give the soup more flavor by adding your favorite herbs, spices, and seasonings. Curry, garlic, cayenne powder, paprika, thyme, and nutmeg also make great flavor additions. 

• Garnish with a bit of crunch. Top the soup with crumbled bacon for a smokey, crunchy finish. Toasted pumpkin seeds are great, too!

• Make it creamy. Make the soup even richer and creamier by topping it with a dollop of sour cream. It also adds a wonderful tang!

• Swap regular potatoes for sweet potatoes. This recipe calls for potatoes, but sweet potatoes work well, too. They make the soup extra sweet!

• Pile in extra fall flavors. Add a small amount of apple for a hint of acidity. The flavor compliments the sweetness of the soup really well. If you don’t have an apple on hand, a pear works just the same.

What to Serve With Butternut Squash Soup

As yummy as butternut squash soup is, you’ll want to serve it with something else for a complete, satisfying meal.

The good thing is this soup pairs well with a variety of dishes. 

• Bring on the bread. Have a hearty meal with butternut squash soup and bread. Soft, buttery dinner rolls are best, but you also can’t go wrong with a crusty baguette.

• The classic soup and sandwich duo. Speaking of bread, soup and sandwich is also a classic pair. Nothing beats dunking a rich grilled cheese sandwich into a bowl of sweet butternut squash soup!

• Opt for a light salad. If you want to keep things light, pair your soup with salad. Any leafy salad will do, but since the soup is already pretty rich, opt for a tangy vinaigrette dressing.

• Try a side of roasted veggies. Roasted Brussels sprouts, smashed potatoes, or a veggie medley are quick and easy sides that go so well with this slightly sweet butternut squash soup. 

• Make it a side dish with hearty protein. Sure, it’s tasty enough as a full meal, but it also makes a great side dish. Pair it with savory proteins like fried chicken, pork chops, or turkey. 

Storing and Freezing

Butternut squash soup is perfect for the hectic holidays. Follow the steps in the recipe and keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to eat.

Easy peasy.

Of course, you’ll need to know how to store it properly. So, let’s take a look at the best methods for this butternut squash recipe.

To Store: Allow the soup to come to room temperature, then place it in a sealed container in the fridge. It will stay fresh for 4-5 days. 

To Freeze: Place cooled soup in a freezer bag, and it will stay fresh for up to 2 months. 

To Reheat. Thaw frozen soup in the fridge overnight. Then, pour it into a pot and warm it over medium-low heat until hot.

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Creamy Pumpkin Soup