Butternut squash soup is the quintessential fall and winter soup recipe. And this roasted version is top-notch! It’s delightfully creamy, layered with warming sweet and savory flavors, and a favorite for any dinner occasion.
My Favorite Butternut Squash Soup – Here’s Why
Every year I look forward to picking out the best butternut squash at the market to make this soup. It’s like I’m on a mission! Because this is my favorite way to enjoy all that this fall vegetable offers — which is sweet, nutty, and buttery goodness. Of course, you can also roast, stuff, and mash butternut squash (see my other recipes below), but this soup is a classic. That’s why it’s one of the top fall and winter soup recipes, along with chicken soup, tomato soup, vegetable soup, cabbage soup, and lentil soup. So here’s why you should make it:
- The extra roasting step is a game-changer. Similar to roasted spaghetti squash, roasting the butternut squash imparts an earthy, smoky, caramelized sweet flavor. This really elevates the recipe compared to a traditional stovetop butternut squash soup.
- It has just the right amount of flavor. Other recipes I’ve tried are either too heavy on spices and aromatics or a little too bland. This version has the perfect balance of onion, garlic, and warming spices.
- It’s highly requested by friends and family. That’s why you’ll always spot it on my menu for weeknight dinners and holiday dinners like Thanksgiving (hint, hint). It’s also naturally gluten-free, vegan, and vegetarian, which makes it perfect to serve a large crowd during the holidays.
Butternut Squash Soup Ingredients
- Butternut Squash: You’ll need about 3 ½ pounds of butternut squash for this recipe, so grab ones that are a bit on the larger side. I’d also recommend weighing them on a scale at the market to ensure you have the right amount.
- Onion and Garlic: I roast the onion along with the butternut squash. It’s super easy on one sheet pan! And see my notes in the recipe card below about the garlic.
- Vegetable Broth: If you’d like to keep the recipe vegetarian, opt for vegetable broth. But you can always swap in chicken broth as well.
- Ginger, Nutmeg, and Maple Syrup: These two spices infuse the essence of fall’s best flavors into the soup. And for a touch of sweetness, add a splash of maple syrup. It really rounds out the other flavors in the soup (though you can always tweak the sweetness to your liking).
Find the printable recipe with measurements below
How To Make Butternut Squash Soup
Prep the butternut squash. Instead of cutting the butternut squash into cubes, we’re roasting halves to make the process much easier. Just slice the ends of the butternut squash, stand the butternut squash up on the bulb end, and slice through it lengthwise. Then, use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and membrane.
Season and roast. Transfer the butternut squash to a baking tray cut side up, coat with oil, and sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Then, flip the butternut squash over so the cut side is down and roast for 60 minutes at 425°F (220°C).
Add the onion. After 30 minutes, spread a little oil on the cut side of the onion and add it to the baking tray, cut side down. Continue roasting for another 30 minutes, then remove the baking tray from the oven.
Blend the soup. Once the butternut squash is cool enough to handle, use a large spoon to scoop out the flesh and transfer it to a high-powered blender. Remove the outer layer of the onion and add it to the blender along with the garlic, maple syrup, salt, nutmeg, ginger, and vegetable broth. Start with 3 cups of vegetable broth and add more to achieve your desired consistency. Blend on high for 1 to 2 minutes, until creamy, then taste test to see if you need more salt or black pepper.
Cooking Tips
- Make it ultra-creamy by adding a splash of heavy cream or one to two tablespoons of butter as you’re blending. For dairy-free options, you can add coconut milk or ¼ cup soaked raw cashews.
- If you don’t have a countertop blender, you could also use an immersion blender.
- When it comes to the garlic, I’ve revised this recipe over the years due to the influx of high-powered blenders and your feedback. See the notes in the recipe card below for more details.
- Don’t forget to add toppings! Fresh herbs such as parsley, thyme, sage, and chives are a must! And for something crunchy, add pepitas, toasted almonds, crispy bacon bits, roasted chickpeas, or crispy shallots.
More Butternut Squash Recipes
- Mashed Butternut Squash: One of my favorite mashed sides.
