Butternut Squash Soup

Served piping hot with a hunk of crusty bread, this creamy, nourishing butternut squash soup recipe is fall comfort food at its best.

Butternut squash soup

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

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!

Butternut squash

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.

Butternut squash soup recipe Vegan butternut squash soup

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!

Butternut squash soup

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:

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!

Butternut squash soup

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!

Get This Recipe In Your Inbox
Share your email, and we'll send it straight to your inbox. Plus, enjoy daily doses of recipe inspiration as a bonus!

Butternut Squash Soup

rate this recipe:
4.98 from 1728 votes
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Serves 6
This vegan butternut squash soup is the ultimate fall comfort food! Store it in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze it for up to a few months.

Equipment

Ingredients

For serving

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.

 

1182 comments

4.98 from 1728 votes (1,210 ratings without comment)

Leave a comment:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Rate this recipe (after making it)




  1. Mimi
    11.08.2024

    5 stars
    I have to admit that I was pleasantly surprised at how rich and creamy this soup is! At first glance, it doesn’t appear there are any ingredients that would make it so, but it’s absolutely delicious. I used 1 cup of soy milk as part of the 4 cups of liquid to up the protein a bit. It wasn’t pretty, as it separated from the broth during cooking, but once the soup was pureed, it was perfection.

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      11.09.2024

      I’m so glad you loved it, Mimi!

  2. Diana
    11.06.2024

    I made this soup and it was really great! For some reason I decided to add a large carrot and a large russet potato as well. I also topped with a dash of cinnamon!

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      11.09.2024

      Hi Diana, I’m so glad you loved the soup!

  3. Ali
    11.06.2024

    5 stars
    This is my favorite fall soup! The only thing I added was a little brown sugar. Everyone wanted seconds, definitely going into fall rotation. Plus I cheated and purchased the butternut squash cut and ready to cook from Costco, which made it even easier.

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      11.09.2024

      Hi Ali, I’m so glad you loved the soup!

  4. Shahnaz Khwaja
    11.06.2024

    5 stars
    This is not the type of soup that would typically fly with my husband as a standalone meal, but he loved it! I roast the butternut squash, cauliflower and garlic separately and it definitely works. We enjoyed it with a little bit of crunch factor like salted, roasted pistachios, or pumpkin seeds, as well as some Louisiana hot sauce. That little bit of vinegar and heat really lifted the whole thing. All in all, it’s an excellent and very filling soup that I will be making regularly. Thank you for the recipe!

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      11.09.2024

      Hi, I’m so glad the soup was a hit!

  5. Tom
    11.05.2024

    5 stars
    Quite enjoyed this – make it periodically now. Very much like the squash forward flavour.

    Often add a leek to the aromatics, that’s nice if you have it to hand.

    Benefits from a little acid, increase the brightness (half lemon juiced, or a little white wine vinegar).

    Benefits from starting with bacon fat and serving with bacon bits, if you are in the mood for a little more umami.

    Benefits from deglazing with dry sherry after the initial browning, if you want to add a subtle extra layer of flavour.

    Fresh herbs recommended, for sure, you can tell the difference after blending, and no, that’s not too much garlic!

    Very much a fan of this dish as written, though. Yum!

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      11.09.2024

      Hi Tom, I’m so glad you love the soup! Thanks for sharing so many great variations.

  6. Claudia Coleman
    11.05.2024

    5 stars
    Made the soup. I added 1 Tbsp heavy cream, 2 Tbsp butter, 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper, 1/8 tsp cumin, and 1 Tbsp sugar. It added depth to the soup. I like that it included vegetable broth vs chicken. A bit of cumin really helped. In humor, now it’s near perfect.

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      11.09.2024

      Hi Claudia, I’m so glad you enjoyed it!

  7. Sally
    11.05.2024

    5 stars
    Excellent soup for fall! I did not have fresh sage or rosemary, but used dried herbs instead. It still came out wonderfully delicious. Will definitely make this again!

