This is the absolute BEST Butternut Squash Soup! This easy recipe has the delicious, light sweetness of roasted butternut squash and a creamy texture without adding any dairy. Consider this the perfect way to enjoy your favorite winter squash.

Butternut Squash Soup In White bowl with Cream and Pumpkin Seed Garnish

Summer might be the reigning king of seasonal produce, but it would be a huge mistake to overlook winter squash.

Butternut squash is one of the most popular winter squashes and for good reason. It has a sweet, slightly nutty flavor similar to pumpkin and is great in both sweet and savory recipes.

This roasted butternut squash soup is one of the best ways to use it. Its also one of my top rated recipes! It tastes amazing and uses simple, good-for-you ingredients.

Table of contents

Why This Recipe Is The Best

Roasting = the biggest secret of all – For the best soup, we’ll be using Roasted Butternut Squash. Why? Because roasting caramelizes and intensifies the natural sweetness and flavor of the squash. Cutting the squash into cubes first maximizes the surface area for the most flavor. You just don’t get the same effect if you simmer the cubes in the broth. 

Minimal ingredients but incredible flavor – All of the ingredients for this butternut squash soup are pantry staples, and they all add to the rich flavor of the recipe. 

Incredibly creamy, without dairy – While you can add a drizzle of heavy cream or coconut cream on top to make it pretty, this soup is made without dairy but still has a luscious, creamy texture. Unlike some other soup recipes, just doesn’t need the dairy!

Intense flavor, and not watery – Roasting the squash first cooks out a lot of its water and intensifies the flavor.

No added sugar or sweetness – You’d be surprised how many butternut squash soup recipes and restaurant versions call for adding sugar. It’s an easy way to make things taste good, but totally unnecessary here. Instead, we make the most of the natural sweetness of the squash by roasting it.

Batch friendly – I like to make a double batch of roasted butternut squash. I use one batch as a side dish or in a salad and use the other for this soup. You can even keep the roasted squash in the freezer for turning into soup later on.

How to Cut Butternut Squash - starting With Slicing Off the End

Pro Tips for the Best Butternut Squash Soup

Pick a good butternut squash – Look for a whole squash that has a dark beige color and a very firm texture. If it’s starting to feel soft or if it has a lot of dings in it, pick a different one. You also want the stem to be firmly intact instead of fallen off. Ideally you want the heaviest squash for its size, which indicates more moisture inside.

Roast the squash in small pieces – I know you can roast the squash whole, but the downside of this is you don’t get as much caramelized surface area. That caramelization is what makes this creamy butternut squash soup taste so amazing! So take the time to cut those cubes so you maximize browning and flavor.

What you’ll need

You only need a handful of simple ingredients to make this easy butternut squash soup. All of these are pantry staples, so you may even have everything you need on hand already:

  • Butternut squash: You’ll roast this before making the soup, so make sure to plan ahead. You can roast the squash up to 3 days before making the soup; store the roasted squash in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Check out my visual guide on how to cut butternut squash if you are feeling intimidated by how to do this!
  • Butter or olive oil: Other fats, such as avocado oil or even coconut oil, will also work.
  • Yellow onion: Shallots are a nice option for a slightly different flavor.
  • Salt and pepper
  • Ground cinnamon: A small amount of ground cinnamon adds the most unexpected flavor to this soup (without making it taste like dessert).
  • Broth: I prefer chicken broth, but use vegetable broth for a vegan or vegetarian version. Chicken or vegetable stock will also work if that’s what you prefer.

If you’d like, you can garnish the soup with a drizzle of heavy cream or coconut cream and a sprinkle of toasted pumpkin seeds. Some homemade croutons would also be lovely!

The Difference Between Broth and Stock

Although many people use the terms broth and stock interchangeably, they are actually slightly different.

Broth is made by simmering meat in water and may or may not contain additional aromatics. Stock, on the other hand, is made by simmering bones and aromatic vegetables in water. This tends to give it a stronger flavor and richer mouthfeel than broth.

When making quick soups like this one where you’re not really simmering for long, it’s important to use a broth that has a lot of flavor to begin with. It’s what lets you get away with such a quick preparation that still tastes delicious.

How to Make Butternut Squash Soup (Step-by-Step Overview)

Soften the aromatics

  • In a large soup pot or dutch oven over medium heat, add the butter or oil, onion, salt, and pepper. Cook until the onion is soft; this will take about 10 minutes:
Sauteed Onions, Butter, and Seasoning In Soup Pot

Add the roasted squash

  • Add the roasted squash cubes to the pot along with some ground cinnamon:
  • Stir for a couple minutes until the cinnamon is fragrant. This really enhances the flavor and gives the dish a great autumnal feel.
Cubes of Roasted Butternut Squash and Cinnamon Added to Pot

Add the liquid

  • Add either chicken broth or vegetable broth to the pot:
  • Bring the soup to a boil and simmer for 2 minutes. You’re really just heating up the liquid since the vegetables are already cooked.
Simmering the soup in chicken stock

Puree until smooth

  • In order to get a creamy soup with a silky smooth texture, you need to blend the soup thoroughly. You can either do this in the pot with an immersion blender (affiliate) (aka a stick blender), or let the soup cool slightly and blend in a regular blender:​​
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup Freshly Blended in Blender Jar

Why I like using the blender more: The blender is a little more annoying than the immersion blender, but I find it makes for a MUCH smoother soup and silkiest texture, so I prefer it. If you don’t have a blender at all, you can try using a food processor, but it won’t be as smooth. Be sure to follow your blender or food processor’s instructions for blending hot liquids, as there’s usually a maximum fill line for this.

