Served piping hot with a hunk of crusty bread, this creamy, nourishing butternut squash soup recipe is fall comfort food at its best.
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. 🙂
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 –Â These veggies add delicious depth of flavor.
- Fresh sage and rosemary –Â 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 –Â 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 –Â 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!
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.
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!
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!
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!
Butternut Squash Soup
Equipment
- 5.5-Quart Dutch Oven (I personally use the Staub Cocotte)
- Blender (I've used my trusty Vitamix for years)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 (3-pound) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
- ½ tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 3 to 4 cups vegetable broth
- Freshly ground black pepper
For serving
- Chopped parsley
- Toasted pepitas
- Crusty bread
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.
I forgot to add the ginger and didn’t have sage, but it was STILL delicious haha. (I added some thyme in place of sage) Looking forward to making it again correctly because everyone loved it. I’ll probably double it because four people finished it very quickly.
My organic squash is only 1.5 lbs. I’m going to buy frozen organic squash to make up the difference. How much should I buy? They are 10 oz bags.
Can you make this the day before and reheat?
yep!
Here’s me…ginger? Sounds odd but wth. Oh my goodness, so delicious, so smooth, such lovely flavours! So yeah, I’ve put away the better part of a whole entire butternut squash today. I regret nothing..
Pro tip, cut the squash in half and roast it. Peeling a hard squash can lead to peeling your little fingies! Thx!
I’m so glad you loved the flavors!
This was surprisingly creamy and delicious. Perfect blend of spices. I didn’t have rosemary so substituted Italian season.
The pumpkin seeds as a topper is a nice topper to add some crunch.
It was easy for me except for the peeling of the squash.
I’m so glad you loved it!
wow! I had this at freinds last week and asked for the recipe – this butternut squash soup is so so delicious and easy to make. Someone who has eaten many of my soups said it was the best soup they can remember ever eating. it is truly the perfect blend of flavors.,
I’m so glad you loved it!
This was super yummy! Unfortunately I did not have ginger, and replaced the olive oil with coconut oil for a hint of coconut flavour and it turned out great. Thank you for the delicious recipe!
This soup was so easy and so delicious! I followed the recipe as it’s written. My husband and I both loved it, and it will definitely go into our regular soup rotation.
I’m so glad you both loved it!
This soup is so easy and so delicious!! I made it just as the recipe is written. My husband and I both loved it, and it will definitely go into our regular soup rotation.
Hi Julie, I’m so glad you both loved it!
This soup is amazing! I just made it and have already eaten two bowls full. It’s perfect with some sour dough bread and a glass of wine. I will most definitely make this again!
Hi Pat, I’m so glad you loved it!
What do you think of using roasted garlic? Would it change the flavour much?
Thanks!!
I think it would be great!
This recipe was absolutely delicious! It was well worth the effort to make it! This one’s a keeper!
Excellent, the herbs are key to this soup. Added a dash fo cream: nice but not necessary.
Looking forward to making this yummy soup. Question: how many cups of squash? I’m Buying my squash pre chopped
I just made it last night. Delicious! I’m guessing that I had about 8-10 cups.. A large bowlful. Hope that’s helpful.
Another great recipe! The soup was delicious and didn’t last long. I was hoping to have leftovers to freeze, but alas, no.
You’re my go to website for everything I cook or bake. I’m not a vegetarian but I love your recipes.
Looking forward to your Christmas cookies!