Butternut Squash Soup
Posted Oct 14, 2020, Updated Mar 19, 2024
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This is the Best Butternut Squash Soup Recipe ever! Celery, onion and carrots give this squash soup a rich flavor. It’s silky-smooth and perfectly sweet with a touch of fall spices. This butternut soup is easy to make in one pot with either an immersion blender or standard blender.
Last year, my favorite local restaurant shared their butternut squash soup recipe and it made me so happy. I spent the season tweaking and perfecting it to our family’s tastes, and I can assure you I have created the absolute best butternut squash soup recipe you will ever eat.
It’s made in one pot (no roasting required) which I love. Celery, onion and carrots give this squash soup a beautiful depth of flavor, and it’s silky-smooth and perfectly sweet with a touch of fall spices.
Watch our video and check out the step-by-step photos to learn how to make butternut squash soup two ways: with an immersion blender or a high-powered blender.
Butternut Squash Soup Recipe: Ingredients and Substitutions
I cannot stress how absolutely perfect this butternut squash soup is. So I recommend keeping substitutions to a minimum (if you have to make any at all). However, as always, we will talk about possible substitutions
- Salted butter. Unsalted butter can be used in this butternut soup, you may just need to add more salt.
- Sweet Onion. I prefer a sweet onion, but any yellow, white or red onion work well.
- Carrot. I’d stay away from baby carrots here. I prefer large, organic, sweet carrots for the best flavor.
- Celery. This is a must, no substitutes here.
- Butternut Squash. Using frozen butternut squash makes this recipe much faster and easier. However, this recipe works well with fresh or frozen squash.
- Maple Syrup. Again, I don’t recommend subbing anything for the pure maple syrup – as the maple flavor is important.
- Light brown sugar. Dark brown sugar can be used in place of light for a richer molasses taste.
- Heavy Cream. Half and half can be used in place of heavy cream, but I don’t recommend making any other substitutions.
- Vanilla extract. Trust me and don’t leave it out!
- Apple Cider Vinegar. White vinegar can be used in place of apple cider vinegar if you don’t have any on hand.
How to Make Butternut Squash Soup
This butternut squash soup recipe is really easy to make in 1 pot in 45 minutes! You can make it using an immersion blender or a conventional blender! Let’s walk through the steps together, and don’t forget to watch the video!
If using fresh (and not frozen) butternut squash, begin by peeling and dicing the squash. I recommend doing it with a knife
Then, put the onions, celery, carrots and butter in a large stockpot. Cover and cook over medium-high heat until the onions become translucent (about 8 minutes).
Once the vegetables are soft and onions are translucent, add the butternut squash, cinnamon, nutmeg, sea salt black pepper, water, maple syrup, and brown sugar and stir until combined. Then, cover and bring mixture to a boil.
Once the mixture comes to a boil, remove the lid, reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
Make in a Blender
After 15 minutes of simmering, transfer the contents of the pot to a high-powered blender. Secure the lid and blend for 60 seconds or until completely smooth.
Use a VItamix
As always, I recommend using a Vitamix Blender to make this butternut squash soup with the creamiest, silky-smooth texture.
Make with an Immersion Blender
To make this butternut squash soup with an immersion blender, do not transfer the mixture to a blender after simmering for 15 minutes.
Instead, use an immersion blender to blend the mixture in the pot. Then continue with the recipe written once it is smooth.
If you chose to blend the mixture in a blender, pour the smooth mixture back into the large stockpot.
Then, add the heavy cream, vanilla and vinegar. Whisk or stir until smooth. Taste and adjust salt/pepper as desired.
Serve
Serve this butternut squash soup warm with a sprinkling of fresh herbs. Here are some pairing suggestions:
- Bread. Dipping a piece of crusty no-knead bread into this squash soup is pure heaven. Other great options are the best homemade biscuits, homemade french bread, cheese biscuits, homemade dinner rolls, pretzel bread (so good), and this whole wheat focaccia bread.
- Croutons. Top this butternut soup with the best homemade croutons, or these cornbread croutons!
- These cinnamon sugar pecans are a delicious garnish for this butternut squash soup!