- Apple Sausage Stuffed Butternut Squash: A reader favorite around here.
- Roasted Butternut Squash Salad: A delicious fall salad.
- Kale and Butternut Squash Frittata: A great way to incorporate more veggies for breakfast
- Butternut Squash and Eggplant Stir Fry: A quick and easy vegetarian stir-fry.
- Or browse this list of butternut squash recipes or soup recipes for more ideas!
If you make this roasted butternut squash soup recipe, I’d love to know how it turned out in the comment box below! Your review will help other readers in the community. And if you’re hungry for more healthy food inspiration (and exclusive content), join my free newsletter.
Description
Video
Equipment
- Vitamix Blender My favorite blender for ultra-creamy soups!
- Immersion Blender A great option for blending in the pot if you don't have a blender.
- Heavy Duty Baking Sheet I've had these for ages – they're so durable!
Ingredients
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
- 3 ½ pounds butternut squash
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1 small yellow onion, halved
- 1 small garlic clove, peeled
- ½ tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon salt
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- 3 to 4 cups vegetable broth
- Optional garnish: pepitas, parsley, and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Slice it in half and remove the seeds. Preheat your oven to 425°F (220C). Slice the ends off the butternut squash. Stand the butternut squash on end and carefully slice it in half lengthwise. Then, Use a spoon to remove the seeds and membrane. Pro tip: the butternut squash is easier to slice through if you microwave it for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Season and roast. Transfer the butternut squash to a baking tray cut side up, coat with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Then flip the butternut squash over so the cut side is down and roast for 60 minutes.
- Add the onion. After 30 minutes, spread a little oil on the cut side of the onion and add it to the baking tray, cut side down. Continue cooking for another 30 minutes, then remove the baking tray from the oven.
- Blend the soup. Once the butternut squash is cool enough to handle, use a large spoon to scoop out the flesh and transfer it to a high-powered blender. Remove the outer layer of the onion and add it to the blender along with the garlic, maple syrup, salt, nutmeg, ginger, and vegetable broth. Start with 3 cups of vegetable broth and add more to achieve your desired consistency. Blend on high for 1 to 2 minutes, until creamy. Taste the soup and add more salt and pepper if needed. Optional: while this is a dairy-free recipe, if you do tolerate dairy, adding just a tablespoon or two of fresh butter when you're blending definitely boosts the creaminess factor.
- Serve. Pour the soup into serving bowls. If you'd like, garnish the top with pepitas, parsley and black pepper.
Lisa’s Tips
- To store for the week: Any leftover soup can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days. Perfect for a quick and delicious reheatable meal throughout the week!
- To freeze for later: It’s always a good idea to freeze leftovers or a second batch to enjoy throughout the winter months. Just store it in a freezer-safe container (like these Weck jars), and it will keep for up to 3 months.
- Notes about the garlic. When I originally made this soup recipe decades ago I used an older, regular blender or immersion blender. Raw garlic wasn’t as much of an issue in those blenders as it is now in high-powered blenders. In fact, high-powered blenders are so powerful (due to the velocity of the blades) that they actually increase and amplify the pungency of the raw garlic, making it seem like you’ve added way more garlic to the soup than you have (I’ve spoken to Vitamix about this directly). So my original recipe morphed from 3 raw garlic cloves (as shown in the video), to 1 small raw garlic clove, which many of you love! But if you’re sensitive to garlic, I do recommend roasting the garlic on the sheet pan with the onion. Just wrap it in some aluminum foil. Roasting the garlic helps to mute that pungency, while still letting you enjoy its wonderful flavor!
- Butternut squash soup is naturally ultra-creamy (without any cream). But if you do tolerate dairy, adding just a tablespoon or two of heavy cream or butter when you’re blending definitely boosts the creaminess factor. For dairy-free options, you can add coconut milk or ¼ cup soaked raw cashews.
- When it comes to roasting veggies, I always recommend a heavy duty baking tray so it doesn’t bend and warp while cooking.
- I’m a massive fan of my Vitamix blender, but if you’re looking to buy one make sure to check out my Vitamix Comparison post.
Nutrition
©Downshiftology. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.
