Roasted Butternut Squash Soup (served 2 ways)

Creamy, cold weather magic

This Roasted Butternut Squash Soup is fantastic for cold fall and winter nights when only the creamiest bowl of comfort will suffice. Butternut squash is roasted until fork-tender and bespotted with lovely brown roasted bits amongst its bright orange caramelized flesh, then scooped into a large dutch oven to simmer with a perfectly creamy broth. The cozy + warm mix is elevated with a blend of fresh sage, ground nutmeg, curry powder, black pepper, and a dash of cayenne.

As if that weren't delicious enough, I've included my two favorite ways to serve this soup -- one sweet + herby and the other leaning assertively into all things sweet + spicy. This recipe is creamy, cold weather magic.

My 2 favorite ways to serve this Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Though this Roasted Butternut Squash Soup is delicious on its own, I generally serve it one of two ways:

• Sweet + Herby - with a swirl of sour cream or Greek yogurt (or cashew cream for Paleo and Whole30 diets), chopped fresh herbs (Italian flat-leaf parsley, chives, or additional sage are favorites), and if I'm feeling really fancy a drizzle of oil (olive oil, garlic-infused olive oil, or truffle oil are all lovely)
• Sweet + Spicy - topped with sauteed spicy ground chorizo, which provides a great hit of spiciness to balance out the sweetness of the butternut squash, and a sprinkle of green onions.

If you're looking for a side dish to round this soup out into a hearty meal, it is especially delicious served with a side of this Browned Butter Buttermilk Skillet Cornbread, these Grain-Free Biscuits, or a loaf of crusty bread.

How to choose a good butternut squash

Starting with a good butternut squash will make all the difference in making a good butternut squash soup, so keep these things in mind as you shop for your squash:

• It should feel heavy for its size. Pick up a couple of similar size squashes and compare their weight in your hands. The lighter-feeling squashes of similar size are likely not ripe enough, so opt for their heavier counterparts. Butternut squash comes in all different sizes and the large ones are not necessarily better than their smaller counterparts. Often, I will end up with two medium-sized butternut squashes to make this recipe rather than one large one, while other times a large one from the farmers market works beautifully.
• The stem should be firm and intact. If it's softened or missing, it likely means that the squash is reaching the end of its life.
• Surface scratches and imperfections are ok, but your squash should not have any deep scratching, cuts, or soft spots.
• The color should be an even beige. Green spots or large streaks mean that the squash has probably not fully ripened yet. A pale spot or two is normal as this is likely just the spot the squash was laying on the ground where it grew.

Prepping and roasting the butternut squash

I prefer to roast the squash for this butternut squash soup recipe because roasting brings out all of the gorgeous caramel notes. Though the squash is sliced and seeded before roasting, I don't bother peeling it because roasting will tenderize the flesh to the point that it's super easy to scoop out for this soup.

1. Using a chef's knife, slice the top of the butternut squash as well as ~½ inch off the bottom.
2. Then carefully slice the squash in half vertically. I find that this is easiest to do with it standing upright on it's newly trimmed, flat bottom end.
3. Using a spoon, scoop out the seeds and discard them.
4. Transfer the squash to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking liner, flesh side up, to maximize browning and caramelization of the flesh.
5. Using a basting brush (or your fingertips in a pinch), brush 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the exposed flesh of the squash.
6. Transfer the squash to the oven and roast until fork-tender, then remove from oven and reserve to the side. Depending on the size of your squash and whether you used several small squashes or one large one, this usually takes anywhere from 45 minutes to 75 minutes.

What tools do I need to make this recipe?

• A cutting board
• A chefs knife
• A basting brush (for rubbing oil on the squash)
• A large baking sheet + parchment paper or a silicone baking liner
• A large dutch oven or soup pot
• Measuring cups and measuring spoons
• A wooden spoon or spatula + a soup ladle (for serving)
• An immersion blender or high-powered traditional blender

If you choose to make the Sweet + Spicy version you will also need:

• A sautee pan
• A wooden spoon or spatula

Are you looking to upgrade to your cooking tools or replenish your pantry? Check out my kitchen tools shop page and pantry staples shop page to find my must-have kitchen tools, pantry items, and other Whip & Wander favorites.

Storage and Freezing

When stored properly in airtight containers in the refrigerator, this Roasted Butternut Squash Soup should keep for up to 4 days.

This recipe also freezes well for up to three months in airtight freezer-safe containers. To reheat, simply allow to thaw in the refrigerator overnight then reheat in a pot on the stove or in a microwave-safe container in the microwave.

