Served piping hot with a hunk of crusty bread, this creamy, nourishing butternut squash soup recipe is fall comfort food at its best.
My favorite fall tradition is making butternut squash soup on Sunday afternoons. On a brisk day, there’s nothing more soothing than chopping and simmering vegetables over a warm stove. As you cook, the kitchen fills with the cozy scent of sage, rosemary, and butternut squash, and when you’re finished, steaming bowls of butternut squash soup (that will last all week!) reward you for your work.
In the past, my go-to butternut squash soup recipe has included coconut milk and curry spices, but this fall, I found myself craving one that was a bit more traditional. When I say traditional, I don’t mean that I use chicken stock, heavy cream, or butter in this recipe. It’s a delicious, all-veggie healthy butternut squash soup with ginger, sage, and rosemary. This is basically fall in a bowl.
We’ve been loving this soup lately – it’s creamy and nourishing, perfect for satisfying cozy fall cravings. With only 10 ingredients, it’s easy to make, so cook a big batch today, and enjoy the soup all week long! Happy fall. 🙂
Butternut Squash Soup Recipe Ingredients
To make this easy butternut squash soup recipe, you need 10 simple ingredients:
- Butternut squash – This soup packs in 3 pounds of squash, so look for a medium-large one at the store or farmers market. If you don’t have a scale at home, I recommend weighing the squash when you buy it!
- Yellow onion and garlic –Â These veggies add delicious depth of flavor.
- Fresh sage and rosemary –Â I don’t reach for rosemary as often as some other fresh herbs, but I absolutely love it here. Along with the sage, it makes this soup cozy and complex.
- Ginger – Its warm flavor highlights the autumnal taste of the herbs and squash.
- Extra-virgin olive oil –Â 2 tablespoons add the perfect amount of richness.
- Vegetable broth – Because the blended squash becomes creamy on its own, there’s no need for dairy, coconut milk, or nuts here! With veggie broth as its base, this is a vegan butternut squash soup recipe.
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper –Â Add them with the onion at the start of the cooking process, but make sure to taste and adjust at the end as well. That way, you’ll make a soup you really love!
Let’s cook!
First, chop the veggies! Sauté the onion until it becomes translucent, add the squash, and cook until it begins to soften. Then, stir in the herbs, garlic, and ginger. Pour in the broth and simmer until the squash becomes tender, about 20 minutes.
When the squash is soft, transfer the soup to a blender. Blend until the soup is vibrant orange and creamy. Finally, pour it into bowls, garnish with chopped parsley and pepitas, and enjoy!
What to Serve with Butternut Squash Soup
Enjoy this soup as a starter, side, or main dish. When I’m making it the center of a meal, I serve it with good crusty bread, homemade focaccia, avocado toast, or corn muffins and a simple veggie side or fall salad. Here are a few of my favorites:
- Simple Lemon Green Beans
- Roasted Cauliflower with Lemon Zest
- Simple Roasted Beets
- Rainbow Kale Salad with Carrot-Ginger Dressing
- Shredded Brussels Sprout Salad
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- Roasted Beet Salad
Alternatively, serve it as an appetizer with a hearty vegetarian main dish like Roasted Cauliflower Steaks, Vegan Meatball Sandwiches, Homemade Mac and Cheese, Sun Dried Tomato Pasta, or a grilled cheese sandwich!
If you love this butternut squash soup…
Try my ginger miso soup, curried lentil soup, or many-veggie soup next, or check out this post for more of my favorite soup recipes!
Butternut Squash Soup
Equipment
- 5.5-Quart Dutch Oven (I personally use the Staub Cocotte)
- Blender (I've used my trusty Vitamix for years)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 (3-pound) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
- ½ tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 3 to 4 cups vegetable broth
- Freshly ground black pepper
For serving
- Chopped parsley
- Toasted pepitas
- Crusty bread
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, salt, and several grinds of fresh pepper and sauté until soft, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the squash and cook until it begins to soften, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes.
- Add the garlic, sage, rosemary, and ginger. Stir and cook 30 seconds to 1 minute, until fragrant, then add 3 cups of the broth. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until the squash is tender, 20 to 30 minutes.
