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 – These veggies add delicious depth of flavor.
- Fresh sage and rosemary – 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 – 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 – 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.
I love how rich and beautiful this butternut squash soup looks. Perfect for the season. Thanks
I added 2 carrots and 2 apples and it was wonderful, will be making this again!
I followed the recipe except I used low sodium organic chicken broth because that’s what I had on hand. I used fresh sage from my garden and put in way too much (my fault). I should have added a little at a time. It was way too sagey. I let it sit overnight and the sage mellowed but not quite enough. I wanted to try to fix my mistake, so I chopped and sautéed another half onion, 2 carrots and 3 potatoes, then let that simmer in more chicken broth. I put in a little oregano and a dash of paprika. I added in a little of the sagey butternut squash soup and used an emulsion blender and kept repeating until there was just enough sage taste. It did need more salt, probably because of the potatoes. The potatoes also made the soup thicker. It ultimately turned out great. I’ll make it again with less sage and will probably add potatoes and carrots again because I liked it so much!
Easy to make and tastes so good!! Served with pumpkin seed bread and it was amazing, will definitely make again.
Very Good.
I made this today and used dehydrated minced onions since I’m allergic to raw. I didn’t saute long and used organic chicken broth since that is what I had on hand. Used my Vitamix to blend and is so good! Definitely a recipe to keep.
Hi Erika, I’m so glad you loved it!
If you want to make this SUPER EASY and QUICK, buy the Trader Joe’s “Holiday Hash” found in the fresh vegetable section. It has butternut squash, sweet potatoes, celery, onion, parsley, sage and rosemary. I added my own garlic, ginger and some carrots ( cause I needed to use them up) added the broth, let it simmer and then used an Emerson blender to purée it! IT WAS AWESOOOOME!!!! No chopping, getting a blender dirty… all in one pot and came together in less than 10 minutes!! Season with salt and pepper to taste…
My husband couldn’t get enough of it!!
It’s a PERFECT fall soup!
Will DEFINITELY make this again!!!!
Thanks for the tip, I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Great idea!!! I’m going to try this. Thank you!
This was so simple yet tasty! I did not add any extra ingredients BUT…. my technique was slightly different. I allowed the onions to cook for 15 minutes because I knew that would add flavor when they carmelize. Then I used my emulsion blender at the end and tasted for salt. It just needed a pinch more. Served it with pumpkin seeds and toasted bread. Will absolutely make this again!
What a great tip, I’m glad you enjoyed the soup!
I made this the other night using our leftover buttercup squash that had already been baked with apples, brown sugar, cinnamon and butter. Let me say, the only thing I would do next time is to purée the soup when done, but otherwise it was like Thanksgiving in a bowl, super delicious, and I plan on serving it on the table next to the turkey! ?
That sounds delicious, I’m glad you enjoyed it!
This soup was fabulous. I had a few leeks I needed to use so I subbed the leeks for the onion. I roasted my squash, added it the other ingredients and simmered it all together. After blending, I added the mixture back to the pot and finished it with a pat of salted butter and a bit of water to thin. Amazing flavor profile that was perfect for fall
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
The only difference we did was sub the veggie stock with oat milk instead and added a pinch of nutmeg and poultry season. Plus a drizzle of truffle oil and it was spectacular!
I’m so glad you loved it!
I bought a butternut squash as a joke for a photo. My cat is the same color, so we call him our little butternut squash… but ANYWHO! I didn’t want to waste the squash. So I found this recipe and boy am I glad I did! I’ve never had this kind of soup before. It’s so good! Thanks for sharing!
Ha ha, well I’m so glad you loved the soup!
Quick question: do you think this would be good with curry spices instead? Thanks!
yes! I would go make this recipe instead – you can use butternut squash in place of the pumpkin: https://www.loveandlemons.com/pumpkin-soup-recipe/
I ollowed the directions exactly and it was PERFECT! Absolutely delicious. Just the right texture, flavor, sweet/savory! As you recommended, I served hot crusty bread for dipping and it was a huge hit. I’ve now made it twice in a row for different dinner parties. Thank you!
Hi Bet, that’s great to hear, I’m so happy it’s been such a hit!
The only change I made was to roast the squash and onions. Best butternut squash soup ever!
Hi Allie, I’m so glad you loved it!
I roasted the butternut squash and the onion ~ YUM!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
This soup is delicious and savory! I’ve made two large batches of it so far this fall. My husband and daughters do not like squash but they enjoy it!
Hi Nancy, I’m so glad it was a hit!
So yummy! I added a teaspoon of cinnamon and about a half teaspoon of nutmeg. Also, one in bowl I added a little local honey to sweeten up and it was the perfect topper.
Hi Claire, that sounds delicious, I’m so glad you enjoyed!
Delicious! So simple! I just used our emulsion blender! Added fresh thyme and Rosemary and cinnamon and nutmeg with re pepper flakes!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Absolutely delicious! I stirred in about 1/2 cup of half&half after blending. Everyone had 2nd helpings.
I’m so glad it was a hit!
I did the same thing and it was loved by all!