Butternut Squash Soup
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Published Feb 10, 2021, Updated Feb 20, 2023
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This creamy butternut squash soup pairs butternut squash with coconut milk, carrots, fresh ginger and sage for delicious soup with a vibrant orange color. Dairy-free and vegan.
Maybe it’s just me but making homemade soup makes me feel like such an accomplished cook! There’s something about making a full soup from scratch that is so satisfying.
This butternut squash soup is packed with flavor and I mean packed! The butternut squash is paired with ginger, apple and fresh sage for a lovely flavor explosion in your mouth that you will never want to end.
Ingredients in Homemade Butternut Squash
- vegetables – butternut squash, carrots, yellow onion and garlic cloves.
- fresh ginger
- apple
- fresh sage
- vegetable broth
- coconut milk
- olive oil
- seasonings and spices – turmeric, ground nutmeg, cayenne, sea salt and black pepper
Substitutions & Notes
Don’t have butternut squash? Obviously the star of the show is butternut squash, but if you can’t find any or want to try something else, you could use fresh sugar/pie pumpkin or sweet potatoes!
Only have frozen squash! Frozen butternut squash cubes also work great in this recipe (and save a ton of time).
Not a fan of coconut milk. I like using coconut milk for this recipe because it’s so creamy and the flavor pairs nicely, but you could use another dairy-free milk in its place if needed.
How to Make Butternut Squash Soup from Scratch
Sauté vegetables: Add olive oil to a large dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat. Add garlic, ginger, onion, carrots and apple to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally until everything begins to soften, about 7 minutes. Add salt, turmeric, pepper, nutmeg and cayenne (if using). Cook another minute, stirring constantly.
Add squash and simmer: Add squash, sage, vegetable broth and coconut milk to the pot. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and cook until vegetables are very soft, about 30-40 minutes.
Blend: Use an immersion blender to puree soup to a smooth consistency. If you do not have an immersion blender you can transfer the soup in batches to a blender and blend until smooth. The blender method will require a bit of cooling time and caution. If you let the soup cool down before blending, place it back on the stove on low heat for a few minutes to warm it up before serving.
Serve: To serve, ladle into bowls and drizzle with additional coconut milk (if desired) some pepitas and black pepper.
What to Serve with Butternut Squash Soup
I love serving soup with some sides for some added volume and textures in my meal! My favorites are crusty whole-grain or sourdough bread, crackers (these almond flour crackers are great) or a side salad. You could also whip up a batch of vegan cornbread or pumpkin cornbread muffins!
If you want to go all-in on the butternut squash, you could serve it up with this roasted butternut squash salad.
Want to boost the protein of this soup? Top with roasted chickpeas or serve alongside any protein of your choice.
How Long Does Butternut Squash Soup Last?
This butternut squash soup will keep in the fridge for 4-5 days. Just store in an airtight container. You can also freeze leftover soup for up to 3 months!
More Soup Recipes to Try
- Tomato Basil Soup
- Curried Pumpkin Soup
- Instant Pot Garlic Lentil Soup
- Carrot Parsnip Soup
- Easy Black Bean Soup
- Sweet Potato Soup
- Classic Minestrone Soup
- Vegetarian 15 Bean Soup
- Mushroom Barley Soup
Butternut Squash Recipes
- Butternut Squash Puree
- One Pan Tempeh Butternut Squash Bake
- Butternut Squash and Turkey Chili
- Butternut Squash Pancakes
- Baked Butternut Squash Fries
- Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
Be sure to check out all of the butternut squash recipes here on EBF!
Butternut Squash Soup
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 5 clove garlic, minced
- 3 teaspoons fresh minced ginger
- 1 yellow onion, about 1 1/2 cups, chopped
- 5 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 1 apple, peeled and chopped
- 5 cups peeled and chopped butternut squash
- 1 Tablespoon fresh sage, chopped
- 32 oz vegetable broth
- 1 cup canned coconut milk, I used full-fat
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- pinch of ground nutmeg
- pinch of cayenne pepper, optional
- additional coconut milk and roasted pepitas, for serving
Instructions
- Sauté: Add olive oil to a large dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat. Add garlic, ginger, onion, carrots and apple to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until everything begins to soften, about 7 minutes. Add salt, turmeric, pepper, nutmeg and cayenne (if using). Cook another minute, stirring constantly.
- Add squash and simmer: Add squash, sage, vegetable broth and coconut milk to the pot. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and cook until vegetables are very soft, about 30-40 minutes.
- Blend: Use an immersion blender to puree soup to a smooth consistency. If you do not have an immersion blender you can transfer the soup in batches to a blender and blend until smooth. This method will require a bit of cooling time and caution. If you let the soup cool down before blending, place it back on the stove on low heat for a few minutes to warm it up before serving.
- Serve: To serve, ladle into bowls and drizzle with additional coconut milk (if desired), pepitas and black pepper.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Photos by Ashley McLaughlin.
