The best butternut squash soup recipe I’ve ever made! It is easy to make, warm, and comforting for the perfect fall soup recipe! Made with gluten-free and vegan options! Roasted in the Oven, Stovetop, Crock-Pot, and Instant Pot instructions included.

Roasted butternut squash soup with parsley garnish.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • Delicious and comforting. Rich, velvety, and cozy, this soup is always a favorite.
  • Easy recipe. Homemade from scratch with healthy ingredients and minimal hands-on time.
  • Versatile recipe. 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.

Butternut Squash Soup Recipe

Butternut squash soup is the perfect bowl of soup for autumn. It is such a vibrant, cozy, and delicious soup and is perfect to serve throughout the cooler months during the fall and winter. This simple yet healthy soup is delicious served on its own for dinner or as a starter during the holidays.

I originally shared this recipe in 2014 but knew it needed a refresher of better photographs, step-by-step visuals, as well as alternative cooking methods and recipe variations. I hope you give this delicious butternut squash soup a try. It is definitely a fall favorite!

How to Make Easy Butternut Squash Soup Recipe

I love this butternut squash soup recipe that uses minimal ingredients with maximum flavor! I’ve included favorite Recipe Variations below so that you can make this versatile recipe your own!

Ingredients to make homemade butternut squash soup recipe.

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). For this recipe, I’ve roasted the butternut squash, but you can also cook it on the stovetop, in the slow cooker, or in the instant pot. See my additional cooking methods below in the step-by-step 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 do not care to include them.
  • 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. If you are dairy-free or vegan, you can use your favorite dairy-free butter substitute or see my notes below in Recipe Variations.

Step-by-Step Instructions

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 oven and allow to cool until it can be easily handled about 10 minutes.

Roasted butternut squash on a baking sheet and being added to a food processor.

Add the butternut squash. Peel the butternut squash and add it to a food processor. You can also use a high-speed blender such as a Vitamix.

Garlic and onions sauteeing in a skillet with a wooden spoon.

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.

Food processor with roasted butternut squash, onions, butter, and cumin.

Add the soup ingredients. Add onions, garlic, and the remaining soup ingredients to the food processor.

Roasted butternut squash soup in a food processor.

Make the soup. Blend the soup until smooth and creamy or your desired consistency.

Stovetop Butternut Squash Soup

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 Butternut Squash Soup

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 Butternut Squash Soup

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.

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 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.

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!

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.

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

Butternut Squash Soup Recipe

5 from 3 votes
The best butternut squash soup recipe I've ever made! It is easy to make, warm, and comforting for the perfect fall soup recipe! Made with gluten-free and vegan options! Roasted in the Oven, Stovetop, Crock-Pot, and Instant Pot instructions included.
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.

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Recipe Review




17 Comments

    1. Diane, you can use 4 1/2 cups of pre-cut butternut squash (thawed if frozen). I hope you enjoy the soup.

  1. I really like you trying to bring back some old fashion recipes and new recipes. Unfortunately, I have developed reactions to many ingredients I used to enjoy. Sunflower oils and seeds, any nuts (tree nuts, peanuts), coconut in any form, milk and derivatives, beets and beet sugar, cucumbers. Thanks to you and I will incorporate my work arounds when I make anything!

    1. Tomi, several in my family have food allergies so I know how difficult it can be to avoid foods you are allergic to. I hope you do find many recipes here that you can make and can make substitutions when necessary. Any time you need ingredient substitutions for any of my recipes, please just ask and I will try to find something you can use.

  2. 5 stars
    Robyn, I LOVE butternut squash soup. I don’t like dealing with the shell & seeds, so I poke a few holes in the squash, with a small sharp knife, & microwave the squash 1 to 2 min. That softens squash.so I can cut squash open & remove seeds. Then I pour on some olive oil & bake the squash halves about 45 min.let cool 30 min, scoop squash out & create the soup. It just works for me.

    1. PS I also add 2 tablespoons of local honey to the soup while it’s cooking, prior to blending with immersion blender. It makes the soup even more delightful.

  3. This is a wonderful soup, thank you for your recipe! My oh my it was easy to make especially with your crock pot tip for cooking the butternut squash.

  4. 5 stars
    Skip the cumin and toss real bacon bits into your blender with the butternut. It creates raving fans every time.
    I love the crock pot idea.

  5. Robyn,
    My hubby hates nutmeg so any time a recipe calls for it, I substitute something else. He can’t stand the smell if the smallest amount is used in a recipe. I love this soup.
    Annamaria

  6. Robyn,
    So I am just a little confused. You put the squash in the slow cooker, skin and all in the morning and then do the rest of the process when you get home? We love butternut squash too so would love to try this recipe.
    Thank you Kerri