Butternut Squash Soup Recipe

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This creamy Butternut Squash Soup recipe is comforting and delicious for the perfect fall soup! Wholesome goodness made with just six ingredients plus salt and pepper, this soup is easy to make with any of four cooking methods!

Roasted butternut squash soup with parsley garnish.

Butternut squash soup is just the soup for autumn! It is vibrant, cozy, and delicious, and perfect to serve throughout the cooler months. It is great for dinner on its own or served as a starter when entertaining or holiday meals.

I’ve been making this soup for many years and originally shared my recipe in 2014, but I have added alternative cooking methods and variations. I hope you give this cozy butternut squash soup a try!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • Delicious and comforting. Rich, velvety, and cozy, this soup is loaded with flavor.
  • Easy. Homemade from scratch with healthy ingredients and minimal hands-on time.
  • Versatile. Make this recipe your own using the recipe variations to make it dairy-free, vegan, and with oven, stovetop, Crock Pot, and Instant Pot instructions provided.

Easy make-ahead Tip!

Butternut Squash Soup is a great make-ahead dish! Prepare the butternut squash soup and cool it before storing it. Then, follow the storage tips below to store or freeze. Reheat and serve! Perfect for the holidays, when entertaining, or for busy weeknights!

Here’s how you’ll make this butternut squash soup recipe.

Butternut squash, onion, garlic gloves, cumin, chicken stock, butter, salt and pepper sit on a marble counter. These are the Ingredients to make homemade butternut squash soup.

Ingredients

Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full listing of ingredients, instructions, notes, and estimated nutritional information.

  • Butternut squash – This recipe uses one medium fresh butternut squash. You can also use 4 1/2 cups of pre-cut butternut squash (thawed if frozen). I’ve roasted the butternut squash in these photos, but you can also cook it on the stovetop, slow cooker, or the instant pot. See my additional cooking methods in the recipe instructions.
  • Stock – I typically use chicken stock or broth in this soup, but I will use vegetable stock or broth when making dairy-free and vegan.
  • Onion and garlic – My butternut squash soup is savory and uses onion and garlic. You can omit them from the recipe if you wish.
  • Seasonings – This recipe uses salt, pepper, and ground cumin to season the soup. The cumin adds a depth of flavor that I was missing from other butternut squash soups I’d tried.
  • Butter – My soup recipe includes butter to add a velvety creaminess to the butternut squash. You can use your favorite dairy-free butter substitute if you are dairy-free or vegan, or see my notes below in Recipe Variations.

How to Make Easy Butternut Squash Soup

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Roasted butternut squash on a baking sheet.

Roast the butternut squash. Preheat oven to 425º F. Carefully cut the butternut squash in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. Scoring the interior of the butternut squash with a sharp knife is optional. Arrange the butternut squash halves on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast in the oven until tender, about 40 minutes. Remove from the roasted butternut squash from the oven and cool until it can be easily handled (about 10 minutes).

Roasted butternut squash on a baking sheet and being added to a food processor.
Garlic and onions sauteeing in a skillet with a wooden spoon.
Food processor with roasted butternut squash, onions, butter, and cumin.
Roasted butternut squash soup in a food processor.
  1. Add the butternut squash to a food processor. Peel the roasted butternut squash and add it to a food processor. You can also use a high-speed blender such as a Vitamix.
  2. Saute onions and garlic. Melt one tablespoon of butter in a skillet. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 to 2 more minutes.
  3. Add the soup ingredients. Add onions, garlic, and remaining soup ingredients to the food processor.
  4. Blend the soup. Blend the soup until smooth and creamy or your desired consistency.

Stovetop Butternut Squash Soup

When making this soup on the stovetop, you’ll prep the butternut squash and cook it and the other ingredients in your Dutch oven set over medium-high heat as detailed in the recipe. When the squash has reached a tender stage, as described in the recipe, you can use an immersion blender or transfer it to a food processor and blend until the desired creamy consistency.

Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Soup

To make slow cooker butternut squash soup, prepare the butternut squash and set aside as directed. Saute the onion and add the garlic in a skillet over medium heat as directed, then transfer them, along with the remaining soup ingredients, to the slow cooker. Stir to combine, set the slow cooker, and cook according to the recipe instructions until squash is tender. Follow the recipe to blend the soup with an immersion blender or a food processor until it is creamy.

Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup

For instant pot butternut squash soup, prepare the butternut squash as directed in the recipe and set aside. Follow the recipe instructions to cook the olive oil, onion, and garlic. Then, stir in the remaining ingredients and proceed with the recipe instructions, settings, and release method for the Instant Pot; when the soup is done as described in the recipe, use an immersion blender to blend it to the desired consistency.

Roasted butternut squash soup in white bowl with dark edge.

