Creamy Butternut Squash Soup
Nothing is as comforting as a warm bowl of classic butternut squash soup on a cool fall day. This delicious soup is loaded with warm spices and wholesome ingredients that will soothe your body and soul.
I love soup any time of the year because it is so creamy and full of flavor. Fall and winter are undoubtedly the most common seasons to eat it but, why limit yourself when it tastes this good? If you love butternut squash as much as I do, check out my method for roasting squash whole in your oven.
We often pair it with a garden salad and call it dinner. Other times, we will pair soup with pasta salad like our vegan pasta primavera and corn on the cob. If you love delicious comforting savory soup like I do, try our vegan cheddar broccoli soup and creamy dairy-free mushroom soup.
Reasons you will love this soup
- Rich and Creamy Texture: This butternut squash soup is luxuriously smooth and creamy, offering a comforting, satisfying meal that feels indulgent yet healthy.
- Nutrient-Packed and Vegan: Loaded with vitamins and antioxidants from the butternut squash, this plant-based soup provides a nutritious boost while being entirely vegan.
- Easy to Make: With simple ingredients and minimal preparation, this butternut squash soup is perfect for a quick and wholesome weeknight dinner.
- Naturally Sweet and Flavorful: The natural sweetness of the squash pairs beautifully with savory spices, creating a well-balanced, flavorful soup that’s perfect for fall and winter.
Ingredients you will need
To make this easy butternut squash soup recipe, you will only need a few ingredients and 45 minutes.
- Butternut squash – You will need a medium to large-sized squash that weighs around 3 pounds.
- Carrot – This will add flavor and even bright color to the soup.
- Garlic & onion– Sauteing these before adding the other ingredients enhances the flavors.
- Vegetable broth – Using veggie broth instead of water is a great way to deepen the flavor of this soup. The Pacific Foods brand has low sodium and no oil, or you could make your own homemade veggie stock.
- Cashew milk – Other plant milks can also be used, but cashew milk is the most creamy and rich, and we have an easy recipe for homemade cashew milk if you want to make your own.
- Spices – Nutmeg, salt, and pepper are the simple seasonings used. I have listed other spices below that could also be added.
How to make vegan butternut squash soup
The recipe card at the bottom of the page has the full list of ingredients with measurements and instructions.
STEP #1: Place the diced onion and carrots in a large stock pot with about 1/4 cup of the vegetable broth and saute over medium heat until the onions begin to turn translucent and brown a little bit. If needed, add more broth one tablespoon at a time to keep it from sticking. This should only take about 3-4 minutes.
Add another tablespoon of the broth and the minced garlic and cook for about 1-2 more minutes.
STEP #2: Add the cubed butternut squash, nutmeg, salt, pepper, and the rest of the vegetable broth and stir.
Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce the heat to simmer. Cook until the squash and carrots are tender which should take about 25-30 minutes.
STEP #3: Add the cashew milk and carefully use an immersion blender to blend the soup until smooth. If it is too thick, add a little more veggie broth or cashew milk and blend until you get the desired consistency.
STEP #4: Season with more salt and pepper if needed. I like to swirl in a little more cashew milk on top to make it look pretty. Optional toppings include pepitas, toasted coconut flakes, or fresh parsley.
If you would like to add a little spice, try a pinch of red pepper flakes. I have included other topping options below. Serve with crusty bread if desired.
Tips for Success
The first time I made this soup, I used frozen cubed butternut squash because it was so easy and I didn’t need to cut up the squash, but the flavor just wasn’t as good as fresh squash.
Be sure to cut the carrots thinly so they will cook faster. In my first batch, the carrots wouldn’t blend well with the immersion blender because they weren’t soft enough.
Some recipes add diced apple and I tried that but didn’t care for it. It changed the texture of the soup, so I prefer it without apples.
If you want to add cinnamon for more flavor, I suggest sprinkling it on before serving. If you add it during the cooking process, the soup isn’t as bright and colorful.
Topping ideas
This soup is delicious and if you want to take it up another notch, try any of these extra topping ideas that make it look beautiful.
