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–+ servings
Butternut Squash Bisque in a green bowl surrounded by its ingredients and a red dutch oven.

Butternut Squash Soup

Course: dinner, lunch
Cuisine: vegan, Vegetarian
Keyword: bisque, butternut squash, soup
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 8
Calories: 97kcal
Author: Marta Rivera
This easy Butternut Squash Soup recipe is a velvety soup of pureed butternut squash, green apple, and aromatics, seasoned with warm spices to create rich flavors that makes a filling meal perfect for any time of year.
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Equipment

  • 6-quart dutch oven
  • immersion blender optional

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 medium carrots peeled and diced (about 1 cup or 125 grams)
  • 2 stalks celery trimmed and diced (about 1 cup or 105 grams)
  • 1 medium white onion peeled and diced (1 cup or 115 grams)
  • 2 large cloves garlic minced (1 tablespoon or 15 grams)
  • 2 teaspoons (12 grams) kosher salt or to taste
  • 1/2 tablespoon (4 grams) mild curry powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon (1 gram) black pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
  • 1 large Granny Smith apple diced (2 cups or 210 grams)
  • 1 large butternut squash peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (6 cups or 1 kilogram)
  • 1 quart (4 cups or 907 grams) vegetable broth
  • 13.6 ounce can (403 ml) coconut milk (or 1 can)
  • 1/2 medium (1 tablespoon or 15 milliliters) lemon juiced
  • 1 stem fresh sage chopped (2 tablespoons or 5 grams)

Optional Garnishes

  • sour cream optional
  • Chai Spiced Pumpkin Seeds optional
  • minced green apples
  • fresh sage leaves

Instructions

Sauté the Aromatics

  • Heat the olive oil in a 6-quart (or larger) dutch oven over medium-high heat.
    Add the diced carrots, celery, onion, and garlic to the oil once it begins to ripple in the pot.
    Sauté the aromatics, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes. 

Build the Flavor Profile

  • Stir the kosher salt, curry powder, black pepper, and cayenne pepper into the aromatics in the pot.
    Heat the spices for a 1 to 2 minutes or until fragrant. 

Add the Butternut Squash and Apple

  • Add the diced squash and Granny Smith apple to the pot, stirring them in to combine them with the spiced aromatics. 
    Sauté the squash and apple chunks for 5 minutes. 

Simmer the Soup

  • Combine the veggie broth and coconut milk in a pitcher or container.
    Pour the liquids into the pot with the veggies. Bring the liquids to a boil, stir the contents in the pot, then reduce the heat to medium-low.
    Allow the soup to simmer for 20 minutes or until the squash is fork-tender.

Blend the Soup

  • Insert an immersion blender into the center of the pot, ensuring it is on the lowest speed.
    Begin pureeing the liquids, gradually increasing the speed to medium-high and moving the blender around the pot until the mixture is smooth.

Finish the Butternut Squash Soup

  • Stir the chopped sage leaves into the butternut squash soup just before serving.  
    Top each serving of soup with minced apples or Chai Spiced Pumpkin Seeds. You can serve this butternut squash soup with warm, sliced Asiago Sourdough or a garden salad for a more substantial meal.

Notes

Swaps and Substitutions
  • Replace the whole butternut squash with frozen, unthawed squash or pre-cut squash from the produce section. 
  • Replace the curry powder in this recipe with my Middle Eastern Spice Blend, Garam Masala Spice Blend, or Chai Spice Blend. You can also use store-bought versions of these blends or leave them out.
  • You can replace the Granny Smith with a similar apple like McIntosh and Pink Lady apple.
  • If you prefer a sweeter flavor, replace the Granny Smith with a Honeycrisp apple
  • Replace the coconut milk in this recipe with unsweetened almond milk.
  • Make this a non-vegan butternut squash soup by replacing the vegetable broth with turkey or chicken broth.
  • You can replace the sage in this recipe with other fresh herbs like rosemary or thyme.
  • Replace the fresh sage with dried rubbed sage.
Tips and Techniques
  • The smaller you cut your squash, the faster it cooks and becomes tender.
  • Combining the liquids before adding them to the pot thins the coconut milk so it's less likely to curdle.
  • If you don't have an immersion blender:
    1. Position a blender or food processor close to the stove.
    2. Carefully ladle the hot soup into the blender, ensuring you don't fill it past the "max level" marker on the carafe or bowl.
    3. Blend it in batches on low speed with the lid's plug or chute insert removed until smooth. You must vent the lid or chute to prevent the hot liquid from exploding.
    4. Once smooth, transfer it to a separate container while you blend the rest of the soup.
    5. Return the smooth mixture to the pot to finish.
  • Fresh herbs taste best when added to recipes at the last minute. Dried herbs work best when cooked for a little while to rehydrate them.
  • If you're using dried sage in this recipe, add it with the other spices.
Storage Instructions
  • Store leftover butternut squash soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
  • Reheat this soup in the microwave for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes on high or on a stovetop over medium heat until warm. 
Freezer Instructions
  • Transfer the cooled soup to freezer-safe containers and freeze it for 3-4 months.
  • Thaw the soup in the fridge overnight and reheat as instructed above.

Nutrition

Calories: 97kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 0.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 975mg | Potassium: 477mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 12849IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 67mg | Iron: 1mg