I love this recipe. It is a big hit in our household. The girls I cook for keep asking me to make this soup for them. All my ingredients I use are always organic. Also this soup is not acidic. Good for anyone with gut issues.
Ahh yay!! That makes me so happy to hear. So glad this soup was a hit with your family. Thanks for making it and for coming back to leave a review, Terry. I so appreciate it!
Such a winner!
Great mix of flavors – loved the sweetness the apples and coconut milk bring- compliments the nuttiness of the squash perfectly! I did sub out the onion for leeks and left out the cayenne. Such a deliciously soup that everyone in my family enjoyed – including my 19month old! We have slowly been working through EBF’s arsenal of tasty and this is another recipe that did not disappoint!
So glad you loved this soup, Danielle. Thanks so much for the review. I appreciate it!
Another great recipe!
This is SO good and was very easy to make, especially since I was able to find a package of cut-up squash at the store. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
Woo!! So glad yo loved this soup, Brenda. Thanks for making it and for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it!
Cooked up a batch today. I’ve tried many butternut squash recipes over the years, some vegan, some with chicken broth and/or cream and this is the most delicious of all of them! It will definitely be my go to recipe from now on. Very easy recipe with clear instructions. Next time I will make a double batch so I can freeze more for later. Thanks for sharing this.
So glad you loved this recipe! Thanks for making it and for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it, Nan!
So yum!! I made this in the crockpot because I was short on time and it turned out beautifully! I added everything but the coconut milk to my crockpot, cooked on high for 3.5 hours, blended it until smooth then added the coconut milk. The spice and kick from the ginger and cayenne are 💯!!
So glad this soup turned out for you in the crock pot! Thanks for making it and for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it, Erica.
Wow this recipe does not disappoint! Like another reviewer, I’ve also tried numerous pumpkin soup recipes in the past and this one is the best, hands down! I even used light coconut milk and still tastes amazing. Thank you!
Ahh yay!! That makes me so happy to hear. So glad you loved this soup, Jessica. Thanks for the review. I so appreciate it.
Can you freeze?
I haven’t tried it, but I bet it would freeze just fine! Let me know if you try it. 🙂
This was great! Just as flavorful and buttery as a cream soup without the fat. My husband didn’t think he would like a squash soup but he said it was delicious. I cooked it in my crockpot for 3 hours on high. I will probably make this for my company potluck in a few weeks.
Yay!! So glad to hear this soup was a hit, Victoria! Thanks so much for making it and coming back to leave a review. I really appreciate it!
So good! I don’t think I’ve ever had butternut squash soup before, but got one at the farmers market and wanted to try something new!! Definitely will make again!
Yay!! So wonderful to hear, Ali! I’m so happy this soup was a hit. Thanks so much for the review + Star rating. I so appreciate it!
Truly amazing! Loved the subtle sweetness of the apple, the creaminess of the coconut milk and the little kick from the cayenne pepper. All the flavors were well balanced. Truly a good recipe for fall! My boyfriend also really enjoyed it.
Woo!! Pumped to hear this butternut squash soup was a hit, Jadziah! Thanks so much for trying it out and I really appreciate the review!
Delicious soup!! Will be making again for sure.
Woo!! So happy to hear this, Melissa! Thanks for the review :).
I couldn’t think of a more cozy, delicious way to use our homegrown squash!! I knew I was going to love this–and I was right–but I wasn’t sure how the rest of my fam would like it. Everyone gobbled it up!! Definitely putting this recipe on my nightly meal rotation again this fall. Thank you!!
Oh yay! This makes me so happy to hear, Erica! So pumped everyone loved it. Thanks so much for the review. I really appreciate it!
What happened to your Vegan Curried Sweet Potato Soup? Printed it out a while ago, made it recently & trying to leave a review but not finding it anywhere. 🤷♀️
Oh no! I actually removed the recipe since I have a vegan curried pumpkin soup and it seemed super similar. What did you think of it? Should I bring it back? 🙂
My husband and I made this for dinner tonight and really enjoyed it. I read a few of the comments and decided to make it in the slow cooker for about 3 1/2 hours, then used the immersion blender. I didn’t have enough vegetable broth, so I subbed the rest with coconut water. I also added some lemon juice. Will definitely be making again!
Woo! Love to hear this recipe worked well for you, Sara! I appreciate you sharing your modifications and review.
This soup is absolutely AMAZING! Made this for my family and my mother called it “restaurant quality”. I only changed 2 things: 1)white pepper instead of black pepper because I had it on hand, and 2) I added a bit of butter as it was heating up before serving. Highly recommend, especially on a cool/cold day.
Yay! I am so glad you and the family enjoyed this recipe, Becca. Thank you so much for sharing your review + star rating, it means so much to me!
Made this delicious soup for my family. This is the first time that I have ever even tried butternut squash in any form. LOVE IT! This recipe is easy to follow and didn’t take long to make at all.
Excellent! I am excited to hear that you and the family are loving this recipe, Amy. Thank you so much for sharing your review & star rating, it means so much to me.