- Toasted coconut flakes
- Roasted pepita seeds
- Fresh parsley
- Fresh thyme
- A pinch of red pepper flakes
- Ground black pepper
- A swirl of cashew milk
Frequently Asked Questions
Serve this soup with a crusty sourdough break or even make your own loaf of oil-free homemade whole wheat bread. Pair it with stuffed acorn squash, pasta salad, or even a garden salad.
Sandwiches are always a great option for serving with soup, so try our chickpea avocado sandwich spread or these easy veggie wraps.
I think leftover soup tastes even better the next day after the flavors have more time to marry up. It can be reheated in your microwave or on the stovetop.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator and reheat it on the stovetop or microwave.
For those who are soup lovers like me, we have a whole category of delicious vegan soups for you to try.
If you try this recipe, please let us know how you like it by rating it and leaving a comment. We love to hear from you!
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Creamy Butternut Squash Soup
Ingredients
- 3 lb butternut squash peeled, seeded, and diced
- 1 cup yellow onion, chopped
- 3/4 cup carrots, diced thin
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup cashew milk
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 pinch black pepper
Instructions
- Place the diced onion and carrots in a large stock pot with about 1/4 cup of the vegetable broth and saute over medium heat until the onions begin to turn translucent and brown a little bit. If needed, add more broth one tablespoon at a time to keep it from sticking. This should only take about 3-4 minutes.
- Add another tablespoon of the broth and the minced garlic and cook for about 1-2 more minutes.
- Add the cubed butternut squash, nutmeg, salt, pepper, and the rest of the vegetable broth and stir.
- Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce the heat to simmer. Cook until the squash and carrots are tender which should take about 25-30 minutes.
- Stir in the cashew milk and carefully use an immersion blender to blend the soup until smooth. If it is too thick, add a little more veggie broth or cashew milk and blend until you get the desired consistency.
- Season with more salt and pepper if needed. I like to swirl in a little more cashew milk on top to make it look pretty. Optional toppings include pepitas, toasted coconut flakes, or fresh parsley. If you would like to add a little spice, try a pinch of red pepper flakes. I have included other topping options below. Serve with crusty bread if desired.
Video
Notes
- Cinnamon- If you want to add cinnamon for more flavor, I suggest sprinkling it on top before serving. If you add it during the cooking process, the soup isn’t as bright and colorful.
- Roast your veggies – You can roast the squash, carrots, and onion before adding them to the soup to add even more flavor if desired. It doesn’t take that much time, about 25 minutes in the oven.
- Carrots – If you prefer, the carrots can be replaced with more butternut squash.
- Add grains – To make this soup more hearty, simply add brown rice, bulgur wheat, farro, or other favorite grain when it is cooking. Just be sure to add extra broth accordingly to accommodate for the grains.
- Milk – Other plant milks can be used in place of cashew milk. Many recipes call for coconut milk, but I opted for a lower-fat version of soup.
- Sweeten– 1/3 cup of maple syrup, date syrup, or agave nectar can be added to sweeten if desired.
- Toasted coconut flakes
- Roasted pepita seeds
- Fresh parsley
- Fresh thyme
- A pinch of red pepper flakes
- Ground black pepper
- A swirl of cashew milk
Nutrition
Disclaimer
To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
I made this 2 days ago and could eat it every day! Butternut squash soup! I always roast the squash whole to save my fingers and temper. Next time, I’ll roast the carrots and onions as well. Decided to “splurge” on cashew milk an only used half. Still creamy and very delicious! Thank you so much!
I love hearing that you liked this soup so much. Thank you for the terrific feedback!
I just made the Butternut Squash Soup recipe today….OH MY GOSH!! It is DELICIOUS!! The only changes I made was that I used oat milk instead of cashew milk and I left out the salt. I cannot believe how good this is!! My husband loves it too! I will definitely be making this over and over again! Thank you!!!
Darlene- YAY! I’m so glad that you and your husband liked it. This makes me SO HAPPY to hear! Oat milk is a great sub for cashew milk because it’s nice and creamy too. Thank you for such great feedback on this new recipe! ♥
I just finished making it too, but instead of the cashew milk, I used almond milk. wonderful! I’ll definitely be making this again.
YAY! You know it’s good when you’re already planning to make it again. For the WIN!
Delicious!