Butternut Squash Soup Recipe Served in White Bowl with Cream and Pumpkin Seeds

The butternut squash soup is now ready to serve. Usually it’s still hot enough to serve straight from the blender, but if not, simply pour the liquid back into the pot and heat on the stove for a couple minutes to warm it up. 

Give the soup a taste and adjust seasoning if needed. I find the soup has a wonderful, natural sweet flavor, but if you wish to add a touch of brown sugar or maple syrup, you may stir that in now before serving.

Serving Suggestions

This easy butternut squash soup recipe is truly fantastic on its own. If desired, you can add a touch of heavy cream (or coconut milk or cream to keep it dairy-free) for extra richness and toasted pumpkin seeds for a little bit of crunch, if desired. 

I add these when I’m serving company, but most of the time when I’m just making this for eating on a weekday, I don’t bother.

I love serving soup with these Easy Drop Biscuits, Homemade Brioche Bread, or even my favorite Homemade Cornbread. You could also serve it alongside Pear Salad or Wild Rice Salad.

Recipe Tips and FAQ:

How do you store butternut squash soup?

The soup will keep in the refrigerator for up to 7 days, but I find that the flavor starts going downhill after 3 or 4 days. Make sure to store in an airtight container so the soup doesn’t absorb off flavors from the fridge.

Can butternut squash soup be frozen?

Yes, this freezes great. Freeze for up to 2 months in an airtight container or in Souper Cubes (affiliate) for individual portions. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat on the stove or in the microwave.

How do you reheat butternut squash soup?

In the microwave or on the stovetop. In the microwave, heat in 30-second intervals until warmed through. On the stovetop, heat over medium heat for about 5-10 minutes, until warmed through.

Can you make it ahead?

Yes, the soup can be completely made and stored in the fridge a day or two before you want to serve it. It can also be frozen for up to 2 months.

Substitutions and Variations

Squash variations – You can take this Roasted Acorn Squash and swap it in for the butternut. Buttercup and kabocha squash varieties or sugar pumpkins are also great options. You can also swap in Roasted Carrots.

Spices – I do think it’s nice to add cinnamon here, but you could also try a little bit of clove, nutmeg, or allspice.

Onion – You can substitute other options like shallot or leek with delicious results, but those are pricier ingredients.

Tried this recipe? Leave a rating and comment below — I’d love to hear how it turned out! Or, follow me on Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest!

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup in White Bowl

Butternut Squash Soup Recipe

Servings: 7 cups of soup (6 people)
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Squash Roasting Time (if not already done): 30 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Thick, creamy, and delicious, this soup is a cozy and flavorful option for any cold weather meal.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
196
reviews
Leave a Review »

Ingredients

  • 3 lb roasted butternut squash*
  • 2 tbsp butter or olive oil, for dairy free option
  • 1.5 cups chopped yellow onion
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp black pepper
  • 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 6 cups vegetable or chicken broth**
  • drizzle of heavy cream optional, for garnish
  • toasted pumpkin seeds optional, for garnish

Instructions 

  • Plan ahead: You will need Roasted Butternut Squash cubes for this recipe. As stated in the blog post, you can either make them now, or use leftovers. If making them now, follow the instructions in that post and get the squash in the oven before you start sauteing the onion and such for this soup, since roasting takes about 30 minutes.
  • Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat, then add the onion, salt, and pepper, and cook for 10 minutes, until the onions are soft.
  • Add the Roasted Butternut Squash cubes and cinnamon, and stir for 2 minutes, until the cinnamon smells fragrant.
  • Add the stock, bring the liquid to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 2 minutes at a simmer.
  • Puree everything together, either using an immersion blender, or by cooling the soup slightly and blending in a blender (you will likely need to do this in batches).
  • Taste, and see if it needs more salt or pepper.
  • Serve as is, or with a drizzle of heavy cream and a few pumpkin seeds, if desired. Enjoy!

Notes

*I strongly recommend using Roasted Butternut Squash in this recipe, as the caramelization that happens when roasting the squash in cubes makes a huge flavor difference in the soup. I often make a double batch of roasted squash, one for eating as a side dish for dinner one night, and one batch for this soup. Then you can just keep the roasted leftovers in the fridge or freezer, ready for use here. However, you may also simmer raw cubes for about 20 minutes in the stock until soft, and then puree. It won’t taste as good though, so I recommend taking the time to roast the squash.
**I like my soup on the thinner side, as I don’t want to feel like I’m eating puree in a bowl. If you like a thicker soup, you can start with 4 cups, puree it, then taste and add more broth as desired.
This recipe yields a little bit over 7 cups. The calories and nutritional information are divided for 6 people.
Storing leftovers: The soup should be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days, but the flavor will go downhill after 3 or 4 days.
Freezing: The soup may be frozen for up to 2 months. Ideally, thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating, or reheat from frozen gently on the stovetop, watching for scorching.
Reheating: In the microwave or on the stovetop. In the microwave, heat in 15 second intervals until warmed through. On the stovetop, heat over medium for about 5 minutes, until warmed through.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 158kcal, Carbohydrates: 31g, Protein: 2.6g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 10mg, Sodium: 249mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 8g

Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.

Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Author: Fifteen Spatulas

Post updated in January 2026. Originally published November 2015.