This is the best creamy butternut squash soup that is cozy, healthy and nourishing for fall plus easy to make in one pot with veggies, spices and coconut milk!
Classic and cozy soup recipes like sweet potato soup and pumpkin soup are perfect for celebrating fall vegetables!
Table of Contents
Creamy One Pot Butternut Squash Soup
Part of what makes the changing of the seasons so enjoyable is indulging in our favorite seasonal recipes! Butternut squash soup has got to be one of my family’s favorite comfort food recipes, along with others including baked potato soup and broccoli cheese soup.
While the primary ingredient in this soup is butternut squash, celery, carrots, potatoes, and warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg add earthy flavor. Coconut milk adds a rich and creamy consistency plus makes this dairy-free; it’s naturally gluten-free and can be made vegan, too!
Butternut Squash Soup Recipe Ingredients
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- Unsalted butter & olive oil: Using both to sauté the aromatics and veggies helps to prevent burning but using butter with the oil adds a nice buttery element to the taste.
- Onion & garlic: The aromatics are the foundation of the soup. It’s how we start building layers of flavor.
- Vegetables: Celery, carrot, and potatoes. Extra veggies mean extra nutrients and of course even more flavor. Potatoes are starchy so they’ll help thicken the soup as well.
- Butternut squash: Peel the squash, remove the seeds, and cut it into cubes. This is a bit of a tough veggie when it’s raw so you’ll need a large sharp knife to get the job done. You can also grab some pre-cut butternut squash from the store.
- Chicken broth: For flavor, I like adding chicken stock or broth. If you prefer to keep it vegetarian or vegan, you can use vegetable broth instead.
- Spices & seasoning: Warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg as well as salt and pepper to help elevate the entire dish.
- Full-fat coconut milk: Adding this at the end adds a creaminess that just makes each spoonful of the squash soup that much richer.
How to Make Butternut Squash Soup
Melt oil and butter in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat and cook the onion, garlic, carrot, potatoes, and squash for 5 minutes until lightly browned.
Pour in the broth and sprinkle in the cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Bring it to a boil.
Now, reduce the heat to low and cover with a lid. Simmer the soup for 40 minutes until the squash is fork tender. Once the cooking time is up, remove the lid and pour in the coconut milk.
Grab your immersion blender and purée until it has a smooth texture. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into serving bowls, garnish with pepitas, and drizzle a little coconut cream on top. Enjoy!
Toppings
This creamy butternut squash soup recipe is so delicious with a few toppings which add some texture!
- Top with a swirl of coconut milk or a dollop of sour cream instead.
- Pepitas or roasted pumpkin seeds would add some crunch.
- You can also add other toppings like bacon and Parmesan cheese, homemade croutons, arugula, sprouted greens or walnuts.
- Dried cranberries and fresh herbs like rosemary or thyme are also great.
Tips and Variations
- No immersion blender? No problem. Just use a regular stand-up blender and blend in batches. Be careful, it’s hot!
- Roasted butternut squash soup is a bonus that adds an extra level of flavor if you’ve got the time to roast your squash ahead of time.
- Spices. Feel free to add a sprinkle of curry powder, fresh minced ginger, or paprika to the soup. A bit of cayenne pepper adds spice.
- Natural sweetness. Cooking apples in the soup is a popular way to add natural sweetness that pairs well with the squash and cinnamon.
- Make it in advance. Do a little of the prep work ahead of time. Cut the veggies and keep them in the refrigerator until you’re ready to dump them in the soup. You can also make the entire soup ahead and reheat it when you’re ready to serve it.
More favorite soup recipes include corn chowder, 3-Ingredient chili and vegetable beef soup!
More Favorite Soup Recipes
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Creamy Butternut Squash Soup Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion , chopped
- 2-4 garlic cloves
- 1 stalk celery , chopped
- 1 medium carrot , peeled and chopped
- 2 medium potatoes cubed
- 1 medium butternut squash , peeled, seeded, and cubed
- 3 cups chicken broth
- Pinch ground cinnamon
- Pinch ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ cup full-fat coconut milk , or sub for heavy cream
Optional toppings: Coconut cream or heavy cream, Pepitas
Instructions
- Saute veggies. In a large stockpot over medium-high heat, melt 1 Tablespoon butter and 1 Tablespoon olive oil. Add 1 onion, 2-4 garlic cloves, 1 stalk celery, 1 medium carrot, 2 medium potatoes, and 1 medium squash then cook 5 minutes, or until lightly browned.
- Simmer. Add 3 cups broth, pinch of cinnamon, pinch nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 40 minutes, or until the squash can be easily pierced with a fork. Stir in 1/2 cup coconut milk.
- Purée with an immersion blender or in batches in a standing blender until smooth. Taste and season the soup with salt and pepper.
- Serve. Ladle into bowls and drizzle coconut cream over the top and sprinkle with pepitas, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Recipe FAQs
It’s not in this recipe only because I prefer to use chicken broth for flavor. You certainly can make it vegan by replacing it with vegetable broth instead and use oil instead of butter.
Absolutely! Loads of nutrients, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory properties stem from the veggies that this soup is mostly made from! Fresh, wholesome ingredients in a soup made with love is always a healthy way to eat!
Keep leftover soup airtight in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container or a freezer bag. Thaw in the fridge overnight. To reheat it, warm it on the stovetop over medium-low heat until warmed through. You can also use the microwave for a single serving, you may want to add a splash of coconut milk or broth.
Quinoa and black bean salad and apple cranberry spinach salad are two fall salads that are just the perfect pairing. A basket of either cornbread muffins or artisan bread on the table is just the thing and my love it with grilled cheese!
Categorized as: American, Christmas, Freezer-Friendly, Nut-Free, Soups, Stovetop, Stovetop, Thanksgiving, Vegetarian, Vegetarian
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
Delicious! I substituted 1 TBL garam masala for the cinnamon and nutmeg and used 4 cups of veggy broth instead of chicken broth. So flavorful!
Yum! That variation sounds so good!
Ich liebe Kürbissuppe. und freue mich auf ein neues Rezept. Danke
Looking forward to hearing how you like it!
I made this for company. Wonderful. I added a sprinkle of cayenne towards the end of cooking. Came out great.
I’m so happy you enjoyed the soup Jayne!
I have made several different versions of butternut squash soup, and this one is delicious, easy, and will be my favorite. I did add 1/2 one diced apple, and I used the spices that I like in other recipes I’ve tried: I use a little more cinnamon than this recipe calls for, and then I add an 1/8 nutmeg, allspice, ginger, clove, and paprika.
My family loved this soup!!! It was super easy to make too. I think I actually might make it for Thanksgiving.
butternut squash is one of my favorite soups, and this is no different! thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe
This is exactly what I crave in the fall!! It’s smooth, delicious, & brings all the comfort to the table! I do like to add the pepitas for crunch!