Recipe Variations

  • Dairy-Free Vegan Butternut Squash Soup Recipe – To make this delicious soup dairy-free and vegan, use vegetable stock or broth, and replace the butter with an equal amount of olive oil or your favorite dairy-free butter. Additionally, you can include 1/4 to 1/2 cup coconut milk in the soup instead of the butter.
  • Coconut Curry Butternut Squash Soup Recipe – I’ve previously shared my flavorful Coconut Curry Butternut Squash Soup Recipe. It is naturally gluten-free and dairy-free.
  • Add more veggies – Add a carrot and pumpkin puree to the soup ingredients.
  • Add more seasonings – Add a pinch of ground cinnamon, cayenne pepper, and a drizzle of maple syrup to layer the flavors in this soup.

Storage Tips

  • To store. Cook and cool the soup. Store in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat and serve.
  • To freeze. Cook and cool completely. Store in airtight, freezer-safe containers in the freezer for up to 3 months. To serve, thaw in the refrigerator, reheat, and serve or reheat from frozen.

Here’s my Butternut Squash Soup Recipe. I hope you enjoy it!

Butternut Squash Soup Recipe

5 from 3 votes
This creamy Butternut Squash Soup recipe is comforting and delicious for the perfect fall soup! Wholesome goodness made with just six ingredients plus salt and pepper, this soup is easy to make with any of four methods – Roasted, Stovetop, Slow Cooker, and Instant Pot!
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients

  • 1 (2 – 3 pound) butternut squash
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 medium onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 6 cups chicken stock or broth, or vegetable broth
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, plus more for garnish

Instructions 

  • Roast the butternut squash. Preheat the oven to 425º F. Cut the butternut squash in half lengthwise, remove the seeds, and place onto a rimmed baking sheet. Cook until fork tender, about 40 minutes.
  • Make the soup. Scrape butternut squash from peelings and place into the container of a blender or food processor. Add 2 tablespoons of butter to the butternut squash. Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter in a medium skillet. Saute onion and garlic in the butter until the onion is tender, about 3 minutes. Add to the butternut squash, along with chicken stock and ground cumin, and process until creamy and the desired consistency. Serve or store.

Stovetop Instructions

  • Peel, seed, and cube the butternut squash. Set aside. Add a tablespoon of olive oil to a Dutch oven set over medium-high heat. Saute the onion until translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, another 1 to 2 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients to the Dutch oven, stir to combine, and allow to simmer until the butternut squash is tender and easily mashes when pressed with a fork, about 20 minutes.
    Use an immersion blender or transfer from the Dutch oven to a food processor and blend the soup until it is creamy and has the desired consistency.

Slow Cooker Instructions

  • Peel, seed, and cube the butternut squash. Set aside. Saute the onion in a skillet over medium heat until translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, another 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the cooked onions and garlic to the slow cooker along with the remaining ingredients for the soup. Stir to combine and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours or until the butternut squash is tender and easily mashes when pressed with a fork.
    Use an immersion blender or transfer from the slow cooker to a food processor and blend the soup until it is creamy and has the desired consistency.

Instant Pot Instructions

  • Peel, seed, and cube the butternut squash. Set aside. Set your Instant Pot to "Saute". Add the olive oil, onion, and garlic. Stir frequently and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in the remaining ingredients, close the lid, seal the vent, and set your Instant Pot to "High". Cook on high for 7 minutes. Use the quick release of the vent to carefully release the steam from the Instant Pot. Use an immersion blender to blend the soup until it is creamy and the desired consistency.

Notes

If you prefer the flavor of traditional butternut squash soup, eliminate the garlic and cumin from the recipe and add 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg. Continue with the recipe as listed.

Recipe Variations

  • Dairy-Free Vegan Butternut Squash Soup Recipe – To make this delicious soup dairy-free and vegan, use vegetable stock or broth, and replace the butter with an equal amount of olive oil or your favorite dairy-free butter. Additionally, you can include 1/4 to 1/2 cup coconut milk in the soup in place of the butter.
  • Coconut Curry Butternut Squash Soup Recipe – I’ve previously shared my Coconut Curry Butternut Squash Soup Recipe. It has such incredible flavor and is naturally gluten-free and dairy-free.
  • Add more veggies – Add a carrot and pumpkin puree to the soup ingredients.
  • Add more seasonings – Add a pinch of ground cinnamon and cayenne pepper along with a drizzle of maple syrup to layer the flavors in this soup.

Storage Tips

  • To store. Cook and cool the soup. Store in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat and serve.
  • To freeze. Cool and cool completely. Store in airtight, freezer-safe containers in the freezer for up to 3 months. To serve, thaw in the refrigerator, reheat, and serve or reheat from frozen.

Nutrition

Calories: 233kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 403mg | Potassium: 921mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 204IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Enjoy!
Robyn xo

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About Robyn

Robyn Stone is a cookbook author, wife, mom, and passionate home cook. Her tested and trusted recipes give readers the confidence to cook recipes the whole family will love. Robyn has been featured on Food Network, People, Southern Living, and more.

5 from 3 votes

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Recipe Review




20 Comments

  1. Martha padden says:

    Terrific recipe. Love it.

  2. Roberta Johnson says:

    Beautiful soup. It’s very similar to the soup I make, but I put celery, carrots, and an apple in mine. I want to try your recipe with cumin.

    1. Robyn Stone says:

      I hope you enjoy, Roberta.