Butternut Squash Soup
Posted Oct 14, 2020, Updated Mar 03, 2023
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This is the Best Butternut Squash Soup Recipe ever! Celery, onion and carrots give this squash soup a beautiful depth of 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. Ok I discovered a hack that makes this butternut squash soup even easier to make – using frozen butternut squash! I found it at my local grocery store and it changed my life – because peeling and cutting butternut squash is time consuming, however this recipe works perfectly with both.
- 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!
Cook vegetables
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 spices, squash & water
Once the vegetables are soft and onions are translucent, add the butternut squash, cinnamon, nutmeg, sea salt black pepper, and stir to until spices are evenly distributed. Add water, maple syrup, and brown sugar and stir until combined. Then, cover and bring mixture to a boil.
Simmer uncovered
Once the mixture comes to a boil, remove the lid, reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
To 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.
To 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.
Return to pot
If you chose to blend the mixture in a blender, pour the smooth mixture back into the large stockpot.
Add remaining ingredients
Add 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, 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.
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.
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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 lb butternut squash peeled and chopped (about 2 cups)
- 4 cups water
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp nutmeg or pumpkin pie spice
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
- 1 ½ tsp sea salt
- 2 cups 1 pint heavy cream
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp 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
Ingredient Substitutions
- 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.
How to Store Butternut Squash Soup
Store this butternut squash soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5-7 days.To 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.To 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.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More delicious recipes
If you like this recipe, you will love these!
- This vegetable soup is an easy, healthy and hearty recipe to enjoy in the chilly months.
- Chicken and rice soup and chicken noodle soup are our go-to’s when we’re feeling under the weather.
- Skip the can and make this homemade tomato soup – it’s the BEST!
- This sausage and kale soup is so good even my kids gobble it up.
- Who doesn’t love a good chili recipe? Try this chicken chili, beef chili, or turkey chili.
- This roasted root vegetable soup also contains butternut squash, as well as other delicious fall veggies.
- Serve this butternut squash soup as an appetizer on Thanksgiving or holiday before this Roast Turkey and the best Turkey Gravy!
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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.