Butternut Squash Soup - Love and Lemons (2024)

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

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Butternut Squash Soup - Love and Lemons (1)

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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. 🙂

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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!

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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.

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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!

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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:

  • Simple Lemon Green Beans
  • Roasted Cauliflower with Lemon Zest
  • Simple Roasted Beets
  • Rainbow Kale Salad with Carrot-Ginger Dressing
  • Shredded Brussels Sprout Salad
  • Roasted Brussels Sprouts
  • Roasted Beet Salad

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!

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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!

rate this recipe:

4.99 from 1631 votes

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 35 minutes mins

Total Time: 45 minutes mins

Serves 6

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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.

Butternut Squash Soup - Love and Lemons (2024)

FAQs

How do you make butternut squash soup less bland? ›

How do you make butternut squash soup less bland? The key is to season it correctly. I use ground sage and nutmeg which both enhance the flavors of butternut squash and bring out its natural sweetness. Stir in full-fat coconut milk to make this soup extra-creamy, and don't forget the salt and pepper!

Why does my butternut squash soup taste sour? ›

What happened? It's no coincidence that the butternut squash soup had fermented, alcoholic notes. Indeed, fermented rice turns out to be the culprit here. Rice is high in starch, which is relatively easy to ferment.

Why is my butternut squash soup not smooth? ›

TIPS: You can save time by buying butternut squash already cubed from your grocery store's produce section. Make sure the squash is fork tender before blending. If you blend too soon, your soup will be grainy, not smooth.

Is butternut squash soup good for you? ›

One cup is loaded with Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Magnesium, and Potassium! Butternut Squash is filled with antioxidants which include vitamin C, vitamin E, and beta-carotene. It's shown that antioxidants can help to prevent and slow down inflammation which may lead to a reduced risk of several chronic diseases.

Why is my butternut squash tasteless? ›

If it's underripe, the squash won't have developed its signature taste. If it's overripe, it may be dry, mushy or flavorless. Follow these tips the next time you're at the grocery store or farmers market to find the perfect recipe-ready butternut squash.

How do you add flavor to boring soup? ›

Got a soup that tastes a little bland and unexciting? Add a splash of vinegar (any kind!), or a squeeze of citrus. Chances are, you could use a little more salt.

How to fix bitter butternut squash soup? ›

Add apples!

Don't worry! It may sound odd, but we even add apples to soup sometimes – like our creamy roasted butternut squash and sage soup. If you don't have any apples on hand, add a little sugar instead. Start with a small amount (no more than ½ tsp per quart of broth) and then taste and adjust as needed.

How do you get the bitter taste out of squash? ›

It helps to know that the bitter compound is more concentrated in the stem rather than in the blossom end of the squash. To reduce the bitter flavor, peel the squash, beginning at the blossom end, and discard a couple of inches of it at the stem end.

How do you counteract sourness in soup? ›

How Do You Neutralize Sour Taste in Food? If a dish is too sour, add a little bit of sugar! Sweetness balances out sour flavors, so if something makes your mouth pucker, a dash of sugar may help soften the blow of the sour food.

Is butternut squash anti inflammatory? ›

Nutritional Benefits of Butternut Squash

It contains zeaxanthin and lutein, two powerful antioxidants that support vision. Butternut Squash's high antioxidant content may have anti-inflammatory benefits, helping to reduce your risk of inflammation-related disorders like rheumatoid arthritis.

What does butternut squash do for the gut? ›

Butternut squash contains considerable amounts of fiber, which can help you keep a healthy weight and regulate bowel movements. It's known to help prevent colorectal cancer while the beta-carotene in butternut squash can also improve eye health.

Is butternut squash good for your bowels? ›

Supports healthy digestion: The fiber in butternut squash helps maintain a healthy digestive system, preventing constipation and promoting regular bowel movements.

How do you make soup not taste bland? ›

How to Make Broth More Flavorful
  1. Add herbs and spices. Herbs and spices add aroma, flavor, and intensity to soup broth. ...
  2. Pack in umami flavor. "If your broth is lacking in savory richness, try adding roasted onion, tomato paste, mushrooms, seaweed, soy sauce, or miso. ...
  3. Let it evaporate and cook longer.
Jun 28, 2023

Why does my squash taste bland? ›

No doubt, squash's flavor issues stem from the fact that it's mostly water. Being as much as 95 percent H2O, it's no surprise that it tastes a lot like water, which is to say, bland.

How do you make squash soup less spicy? ›

Try mixing in a spoonful of honey or sugar to cut the spice with sweetness. Sometimes, a sweet flavor can counteract spiciness and make your soup taste more balanced. Only add in a spoonful at a time and mix it into the broth.

How do you reduce seasoning in soup? ›

Other ways to remove salt from food

Fresh herbs like parsley, basil, or thyme can help to mask the saltiness of soup, too. Add a small amount of fresh herbs to the soup and stir until well combined. Acidic ingredients like lemon juice, vinegar, or tomatoes can also help to reduce the saltiness of soup.

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