- Let cool slightly and pour the soup into a blender, working in batches if necessary, and blend until smooth. If your soup is too thick, add up to 1 cup more broth and blend. Season to taste and serve with parsley, pepitas, and crusty bread.
This is a great recipe. I threw everything on a sheet pan and roasted it at 425 for 40 minutes. Put in a blender and it’s best soup I’ve made. So glad I came across this recipe.
I used sage as a spice but it’s still not dissolved
What should I do?
Hi Rosie, I would just blend the soup longer.
I made this and used an immersion blender – much easier than transferring hot soup to a blender. I added canned coconut milk to make this creamier, and also added miso for more depth of flavor/umami. Topped with roasted chickpeas.
Hi Jeanine, can an immersion blender be used in the pan the ingredients are cooked in versus transferring to a blender? Thank. You!
That’s exactly what I did, I used an immersion blender and it worked perfectly
Thank you for sharing this recipe. I absolutely loved it. So delicious 😋
I also added coconut milk, divine !
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Yummy. Have made this a couple of times exactly as written. This time I roasted squash halves to make prep easier and get a bit caramelized flavor. Also added just a touch of maple syrup because my home grown squash hadn’t quite fully ripened on the vine before we picked it. Really like this herby version. Thank-you.
I’m so glad you’ve loved it!
i had left over squash and made enough for me and its delicious, fast and easy . thanks Marcy
I’m so glad you loved it!
Can you make ahead and reheat?
I hope so 🤞
yep!
I’m really pleased with how this turned out! Finished the soup with a bit of sour cream, which balanced out the spice and added a nice silkiness to the final product.
Super yummy! This was the tastiest butternut squash soup! It was a big hit for everyone in my home and is definitely on my favorites list. Thanks so much.
I’m so happy to hear!
Delicious easy soup
So glad you enjoyed it, Siobhan!
I loved this soup! I actually used a honeynut squash in this as well, a drizzle of maple syrup, and probably more garlic and ginger than necessary but it is soooooo delicious!!!
Hi Shira, I’m so glad you enjoyed the soup! Your tweaks sound fantastic. Love anything with honeynut squash!
I loved it before–and then I added cheese tortellini ( from the grocery refrigerator case). Heat for 3-4 minutes in the finished soup and … wow.
I roasted the squash first and then followed the recipe. Tasty and creamy but a stronger ginger taste to me. Had to bump it down a notch adding some coconut milk which mellowed it out nicely.
Is there a protein option you’ve tried or would recommend adding?
I make this soup often! I made it last week with chicken bone broth because I was out of vegetable broth. It was just as delicious. I will use bone broth again for the added protein.
Hi Debi, I’m glad you’ve loved it so much!
I use a whole can of white kidney beans rinsed, to get some protein in there. Aftet pureeing, you cant even tell!!
I’m excited to make this. I’m making this for a large crowd and the thought of tackling several whole butternuts is daunting. Thinking of buying the cut up pieces. How many cups of cubed squash do you think are in a whole squash? Thanks!
I would appreciate this info too!
Hi Kristin, it’s about 4 cups cubed squash. I hope you enjoy!
I used to cut up and peel the butternut. Now I cut the squash in quarters roast it in 375 oven cut side down on foil with a spray of EVOO for about 40-50 min, then scrape out the pulp. Much easier😉
Did you peel the squash before you roasted it?
I put the whole, uncut squash in the oven and bake it until soft. Then I slice it open, and scoop out the seeds. It cannot be cubed, but it is an easy way to deal with the squash.
The compelling ingredients prompted my making this recipe & I wasn’t disappointed! Great flavors for Fall – will make it again soon. Thank you!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Amazing taste — hard to believe there’s no cream in it! Tonight I added refrigerated cheese tortellini after the soup was cooked and ready, and heated an extra 3-4 minutes. Made a delicious, hearty meal. Thank you for this recipe!
Oh I love your tortellini idea!
Made this as written and it’s amazing! So rich, flavorful and filling—the perfect fall soup. I especially love the little kick of ginger in the finish.
I’m so glad you loved it!