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      11.09.2024

      Hi Sally, I’m so glad you loved it!

  8. Chris
    11.04.2024

    Very good soup! I grow sage in my garden and I think that it shines in this soup. My husband is not a fan so I froze 3 jars of soup for later and will have whats left for myself tonight. Will keep this recipe, thanks for sharinng

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      11.09.2024

      Hi Chris, I’m so glad you enjoyed it!

  9. marilyn
    11.04.2024

    5 stars
    Absolutely amazing soup! I roasted the cubed squash and added 1 extra cube garlic and one extra cube ginger. Will be making this again soon, thanks for a great recipe!

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      11.09.2024

      I’m so glad you loved the soup, Marilyn!

  10. Jayme
    11.04.2024

    Could you roast it and then blend it? I do not have a dutch over. Thanks!

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      11.09.2024

      Hi Jayme, other readers have successfully used roasted squash here. It’s fine if you don’t have a Dutch oven—a large pot works too!

  11. Patricia
    11.03.2024

    5 stars
    Omg,I made this it’s incredible!! Didn’t have sage left it out. When it was done I sprinkled a little shredded cheddar on top and then had some cheese its with it. I had to have too big bowls. Ha. Boyfriend didn’t want to try it. I’m thinking yes more for me.. Thank you soo much. If you’re reading comments try this, you’ll be making it also again!!

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      11.09.2024

      Hi Patricia, aww I’m so glad you loved it!

  12. Stacey
    11.03.2024

    5 stars
    Divine. Delicious. Thank you for another great soup recipe. Great time of year to make this bc Trader Joes has cubed butternut squash in 32 oz bags so no chopping of the squash.

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      11.09.2024

      Hi Stacey, I’m so glad you loved the soup!

  13. Jenn
    11.02.2024

    5 stars
    This tastes amazing with focaccia garlic toast.

  14. Nancy
    11.02.2024

    4 stars
    Recipe was very good. the squash is hard so I would recommend buying them re-cubed in the store. Wegman’s sells them this way. Also, I used an immersion blender instead of a blender and it worked very well.

  15. Donna
    11.02.2024

    5 stars
    This is my favorite butternut squash soup recipe. For some reason when I changed the servings to 12 on the print page, the vegetable broth stayed at 3 cups in the instructions. I added more anyway and it was delicious!

  16. Beth
    11.01.2024

    5 stars
    Lovely recipe! The flavors are perfect for autumn. My husband and I liked it so well that we had seconds. Thank you, so much, for sharing this gem of a dish with us!!

  17. Linda
    10.31.2024

    If you only have dry spices, how much would you add with the rosemary, ginger? I am not a sage lover, can I sub it with something else? Thanks.

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      11.01.2024

      Hi Linda, you could use dried rosemary and thyme instead of sage. I’d start with 1 teaspoon each and add more to taste. For the dried ginger, I’d start with 1/4 teaspoon.

  18. Eric Hols
    10.31.2024

    Do you have measurements available for substituting dry herbs for the fresh ones? Thank you.

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      11.01.2024

      Hi Eric, I’d recommend starting with 1 teaspoon dried sage and 1 teaspoon dried rosemary and adding more to taste.

  19. Molly Meiklejohn
    10.30.2024

    I just made this! Best soup I have ever made!

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      11.01.2024

      Hi Molly, so great to hear! I’m glad you loved it.

  20. Kathleen
    10.29.2024

    5 stars
    I made this Butternut Squash Soup tonight and it was easy and delicious! It’s truly a meal! After b enjoying it for dinner, we satisfied and full! And it’s easy!!
    Thanks for a winner recipe!

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      11.01.2024

      So glad you loved it, Kathleen!

A food blog with fresh, zesty recipes.
Photograph of Jeanine Donofrio and Jack Mathews in their kitchen

Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.

We love to eat, travel, cook, and eat some more! We create & photograph vegetarian recipes from our home in Chicago, while our shiba pups eat the kale stems that fall on the kitchen floor.