Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

This Roasted Butternut Squash Soup recipe is so rich and creamy you won’t believe it’s dairy free. It’s a super wholesome and irresistibly delicious soup to enjoy on a chilly autumn day.

A blue bowl filled with Butternut Squash Soup topped with croutons.

Pull on a sweater, light a fire, and get a big pot of this Roasted Butternut Squash Soup going on the stove.

There is nothing that makes me feel more warm and cozy than a bowl of this soup. It is creamy and slightly sweet with just a hint of curry. Perfection in a bowl. And, with a purée like this, there is no need to add heavy cream or any dairy at all. That would just add unnecessary fat and calories to the naturally rich and creamy nature of roasted butternut squash.

A red pot filled with Butternut Squash Soup.

How to Select Butternut Squash

If you haven’t cooked with butternut squash in the past, here is a quick checklist of items that will help you select the perfect squash.

Select a butternut squash that has an even, solid beige color and avoid those that have any green spots which could indicate they aren’t ripe. The finish should be matte, not glossy, which can also indicate an under-ripe squash.
Avoid squash that have any deep cuts or bruises. A few surface scratches are normal and won’t affect the quality of the flesh inside.
Choose a squash that feels hard and heavy for it’s size. Compare similar-sized squash and choose the one that feels heaviest.

How to Cut Butternut Squash

You’ll need a sturdy chef’s knife, a steady hand and a cutting board.

Slice off both ends of the squash. This will give you flat, stable surfaces for the next step.
Set the squash down on your cutting board with the widest, cut-side down.
Slice the squash from top to bottom right through the center, from the tapered end all the way down through the wider end, until you have sliced it in half.

Kitchen Tip

To soften butternut squash a bit before cutting it in half, use a fork to poke holes all over the skin and cook for 1 to 2 minutes in the microwave. Don’t ever cook it for more than 2 minutes or the flesh will begin to cook and change texture.

How to Roast Butternut Squash

Halved butternut squash on a foil lined baking sheet.

Use a spoon to scoop and scrape out the seeds and strings from each half and place them cut side down on a foil-lined baking sheet.
Roast in a 375 degree F oven for about 50 minutes or until fork tender all the way through.

Once the squash is cool enough to handle you should be able to pull the skin right off. Use a sharp knife to get at the edges if needed. If the skin is not cooperating, use a spoon to scoop out the flesh and toss the peel.

You can roast your squash in advance to save time, if you’d like. Just store the cooled, roasted squash in an airtight container in the refrigerator and use it within 3 to 4 days.

Making the Soup

Onion, carrot and butternut squash cook in a Dutch oven.

Heat a couple of tablespoons of vegetable oil in a Dutch oven. Add diced onion and carrot and cook, until the onion is translucent and the carrot is fork tender.
Add the roasted squash, garlic, chicken or vegetable broth, brown sugar, and curry powder and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover the pot, and cook for 10 minutes.
Remove the pot from the heat and purée the soup until creamy and smooth (see note below). Add additional broth, if desired, and season the soup with cayenne pepper and salt, to taste.

I use my immersion blender whenever I purée soups like this one or my world famous (ha!) Broccoli Cheese Soup, Creamy Cauliflower Soup, and White Bean and Ham Soup. It is a handy dandy kitchen tool and worth the cost even if you only use it now and then. If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can use a regular blender or food processor to purée the soup in batches.

Storing Butternut Squash Soup

This soup reheats very well from either the chilled or frozen state. I highly recommend doubling the recipe and freezing half for an easy meal on a busy day.

Refrigerate

Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.

Freeze

Transfer the completely cooled soup to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. For individual servings, use freezer-safe quart size plastic storage bags or small containers, so you can grab just what you need for a quick lunch or solo dinner. If you are a soup lover, these fun “soup cube” silicon freezing trays are so cool. Always leave a little head space in any container when freezing soup as it can expand a bit when frozen. Allow frozen soup to thaw safely in the refrigerator before reheating.

Butternut Squash Soup in a bowl topped with croutons.

I like to serve this with some crunchy croutons for more flavor and texture. Either freshly baked or store-bought will work just fine.

Bon appetit!

This post was originally published on October 6, 2011. It has been updated with new text and images.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

This Roasted Butternut Squash Soup recipe is so rich and creamy you won't believe it's dairy free. It's a super wholesome and irresistibly delicious soup to enjoy on a chilly autumn day.

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine American

minutes

hour minutes

Servings 6

Calories 152kcal

1 large butternut squash approximately 2 pounds, halved lengthwise, seeded
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
½ cup chopped onion
1 carrot peeled and chopped
1 teaspoon minced garlic
3 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth for vegetarian) plus additional 1 cup to thin if necessary
2 tablespoons brown sugar
½ teaspoon curry
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper or more! (optional)
salt to taste
fresh thyme leaves for garnish (optional)
croutons optional

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F . Line a rimmed baking sheet with heavy duty foil.
Place the squash halves cut-side down on the foil-lined baking sheet. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until tender all the way through when pierced with a fork or sharp knife. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. When cool enough to handle, remove and discard the skin, using a sharp knife, if necessary. Alternately, you can use a spoon to scoop the flesh out of the skin. You should have about 3 cups of roasted squash.
In a large saucepan or Dutch oven with a lid, heat the 2 tablespoons oil over LOW heat. Add the onion and carrot and cook, until the onion is translucent and the carrot is fork tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Add the roasted squash, garlic, chicken or vegetable broth, brown sugar, and curry powder and increase the heat under the pot as needed to bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to LOW, cover the pot, and cook for 10 minutes.
Remove the pot from the heat and use an immersion blender to purée the soup until creamy and smooth. If you don't have an immersion blender, cool the soup for about 5 minutes. Working in batches, purée the soup in a blender or food processor. Transfer the purée to a clean pan as you work.
If you would like to thin the consistency, add additional broth. Season the soup with cayenne pepper and salt, to taste, and simmer a few minutes over MEDIUM heat to enhance the flavors. Garnish with fresh thyme leaves, if desired.
Ladle the soup into bowls and serve with croutons.

Cutting Butternut Squash You’ll need a sturdy chef’s knife, a steady hand and a cutting board.

Slice off both ends of the squash. This will give you flat, stable surfaces for the next step.
Set the squash down on your cutting board with the widest, cut-side down.
Slice the squash from top to bottom right through the center, from the tapered end all the way down through the wider end, until you have sliced it in half.

Make-Ahead Tip You can roast your squash in advance to save time, if you’d like. Just store the cooled, roasted squash in an airtight container in the refrigerator and use it within 3 to 4 days.

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