Recipe originally posted November 2018, but updated to include new photos and information for your benefit!
Amazing!!
Made this soup today. It was delicious. Made just as instructed. Thank you for this excellent recipe.
Thanks so much, Mary Ann! I’m happy to hear you loved this butternut squash soup.
Absolutely delicious! I had to use fresh ginger and I grated the nutmeg as I didn’t have dried but it was soooooo good!!! Will definitely make this again!
I’m happy to hear this butternut squash soup worked out great with fresh ginger and nutmeg!
This is literally the BEST butternut squash soup I’ve ever had. Definitely roasting the squash & onion beforehand made it all the better. 😀
Yay, I’m happy you loved it, Danica!
I made this soup and it is amazing. I wanted to make it creamier so I added a 1/4 cup of cashews when I had it all in my Vitamix, instead of butter. I love the roasting of the vegetables. And one garlic was plenty in it. Thank you for sharing.
There’s always room to make this butternut squash soup even creamier! Happy to hear you enjoyed it, Gina.
Last time I made butternut squash soup, it was very difficult to peel the squash. A friend told me he roasted the butternut instead so I was looking for a recipe. This one looks perfect. Looking forward to trying
Hope you enjoy it, Kathy!
This recipe was so good. This was my first time roasting it and it was so much better and sweeter.
Roasting really does impart so much more flavor. Happy you loved it, Monique!
This soup is amazing! Definitely going to add it to my go to soups for fall and winter. Thanks Lisa!
Yay! I’m happy you loved it, Michelle!
Do you know if it freezes well?
Yes, it freezes beautifully! See my storage tips above.
Yes I’d like some weekly soup recipes. Just got my new vitamix. Looking forward to working with it
This is a great vitamix soup recipe. Enjoy!
Is the 3.5 pounds of butternut squash before or after roasted peeled and seeds removed? Can you estimate how many squashes this is?
The weight of squash is before roasting (as you can see in the video!). I’m using one large squash for this, but you can measure it out in the market to see how many squashes you need, depending on their weight.
This is the easiest yet most delicious Butternut Squash Soup we’ve tasted. The little bit of nutmeg and ginger were the perfect touch. And, we roasted a couple of large carrots, which also added to the flavors. Thank you!
Hit the spot!
This looks delicious! I can’t wait to try it.
I literally just made this soup. I’ve made a butternut squash soup before but this recipe blew that soup out of the water!! I added roasted cherry tomatoes and omitted the maple syrup. After reading all the garbage they put in canned soup, I decided to make my own. I will be making this recipe over and over!! Thank you
Happy to hear you’ve found a winning butternut squash soup recipe Shirley!
I used pre-cut butternut squash from Costco , tossed the cubes with avocado oil, Old Bay seasoning, garlic salt and a pinch of Goya Vegetable seasoning. Then I roasted the chunks in my convection oven. Meanwhile, I added the garlic and onion with a tablespoon of minced fresh ginger and slow cooked them to translucence. Finally, I put all of these ingredients in my Ninja on the “smoothie” setting, thinning the soup with almond milk and low fat coconut cream. I then warmed it and served it. I know this is a departure from Lisa’s method, but it worked really great for me. The message here is, have fun experimenting with your taste buds!
I didn’t have any syrup on hand, so I read the suggestion of throwing in an apple, which I sauted in the butter with the garlic powder and seasonings before adding everything else together. This is so easy and so good! (It is also a great way to warm up the kitchen on a chilly evening.)
I found the raw garlic (even 1 clove) overwhelmed the flavour of this Soup. Next time I would omit the garlic all together.
What is the serving size of the Roasted Butternut Squash Soup? Can you substitute Kombocha Squash for the Butternut?
Hello! I’ve made this one before during the pandemic and it was a hit for my family! What I couldn’t remember was if I subbed the vegetable broth for chicken broth. Can I use chicken broth vs chicken bone broth or vegetable broth? I only have chicken broth in hand atm.
Thank you!
You can use chicken broth if you’d like, it will just slightly alter the taste.
