Easy Butternut Squash Soup is your new go-to fall recipe! It can be a cozy and comforting meal on its own or a beautiful side dish for Thanksgiving dinner. This rich and creamy butternut squash soup is also paleo, Whole30, gluten-free, dairy-free and low-carb. It is perfect for the holidays where you’re serving a crowd and takes only 20 minutes to make!
This dish is especially wonderful during fall when butternut squash is in season. The flavors in this easy butternut squash soup are so warm and complex, it has everything you’d want in a cozy dinner on a cool fall evening.
I love using butternut squash in my recipes and have plenty for you to try!
Some of my favorite butternut squash recipes for Thanksgiving are my Roasted Butternut Squash, Butternut Squash Mash, Roasted Butternut Squash Cauliflower Salad, and Rice with Roasted Butternut Squash and Dried Cranberries.
For a weeknight meal that is both healthy and delicious, try my Italian Sausage Stuffed Butternut Squash, Fusilli with Mushroom and Roasted Butternut Squash, Chicken Stroganoff with Butternut Squash Mash, or Ground Beef Butternut Squash Meal Prep Bowls.
How to Make Easy Butternut Squash Soup
Ingredients
- Olive oil — Avocado or grapeseed oil are also good options.
- Onion — White onion adds a wonderful flavor to the base of this dish. You can also add 1/2 cup of chopped celery if you prefer.
- Garlic — You can use fresh cloves, or a jar of minced garlic to save time.
- Whole butternut squash — To prep your butternut squash, wash and peel it first. Then, remove the seeds and cut into cubes.
- Spices — A blend of turmeric, paprika, onion powder, sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
- Vegetable broth — My homemade vegetable broth works great for this recipe. You can also use chicken broth or chicken stock.
- Almond milk — You can also use coconut cream or any nut milk that you like.
- Garnish — My favorite way to top this soup is with pistachios and fresh parsley, but feel free to get creative and use whatever garnish you’d like like sage and rosemary.
Instructions to make this Easy Butternut Squash Soup
Sauté veggies:
- In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium high heat.
- Add in the onion and cook for about 2-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Then, add the minced garlic and cook until it becomes fragrant.
- Add the butternut squash and seasonings, then sauté for 5-7 minutes.
Add broth and milk:
- Next, pour in the vegetable broth and almond milk (you can also use coconut milk if you prefer).
- Stir everything together to combine well.
- Bring to a boil and then lower the heat to simmer for another 10 minutes or until butternut squash is tender (fork tender).
Blend together:
- Remove your pot from the heat and set it aside.
- Using an immersion blender, purée the ingredients until they are all combined and smooth.
- At this point, taste the soup and adjust any seasonings as needed.
Garnish and serve:
- Serve the soup into bowls, then garnish with parsley and sprinkle some pistachios on top too.
- Enjoy this soup on its own or as a tasty side dish!
Recipe Tips
- Swap the garlic in this recipe for garlic powder if you don’t have any fresh or pre-minced garlic on hand.
- If your butternut squash is difficult to cut, pop it in the microwave for just a minute to soften it.
- Save time on prep work and use pre-cut butternut squash.
- The amount of vegetable broth or nut milk will depend on how thick you like your soup to be, and you can modify both to your preference.
- Be sure to taste the soup after you blend it and adjust any seasonings.
- To make this easy butternut squash soup even creamer, add 1/4 cup of Greek yogurt.
How to Store Leftovers
- To Store: Allow your leftover butternut squash soup to cool and store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- To Freeze: This easy butternut squash soup is a great freezer recipe. Store it in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 3 months. Just remember to leave some space since liquid expands as it freezes.
- To Reheat: Reheat leftover butternut squash soup in the microwave or on the stovetop. Because this is a thick soup, you’ll want to stir it occasionally to make sure it heats evenly.
What To Serve With Easy Butternut Squash
- Soup & Salad: Is there anything more classic than a soup and salad combo? This easy butternut squash soup pairs especially well with a fall salad, like my carrot apple quinoa salad or sweet potato arugula salad with a delicious homemade vinaigrette.
- Fresh Bread: Warm, fresh bread is the perfect accompaniment to this cozy soup. Pair it with my buttery garlic bread, low-carb dinner rolls, or even my gluten-free bacon and cheese scones.