- Have a “soup night” and make some of these soup recipes as well: potato soup (seriously the best), chicken noodle soup, sweet potato soup and homemade tomato soup!
Store
Store this butternut squash soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5-7 days.
Freeze
I recommend freezing this squash soup in individual portions for easy reheating. These silicon cubes are a great way to freeze soup in 1-cup portions. You can also use small glass storage containers or even plastic bags that are freezer-friendly.
Reheat
Remove the butternut squash soup from the freezer and let it thaw slightly. Then transfer to a pot on the stove or a microwave-safe container to reheat.
Butternut Squash Soup Recipe FAQs
You can roast the butternut squash if you’d like, but in this recipe the butternut squash is sautéed with butter for a delicious flavor and a quicker process with less dishes.
So many! Cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, sage, thyme, and rosemary are all wonderful.
I like serving this soup with the following recipes:
Homemade bread like this French bread and no knead bread.
Top this butternut soup with the best homemade croutons, or these cornbread croutons!
These cinnamon sugar pecans are a delicious garnish for this butternut squash soup!
Fresh herbs (sage, rosemary, thyme), croutons, nuts/candied nuts, a drizzle of heavy cream, freshly cracked pepper, a dash of nutmeg, etc.
If you make and love my recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, TikTok and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so I can see your creations!
Butternut Squash Soup
Ingredients
- ¼ cup salted butter
- ½ cup onion diced (half of a small onion)
- 1 cup celery diced (2 stalks celery)
- 1 cup carrot peeled and diced (1 large carrot)
- 1 pound butternut squash peeled and chopped (about 2 cups)
- 4 cups water
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 ½ teaspoons sea salt
- 2 cups heavy cream (1 pint)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Add onions, celery, carrots and butter to a large stockpot. Cover and cook over medium-high heat until the onions become translucent (about 8 minutes).
- Add the butternut squash, cinnamon, nutmeg, sea salt black pepper, and stir until evenly distributed.
- Add water, maple syrup, and brown sugar and stir until combined. Cover and bring mixture to a boil.
- Once the mixture comes to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes, uncovered until the squash is soft.
- After 15 minutes of simmering, transfer the contents of the pot to a high-powered blender, or use an immersion blender, and blend for 60 seconds or until completely smooth.
- Pour the smooth mixture back into the large stockpot.
- Add cream, vanilla and vinegar. Whisk or stir until smooth.
- Taste and adjust salt/pepper as desired.
- Serve warm.
Video
Notes
- Salted butter. Unsalted butter works well in place of salted butter.
- Sweet Onion. Any yellow or white onion works well. Don’t use red as it will change the color of the soup.
- Butternut Squash. Using frozen butternut squash makes this recipe so easy! Because peeling and cutting butternut squash is time consuming, however this recipe works perfectly with both fresh and frozen squash.
- Maple Syrup. I don’t recommend subbing anything for the pure maple syrup – as the maple flavor is important.
- Light brown sugar. Dark brown sugar can be used in place of light for a richer molasses taste.
- Heavy Cream. Half and half can be used in place of heavy cream, but I don’t recommend making any other substitutions.
- Apple Cider Vinegar. White vinegar can be used in place of apple cider vinegar if you don’t have any on hand.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
My children have severe dairy allergies. Can I omit the cream entirely?
Butternut squash soup
First, let me say I love soup, and I make it all the time. I have never made a butternut squash soup, however. I prefer savory vs. sweet, but my mother-in-law is ill and having a hard time eating solid foods and she asked me to make a “sweet” butternut squash soup for her. I came upon this recipe and I’m so glad I did! I followed the recipe exactly. I was pleasantly surprised when I tasted it. It is savory and sweet! Absolutely delicious! I was able to make her several containers for the freezer. She LOVED it and so I was happy on two counts; I found another soup recipe for me and something that made her happy. Thank you for the great recipe. 🙂
Thank you so much! I’m so glad you and your mother in law love this recipe as much as we do!
This soup is sooo delicious! I have been looking for a recipe like this for years! Thank you!
This was the BEST butternut squash soup I have ever had much less made in my own. I also made a load of French bread – it was so fun and easy. Beautiful dinner. Winner in our household. LOVE your recipes, haven’t had a bad one yet.