I don’t usually leave reviews, this turned out so good I had to say thank you. I roasted the garlic also and when I came to put the spices in the blender I did not have ginger so I replaced it with cinnamon and a little bit of allspice. I will make butternut squash soup roasted from this point forward it was great, the flavor was richer And I did not have to peel and cube the squash!
I’m so glad you’re loving this butternut squash soup Patty!
So…a trail of connected thoughts led me to want to make this recipe, but I never had & needed some assistance.
Thanks to finding this gem of a recipe from Lisa, my thoughts came true & I LOVED the outcome !❤️!
I had to modify the amounts due to a smaller squash…& I made my own veggie broth (I had none), but all-n-all it was delicious !!!
🤩😇😁
So glad you loved this butternut squash soup! Sometimes, even the slightest tweaks can make a difference in a recipe :)
I used a variety of winter squash that came in my CSA box, roasted garlic and replaced the syrup with an apple. So delicious!
Thanks for the amazing recipe.
The perfect way to make use of squash this season!
So good! just curious what a serving is. one cup?
I’d say each serving is about 1 to 1.5 cups. Depending on how big your butternut squash is.
Why don’t I ever see oven temperatures on your website? What am I missing? Are we supposed to put it in the oven at 350F?
Hi Jess – the oven temperature is listed in the recipe card. Make sure you’re viewing the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
This soup is very filling. I would use 2 cups of chicken flavour broth instead of vegetable broth plus 1 cup of water. I made carrot soup but had no veg. broth, used chicken broth and it is delicious.
I made this with roasted garlic and sautéed onions, it was so delicious and creamy in the blender. Will definitely make it again!
Yay, so happy you loved it!
We just enjoyed this for lunch with an Udi’s French Baguette. So perfect for a cool, fall day. Made as written except used chicken bone broth in place of the vegetable broth since I had recently made some and needed to use it up. Your Cranberry Orange Muffins were dessert!
I think I have made something from your website every day this week. Thank you for all the wonderful recipes!
It sounds like you’re on a roll Michelle – woohoo! So happy you’re enjoying all of my recipes. :)
Very delicious 😋
Roast everything together. All else, followed recipe. It’s a keeper👍🏻👍🏻
O M G ! ! ! !
I JUST made this!!!!! Scooping out the insides and also eating the remaining roasted parts…..was SO delish!!! I tasted the blended soup from the blender……and am in heaven!!!!! I have never made anything like this!! It was so easy!!! I love your step by step guide and pictures….. so easy to follow!!
So glad you enjoyed this butternut squash soup so much Kelli!
I followed this recipe exactly the first time using my Vitamix and one garlic clove (uncooked) was WAY too much. I feel horrible saying this but my husband and I, both garlic lovers, ate one serving and tossed the rest. I tried the recipe again a few weeks later and used a bit of garlic powder instead of fresh garlic and it is HANDS DOWN the best squash soup I’ve ever had. I believe roasting the garlic clove would also be an option so the flavour doesn’t completely overpower the soup.
Thank you so much!
Thanks so much for your feedback, Genevieve! A high-powered blender really does intensify the garlic. I’ll make sure to add a note about the garlic powder instead. Thanks!
Hello! I roasted two large squash, and was wondering how many cups to use to make this recipe. I want the flavors to balance, and don’t want to use too much squash.
Thank You!
I would say about 5- to 6 cups of butternut squash. But, I would also follow the weight of the butternut squash (as listed in the ingredients).
I found this recipe to be good. However I found it bland and lacking that umami flavor. I double the maple syrup and I doubled the nutmeg and it came out fantastic.
Thanks for sharing your tweaks, Cheryl!
No maple syrup is needed. The caramelized squash is sweet enough.
It was nice to see a video of you making this because I’d never made it before. Absolutely loved not having to chop the onion, and I kept the squash skin, seeds and pulp all attached after cooking – the Vitamix blended it all beautifully. Here are my tweaks – only used 1/2 onion, used 2 c unsweetened coconut milk and 2 c organic veg broth – NO SWEETENER as it was sweet enough on it’s own. I only added 1 c of each liq while all was in Vitamix bc it wouldn’t all fit, but worked perfectly to get everything broken down. Then added rest of liquid once on the stove in a big pot. Added Curry, nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon, red & blk pepper flakes. SO delicious!!!