- Yummy Sandwiches: Serve this butternut squash soup alongside your favorite sandwich for a quick and satisfying meal. For an equally delicious low-carb option, try it with my ground turkey sweet potato lettuce wraps or low-carb lettuce wrap sandwich.
Recipe Variations
- Milk: If you follow a dairy-free diet, this easy butternut squash soup recipe is for you! I like to use almond milk, but you can use any nut milk you prefer, or even coconut cream. If you eat dairy, feel free to use heavy cream. Just be sure not to omit the nut milk or cream, because it gives the soup a silky texture.
- Garnish: This easy butternut squash soup is a fun dish to make because you have so many options when it comes to garnish. Try different nuts and seeds, like pistachios, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, or sliced almonds. Don’t forget plenty of fresh herbs too, such as thyme, parsley, or basil.
- Spices: This is my favorite version of butternut squash soup, but you can make your own version by mixing up the spices! Paprika and turmeric are a classic combo, and curry powder, cumin, or nutmeg are also great options. Some people prefer to make this easy butternut squash soup with a sweet flavor, so if that’s your preference, simply add a touch of honey or brown sugar and cinnamon when the soup is done.
- Broth: I prefer to use vegetable broth to keep this recipe vegan, but you can use chicken or beef broth if that’s what you have in your pantry.
Recommended Tools
- Large Stock Pot: To boil the butternut squash for this recipe, you’ll want to use a nice large soup or stock pot.
- Immersion Blender: I like to use an immersion blender to get a silky texture, but you can also use a counter blender or food processor.
- Large cutting board: Having plenty of space to cut and prep the butternut squash is particularly helpful.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can also use a counter blender or even a food processor for this recipe. Allow the butternut squash soup to cool slightly and then pour it into a blender or food processor, working in batches if you need to. Just don’t forget to leave the hole in the lid open so that steam can escape.
Checking the color of the outer rind is one quick and easy way to tell if your butternut squash is ripe. If it’s still green in spots, it’s not ready to use. The outer rind of a ripe butternut squash should be thick, not glossy, and even in color all around.
If your butternut squash soup seems grainy, the cause is most likely undercooked squash. The secret to a nice smooth consistency is to make sure you cook your squash thoroughly before blending.
Watch the Butternut Squash Soup Web Story Here.
Easy Butternut Squash Soup
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Ingredients
- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup white onion chopped
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 pounds butternut squash peeled seeds removed and cubed
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth use less if you prefer a thicker soup
- 1 1/2 cups almond milk
- Pistachios and fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
- • In a large stock pot, heat the olive oil over medium high heat.
- • Add in the onion, stir to coat with olive oil and cook for about 2-4 minutes. Then, add in garlic and cook until the garlic becomes fragrant.
- • Add in the butternut squash, salt, pepper, turmeric, paprika and onion powder. Sauté for about 5-7 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- • Add in vegetable broth and almond milk, stir to combine.
- • Bring to a boil and then to a simmer for another 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and using an immersion blender, puree the soup ingredients until combined and smooth. Taste to adjust seasoning.
- • Serve into bowls and top with pistachios and parsley.
Tips
- You can swap the fresh minced garlic for garlic powder if you do not have garlic on hand.
- If the butternut squash is difficult to cut, you can microwave it to soften.
- Buy pre-cut butternut squash to speed up the prep time.
- You can adjust the amount of vegetable broth or nut milk depending on how thick you like your soup to be.
- Taste the soup after you blend it and adjust any seasonings.
- To store: Store leftover butternut squash soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- To reheat: Reheat the soup in the microwave or on the stovetop until hot. Since it’s thick, you’ll need to stir it throughout.
- To freeze: Freeze the soup for up to 3 months. Make sure you leave space when freezing as liquid expands as it freezes.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.
Alisha Ross says
can’t wait to try some of these. The crockpot is wonderful for summer to keep from heating the house up.
Alisha Ross says
I’d love to make some healthy meals that also taste good! Looks like an amazing cookbook.
Olivia says
Thank you!
Harold Burton says
Yum! Now I am craving chicken! I love roasting whole chickens on Sunday evenings, and I always use the bones to make a broth. It’s a great way to have a surplus of broth in the freezer, and it’s so handy when anyone in my house gets sick! I will try this recipe the next Sunday I roast a chicken 🙂