A note for special diets

This Roasted Butternut Squash Soup is grain-free, gluten-free, and friendly for lactose-free diets when you use a lactose-free half & half.

If you would like to make this recipe friendly for Paleo or Whole30 diets, you can swap the half & half for coconut milk with delicious results.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup (served 2 ways)

★★★★★ 5 from 16 reviews

• Author: Whip & Wander
• Prep Time: 7 minutes
• Cook Time: 75 min
• Total Time: 1 hour 22 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x
• Category: Soups & Stews
• Method: Oven + Stovetop
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Gluten Free

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Description

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup is a creamy cold weather comfort food recipe that is easily made friendly for gluten-free, Paleo, and Whole30 diets.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 3 lb butternut squash
• 1 tbsp olive oil (for brushing the squash before it roasts)
• 2 tbsp garlic-infused olive oil (may sub 2 tbsp olive oil + 2 cloves minced garlic)
• 2 tbsp fresh sage leaves
• 2 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth
• 1 cup half & half (I prefer this lactose-free version) or coconut milk (for Paleo and Whole30)
• 1 tsp sea salt
• ¾ tsp curry powder
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
• ¼ tsp cracked black pepper
• ⅛ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

For sweet + herby version:

• Sour cream or Greek yogurt, to taste (alternatively for Paleo and Whole 30 diets, you can use cashew cream)
• Fresh herbs, chopped (Italian flat-leaf parsley, chives, or additional sage are all favorites), to taste
• A drizzle of oil (olive oil, garlic-infused olive oil, or truffle oil are all lovely), to taste

For the sweet + spicy version:

• 1lb ground chorizo, sauteed until cooked through
• ½ cup green onions, chopped

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Instructions

For the butternut squash soup base:

1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F (220 C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking liner and set to the side.
2. Using a chef's knife, slice the top of the butternut squash as well as ~½ inch off the bottom. Then carefully slice the squash in half vertically. I find that this is easiest to do with it standing upright on it's newly trimmed, flat bottom end. Using a spoon, scoop out the seeds and discard them. Transfer the squash to the baking sheet, flesh side up.
3. Using a basting brush (or your fingertips in a pinch), brush 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the exposed flesh of the squash.
4. Transfer the squash to the oven and roast until fork-tender, then remove from oven and reserve to the side. Depending on the size of your squash and whether you used several small squashes or one large one, this usually takes anywhere from 45 minutes to 75 minutes.
5. Preheat a large dutch oven or soup pot to medium-high heat.
6. Add the garlic oil (or olive oil + minced garlic) and the fresh sage leaves. Allow the sage to cook for about one minute, then transfer the butternut squash flesh to the pan. To do this, hold the squash with a clean kitchen towel on the peel side so that you don't burn your hands, then taking a spoon, carefully scoop out the soft squash flesh and add it to the pan. The flesh should remove easily from the shard skin at this point now that it's softened. Discard the skin.
7. Add the vegetable broth (or chicken broth) and the half & half (or coconut milk) to the pan with the squash, as well as the sea salt, curry powder, ground nutmeg, cracked black pepper, and the optional cayenne pepper.
8. As the mixture cooks, it will break down and soften further. I like to use a wooden spoon or spatula to help break up some of the squash as it cooks. Allow it to come to a simmer for about 10 minutes. At this point the squash should be relatively broken down, but still very chunky and brothy.
9. Remove the soup from heat and using an immersion blender, blend the soup until all of the squash has completely broken down and the soup mixture is smooth. Alternatively, if you do not have an immersion blender, you may carefully transfer the hot soup mixture to a high-powered blender and blend until smooth, then transfer it back to the soup pot.
10. Transfer the soup back to the stove and set it to medium heat. Allow to simmer until it has reached your desired level of thickness. Taste for salt and adjust if necessary.
11. Serve the Roasted Butternut squash Soup by itself, or with one of the formentioned sweet + herby or sweet + spicy toppings. If you're looking for a side dish to round this soup out into a hearty meal, it is especially delicious served with a side of this Browned Butter Buttermilk Skillet Cornbread, these Grain-Free Biscuits, or a loaf of crusty bread.

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Notes

Nutritional information on Whip & Wander is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site.

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Nutrition

• Serving Size: ¼ the of the batch with no additional toppings
• Calories: 331
• Sugar: 9 g
• Sodium: 895 mg
• Fat: 18 g
• Saturated Fat: 5 g
• Carbohydrates: 42 g
• Fiber: 8 g
• Protein: 6 g
• Cholesterol: 20 mg

Keywords: butternut squash, soup