Creamy Butternut Squash Soup
As the cooler weather sets in, there’s nothing quite like enjoying a bowl of warm, creamy butternut squash soup. This simple and easy butternut squash soup recipe is perfect for soup season and can easily become one of your personal favorites. Whether you’re looking for a dairy-free option, a cozy main dish for the winter months, or just an easy soup recipe to enjoy after a trip to the grocery store, this recipe will hit the spot.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Simple Ingredients: You can find everything at your local grocery store, from butternut squash to olive oil, butter, and yellow onions.
- Creamy Texture: The smooth, silky texture comes from blending the soup with a stick blender or food processor, without the need for heavy cream.
- Depth of Flavor: Fresh herbs and cayenne pepper really highlight the sweet roasted squash.
Ingredients:
- 1 medium sized onion
- Butter or olive oil
- 2 medium sized butternut squash*
- Chicken or vegetable stock
- Cream cheese
- salt & pepper to taste
- cayenne pepper to taste
- Fresh thyme, rosemary or sage or a combo.
- Sourdough bread or homemade croutons for serving
- Pumpkin Seeds or fresh herbs for garnish (optional)
Instructions:
- Roast the Butternut Squash: You can either roast cubes of squash or simply roast the entire squash whole and cut/scoop it out after. Set aside to cool slightly while you get started on the other ingredients.
- Sauté the Aromatics
In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped yellow onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. - Simmer the Soup: Add the squash, broth, salt & pepper, a dash of cayenne and herbs and bring to a boil. Then simmer for about 5 minutes.
- Blend Until Creamy
Add in the cubes of cream cheese and using an immersion blender, blend the soup until it reaches your desired silky texture. Alternatively, you can transfer the soup in batches to a standing blender or food processor. If using a food processor, allow the soup to cool slightly before blending to avoid spills. - Adjust Seasonings and Serve: Add more salt, black pepper or cayenne to taste as needed. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and some more herbs if desired. (Sometimes I like to crisp up some sage leaves if I’m feeling fancy!)
Tips for Success:
- Make a Double Batch: This soup stores well in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer. It’s one of those favorite soup recipes that tastes even better the next day. You can freeze it as well for up to 2 months.
- Healthy and Customizable: Keep it dairy-free by skipping the cream cheese and adding coconut cream instead. You can also use veggie broth depending on your preference.
- Serve with Sourdough Bread: A slice of warm sourdough bread or a side of homemade croutons are the perfect thing to dunk into this soup~
Variations:
- Spicy Twist: Add a bit more cayenne pepper or a sprinkle of crushed red peppers for extra heat.
- Savory-Sweet Combo: A dash of maple syrup can balance out the spices and enhance the natural sweetness of the squash.
- Thanksgiving Table: This winter soup recipe is perfect for your holiday menu. Its depth of flavor and cozy appeal make it a great addition to your Thanksgiving table.
Can I use pre-cubed fresh butternut squash?
Yes! Simply add the raw squash to the broth and cook until fork tender. Then continue the recipe and add in the cream cheese and pureé.
Can I cook this recipe in an Instant Pot or Slow cooker?
Yes. For a Slow Cooker I would add in all the ingredients (Raw cubed squash or roasted squash are both fine.) And cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours. Add the cream cheese and pureé the soup before serving.
The Instant Pot has the sauté function so you can cook your onions that way, add in the broth and squash, and cook on high pressure for about 15 minutes adding more time for the squash if needed.
This easy butternut squash soup is a great thing to whip up during the cooler months and is sure to become a go-to winter soup recipe. Whether you’re making it for the first time or planning to make a double batch for leftovers, this soup is guaranteed to be your new favorite cozy soup recipe.
Other Favorite Soups:
Creamy Butternut Squash Soup
Ingredients
- 1 medium sized onion, chopped
- 4 tablespoons butter or olive oil
- 2 medium sized butternut squash*
- 4-6 cups of chicken or vegetable stock
- 1 8 oz package of cream cheese
- salt & pepper to taste
- cayenne pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon each chopped fresh rosemary & sage, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450F. Drizzle whole squash with olive oil and prick with a fork. Roast for 30-60 minutes, depending on size, or until soft.
- When the squash is cooked and cooled, sauté the onions in the butter or oil until soft and golden. Add the broth, squash, and herbs, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 5 minutes. (longer if using raw squash)
- Add salt & pepper and a dash of cayenne (you can add more later.) Use your immersion blender if you have one to pureé the soup until smooth. (Or process in batches in a normal blender.)
- Add the cream cheese, a chunk or two at a time, and continue to pureé until smooth as silk. Return all the soup to the pot if you used a regular blender and cook over low heat for a couple minutes as you stir to marry all the flavors.
- Add more salt & pepper as needed, and gradually add more cayenne until it's as spicy as you like.
Notes
*Another option with the squash is to peel and cube it raw and then just toss it into the broth, letting it cook for about 20 minutes. This seemed like so much more work, as peeling raw squash is no picnic. You can do it this way if you prefer though. Or you can use pre-peeled and cubed squash. Recipe adapted from: All Recipes
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1 gramsAmount Per Serving: Unsaturated Fat: 0g
Audra!!! The cream cheese addition is brilliant! I can’t wait to add this to my freezer soup stash!
OK so can this be frozen???
I don’t see why not!
Adding cream cheese sounds like such an awesome idea! This soup looks great!
It really looks so creamy.. Yummy!
I was sold as soon as I saw the words “cream cheese”! This soup looks so perfect and creamy! :)
– Dani
I seriously wish I could dive head first into that bowl!! Such a perfect bowl of soup for this time of year.
Thanks for this Audra, looks yummy. I have a butternut squash waiting for me at home and this will be made this weekend for sure!
How big of a squash are you usin? I have that’s about a foot and a half long that I want to use and wondering how I should alter this recipe? Thank you!
The squash I used weighed 2 lbs. if that helps it was medium-large sized!
This may be a silly question, but I would love to make this soup and I’m not familiar with working with butternut squash. when the squash is cooked and cooled, how do you prepare it for placing in the broth? Thank you!
Hi! YOu just scoop out and discard the seeds, and then scoop out the rest of the flesh and just put it straight into the pot!
I found it easier to gently slice off the peel instead of scooping it out of the skin. Once cooled, cut squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out seeds and throw away. Flip squash halves over on to flat sides. Then carefully and gently peel away the skin with a knife. This is faster, creates less waste than scooping it out, and you’re less likely to get skin mixed in with the squash.
I have used this recipe several times and all of us love it! It’s our go-to for butternut squash soup! Rich and creamy!