Packed with flavor and minimal chopping required, this Roasted Butternut Squash Soup Recipe is velvety smooth, absolutely delicious, and made with simple ingredients. With 15-20 minutes of hands-on time, it is perfect for chilly fall and winter days. Plus, it freezes beautifully so you can always have some ready to go!
The worst part of butternut squash soup is the chopping - nothing is worse than tackling that large, tough skin of a vegetable. Instead of all that chopping, you just cut it in half, remove the seeds and roast until caramelized and tender, which has the added benefit of richer, deeper flavor.
This recipe is inspired by a similar one in a Joanna Gaines cookbook, but we simplified the process. The ingredient list is simple, like our classic 4-Ingredient Potato Soup Recipe, which means this hearty, flavorful bowl can be whipped up any night of the week. It is super comforting for the fall and winter season, and we love it as one of our Thanksgiving Recipes in particular!
Skip to:
Why this recipe is great
- Packed with flavor: The warm and cozy notes of creamy butternut squash, a little garlic, and just a hint of cozy spice blended into a creamy pot of soup.
- Less chopping: Most squash soups require the challenge of dicing the squash before simmering. We found that to be unnecessary.
- Loved by all: Every time we serve this one we get requests for the recipe. It is truly a family favorite!
Roasted butternut squash ingredients
This recipe only requires a few ingredients! The exact amounts are in the recipe card below, but here are a few important tips.
- Butternut squash: For ease, choose small to medium-sized squash. It's a fall and winter staple that should be easy to find in the produce section of the grocery store or even well-stocked farmer's markets.
- Chicken stock: Homemade is always best, but honestly, a good store-bought carton works perfectly fine. Vegetable broth is a fine substitute.
- Heavy cream: Adds a rich creaminess to the final dish.
- Oil: We prefer olive oil but avocado oil will work too.
- Onion: A white onion has the clean flavor that complements the squash. A yellow or sweet onion would also work. Stay away from red onion as it will discolor the base.
- Garlic: Minced garlic cloves or pre-minced garlic are both good options.
- Butter: Salted butter is our go-to.
- Seasonings: Simple kosher salt, ground black pepper, and just a hint of ground nutmeg.
- Pumpkin seeds: Optional, but we love the crunch that toasted pepitas add.
Helpful kitchen tools
How to make roasted butternut squash soup
To begin, preheat the oven to 400ºF. Use a really sharp knife to cut the whole butternut squash in half, scooping out the seeds, and chop the onions and garlic.
Once the squash is sliced, rub oil on the cut side. Place cut side down on a parchment-lined cookie sheet.
Roast until the squash is soft enough that you can easily poke it with a fork. When the fork comes out without any resistance whatsoever, remove the baking sheet from the oven. Set aside while you work on the next part.
In a large pot set over medium to medium-high heat, melt the butter. Once melted add in the onion and saute until very soft - about 5-6 minutes. Add in the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Once soft and smelling amazing, pour in the chicken broth.
Add in the nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Bring the pot to a boil.
While it is coming to a boil, scoop out the butternut squash and add it to the stock mixture. Once it is at a boil and all the squash is added, remove from the heat.
Off the heat, carefully place an immersion blender in the pot and begin blending. Add in the cream and continue blending. It will take several minutes for the soup to become completely smooth.
Serve the soup immediately. Top with toasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas), an extra drizzle of cream, and a sprinkle of fresh herbs if desired.
Hint: If you don't have an immersion blender, no problem! Carefully ladle the contents of the pot into the jar of a regular blender, and place on the lid with the vent part open. Cover the top with a clean kitchen towel. Start the blender on low and blend until smooth.
Slowly remove the towel to allow any steam to escape the jar. Once it is safe, remove the lid and repeat as needed until all the soup is smooth.
How to store
When I make this butternut soup I usually make a double batch because we love leftovers! It is a great make-ahead option! Allow the soup to cool to room temperature and place in an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
To reheat, gently warm in a saucepan, adding in a little more broth if needed. Or microwave, stirring every minute until heated through.
What to serve with
The classic pairing with soup is salad and crusty bread:
Can butternut squash be frozen?
Yes! This soup freezes beautifully! We actually made a triple batch for a baby shower and froze it ahead of time. My go-to method is pouring it into Souper Cubes, freezing, then popping out the frozen cubes and putting them into a freezer bag or into individual containers. Either way it freezes well for up to 6 months.
FAQs
There are several ways to boost the flavor in the soup: roasting the squash adds a caramelized note, adding in aromatics like onions and garlic are a classic addition, and finishing it with cream takes it over the top. All these will create a truly delicious bowl of soup.
We have only ever made this with butternut squash, but I bet pumpkin would work equally as well. It has a similar cozy, slightly sweet feeling, so it should work pretty seamlessly. Pumpkin soup sounds amazing!
Fresh herbs would be a delicious addition to this easy soup. Try fresh thyme, crispy sage leaves, parsley, or chopped rosemary.
Tips & tricks
- Use a blender in batches if you don't have an immersion blender.
- The squash needs to roast until it's super soft or it won't become creamy. There should be no resistance when you prod the flesh with a fork.
- Toast the pepitas for a few minutes for extra deliciousness.
More soup recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
This post was photographed by Rhadonda Sedgwick.
Recipe
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup Recipe (Minimal Chopping!)
Equipment
- Dutch oven or large pot
Ingredients
- 2.5-3 lbs butternut squash tops removed, halved and seeds removed
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 4 tablespoon butter
- 1 small white onion diced (about 1 ⅓ cups)
- 2 teaspoon garlic minced
- 4 cups chicken broth
- ¾ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- Toasted pepitas for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Drizzle the oil on the cut side of the squash and rub all over. Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet cut side down. Roast 40-50 minutes, or until it's super soft when you prod with a fork. Once the squash is soft, set it aside to cool a bit while you start the next step.2.5-3 lbs butternut squash, 1 teaspoon olive oil
- In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Then add the onion and cook until very soft, 5-6 minutes. Stir often and turn the heat down if it is starting to brown.4 tablespoon butter, 1 small white onion
- Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.2 teaspoon garlic
- Add the broth, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil.4 cups chicken broth, ¾ teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
- While it is coming to a boil, scoop the squash into the pot. Once all the squash is added, remove from the heat. Use an immersion blender to blend until super smooth. Just keep going - it will take several minutes to get it super smooth.
- Add the cream and continue blending until combined.¾ cup heavy cream
- Serve warm with toasted pepitas on top.Toasted pepitas
Notes
- Use a blender in batches if you don't have an immersion blender.
- The squash needs to roast until it's super soft or it won't become creamy. There should be no resistance when you prod the flesh with a fork.
- Toast the pepitas for a few minutes for extra deliciousness.
Add Your Own Notes
Nutrition
All nutrition information is provided by a third party and is an estimate only. Use your own nutritional calculator for more specific measurements.
Grandma/Phyllis says
My husband thought he did not want to eat this soup because it was called Squash. Ha, well, I made it anyway and he ate it and now he LOVES it. Great recipe girls. Thank you for helping me learn something new and very good.
Danielle says
So glad he enjoyed it! My husband also didn't think he would like it, but it is one of his favorites.
Danielle says
This is the perfect soup for a cozy fall dinner!