Thanks Lisa for another great recipe. I often find pumpkin soup a little uninspired but this is a real winner. It’s deadly cold and wet out here at the moment and soup is essential to beat the winter chill. The maple syrup addition is unconventional but very welcome as it really brings out the pumpkin’s natural sweetness. I really like that cream or coconut milk/cream is not required as I prefer less ingredients in a soup. Thanks again, this will be added to the rotation.
This is the best soup ever. I keep butternut on hand as a hearty giro, even in the summer! Thank you alias!!
Glad you loved this squash soup!
I just got a vitamix and stumbled upon your recipes! This was sooooo easy and tastes delish!! Thank you.
Glad you enjoyed this butternut squash soup Melissa!
I’ve made butternut squash soup before, but this is the first time using a recipe using roasted squash. I used bacon fat rather than oil, chicken stock, and I roasted the garlic. This came out so yummy! Rich and smooth and with a nice little kick in the end. I will make this one again!
What is the serving size?
Each serving can make about 2 cups, depending how big your squash is.
Just tried this and it’s really good! As someone with zero cooking skills, this is basically fail proof. I added butter and a roasted garlic and it was *chef’s kiss*
What serving size is your nutrition information based on? Is it the same for every recipe?
Depending on how big your butternut squash is, each serving can be up to 2 cups.
I am a cook. I also love to try new recipes. I have never been able to really find a Butternut Squash soup recipe that I love. Until now. This is, hands down, the best Butternut Squash soup recipe. Not even kidding. I think the roasting of the onion and squash laid a beautiful foundation for the flavor of the soup. I didn’t have ground ginger so used grated fresh instead. Well that was a must. Used chicken stock instead and a splash of cream. Only one clove of garlic like you mentioned. Served with pumpkin seeds. Oh baby!!
Thrilled to hear you’ve found a winning butternut squash soup recipe Jennifer!
I have a vitamix 48oz container. Do you think I can blend this recipe in smaller parts and then combine it at the end?
Yes, that should be fine.
This i is delicious. I’ve made it twice in the last few weeks, another winner!
This was SOO good! Easy to make and easy to clean up! Everyone loved this soup! My husband, who typically dislikes soups and any type of squash, my extremely picky son, and even my toddler! Adding this to our meal rotation!!!
Happy to hear this soup even satisfied the picky eaters Ray. That’s always a plus!
Another hit, Lisa!
Again this was a spur of the moment cooking decision for me. I had a lonely butternut squash begging to be used. I did not have any onions but I did have two large scallions that substituted nicely. The soup was sweet / savory and delicious. I would say to people if they don’t like a slight little peppery after kick they might want to go easy with the ginger or pepper. I personally loved it. You are quickly becoming my new go to for inspiration and ideas!!
This soup really is the perfect way to make use of any leftover buttternut squash!
I made this wish Japanese pumpkin and it was so simple but the taste was so rich! Loved it!
Ive been trying to eat healthier due to an autoimmune disease. Its is so delicious. It will be a staple soup at my house from now on. Thank you for the recipe Lisa.❤️
Hope my recipes can help you enjoy cooking again!
This soup was insanely good and so simple! I didn’t have nutmeg on hand so used garam masala instead. I also roasted the garlic as suggested by others. Absolutely amazing. Even my husband who is not a big soup guy went for seconds. Would definitely make again.
Happy to hear this soup even satisfied the pickiest eaters!
Garam masala? I wish I read the comments first. We all love curry and my wife uses it in many of the dishes she makes and never I thought of using our garam masala in place of nutmeg. I will be making this soup for the first time tonight and look forward to it.
Excellent flavor and spices. I saved time by not cutting the squash. I put the cleaned, whole squash (pierced) in a baking dish with a little water and baked until tender, It’s very easy to cut and peel after baking. I sautéed my onions, half way through added the spices and the last two minutes added my garlic. I didn’t like the idea of raw garlic in the soup. Thank you Lisa.
Happy to hear you enjoyed this butternut squash soup Christina!