Butternut Squash Soup
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Effortlessly easy and irresistibly silky, this easy butternut squash soup is brimming with naturally sweet and savory flavors—perfect comfort food for crisp fall days.
If you’re on the lookout for a standout butternut squash soup recipe that’s as easy as it gets, this is the one! My no-fuss recipe begins with a smart shortcut: pre-cut squash from the supermarket. Then, simply throw all the ingredients into a pot, simmer, purée, and you’re done! But—and this is me wearing my kitchen dictator hat—please stick to the recipe as written. The simplicity here means that full measures of sugar, salt, and cream are essential to achieving that rich, full-bodied flavor and silky texture that take this soup from simple to sublime.
For the finishing touch, you have two seasoning options: fresh thyme or curry powder. Each leads this easy butternut squash soup recipe in a deliciously different direction, so choose whichever one suits your mood or pairs well with what you’re serving.
Table of Contents
“This is one of those obscenely simple recipes that gets rave reviews from everyone! Ive made it for as many as 150 people and they ALL wanted the recipe. So quick to put together—my favorite “dump” recipe; but the result is elegant, fragrant and such a beautiful color.”
What You’ll Need To Make Butternut Squash Soup
- Butternut Squash: The star of the soup, butternut squash provides the soup’s base, offering a sweet, nutty flavor and a velvety texture once blended.
- Red Bell Pepper: Adds a subtle sweetness and a vibrant color to the soup.
- Onion and Garlic: These aromatics are essential for building the soup’s flavor foundation.
- Water: Used as the liquid base, water helps to blend all the ingredients smoothly without overpowering their flavors.
- Salt: Enhances the natural flavors of the soup. Remember, don’t skimp because it’s essential for bringing all the flavors together.
- Sugar: While it might seem counterintuitive to add sugar to a savory soup, a touch of sweetness enhances the butternut squash and red bell pepper’s natural flavors. It also helps balance the saltiness. Again, don’t skimp on this essential ingredient.
- Heavy Cream: Gives the soup a luxurious, creamy texture and a slightly sweet richness.
- Thyme or Curry Powder: Choose based on the flavor profile you prefer: earthy and herbal with thyme, or warm and spicy with curry powder.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Begin by tossing all of the vegetables, salt, and sugar into a large soup pot.
Cover them with water.
Bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer until the vegetables are very tender, about 35 minutes.
Puree the soup with a hand-held immersion blender (or in a standard blender) until silky-smooth.
Pour in the heavy cream.
Stir until combined and bring to a simmer. Mix in the fresh thyme (or curry powder), then taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
That’s all there is to it. Ladle the soup into bowls, drizzle with more cream if desired, and serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! While it’s generally more expensive to buy pre-cut produce at the supermarket, it can be a huge time-saver, especially with large, unwieldy vegetables like butternut squash. Peeling, seeding, and chopping a whole butternut squash is a chore, so ready-to-cook cubes are a great shortcut. The key is to make sure the package is very fresh. The grocer’s rule is “first in, first out” so the freshest package will typically be towards the back of the shelf.
Yes, the soup can be frozen, without the cream, for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator for 12 hours and then reheat on the stovetop over medium heat until hot. Once heated through, add the cream and bring to a simmer before serving.
Yes, it’s an excellent make-ahead dish. It can be prepared up to 3 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container. In fact, letting the soup sit for a day or two can enhance its flavors as the ingredients meld together. When ready to serve, gently reheat the soup over low heat, stirring occasionally.
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Butternut Squash Soup
Effortlessly easy and irresistibly silky, this easy butternut squash soup is brimming with naturally sweet and savory flavors—perfect comfort food for crisp fall days.
Ingredients
- 2½ pounds pre-cut butternut squash (7 to 8 cups, cubed)
- 1 red bell pepper, roughly chopped
- 1 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
- 7 cups water
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ¾ cup heavy cream, plus more for serving
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon curry powder, for a different flavor profile)
Instructions
- Combine the squash, pepper, onion, garlic, water, salt, and sugar in a large soup pot. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 35 minutes
- Using a hand-held immersion blender, purée the soup until silky smooth. (Alternatively, cool the soup slightly, then purée in a blender in batches, making sure to leave the hole in the lid open to allow the steam to escape.) Stir in the heavy cream and bring to a simmer. Mix in the thyme (or curry powder), then taste and adjust seasoning (depending on the sweetness of the vegetables, you may need a touch more sugar). Ladle the soup into bowls, drizzle with more cream if desired, and serve.
- Make-Ahead/Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The soup can be prepared up to 3 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container. It can also be frozen, without the cream, for up to 3 months. Defrost the soup in the refrigerator for 12 hours and then reheat it on the stovetop over medium heat until hot. Once heated through, add the cream and bring to a simmer before serving.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 217
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated fat: 7 g
- Carbohydrates: 31 g
- Sugar: 11 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Sodium: 1192 mg
- Cholesterol: 34 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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Followed recipe exactly as written but added 3/4t black pepper. Absolutely love this!!!
As I started to build this soup, I immediately saw an opportunity to do something a bit different with it. I read some of the reviews and was concerned it may come out too bland. Plus, I’ve recently become a fan of some of the traditional flavors found in Indian food (no ‘heat’ added though).
Here are the modifications I made if you’d like to add some additional flavor / depth to the dish:
* Add one carrot
* Add one celery stalk
* Add fresh cracked pepper
* Add 1 tsp of Tumeric
* Add 1 tbsp of Curry
* Add 1 tsp of Coriander
* Add 1 tsp of Ginger
* Instead of 7 cups of water, use 4 cups of vegetable broth and 3 cups of water
* Reduce salt significantly (1 tsp) – add later if needed
My wife asked me not to make butternut squash soup because she doesn’t like it. I made it anyway and she said it’s the best butternut squash soup she’s ever had and even went back for seconds.
Thank you Jenn, for sharing!
thank you so much for the modification. It was amazing! I’m putting this in my permanent recipe collection.
Absolutely delicious! My daughter who hates and detects peppers in anything and knew I had put a pepper in this soup commented that it was delicious and that she would like the recipe to make it herself. Great as a leftover also
I love this recipe! I have made it several times. Using the cut up squash from the store saves time. I made
It in my Instant Pot two days ago, 20 minutes cook time, and it turned out great. All of your resipies are family friendly. I have shared them with friends and family.
Mary
This is now my “go-to” recipe for Butternut Squash Soup. Although heavy cream would have made it delicious and, well, creamier, I had to go with 1/2 & 1/2 to reduce fat content. I felt like it needed a little zing so I added nutmeg and then the family was happy with it. Thanks for another good recipe!
I love the ease of making this soup.
I added 1 T of Thai curry sauce..either red or green to give a more complex flavor.
Then almonds toasted for a topping. Yum.
Can this soup be frozen with the heavy cream?
It’s best to freeze it before adding the heavy cream; when you reheat it, you can add the cream.
This is delicately flavored ( lovely with a few stripped sprigs of fresh thyme),but I am wondering if I could give it a little more body with a beurre manie, or would that change the flavor too much ( does it leave a raw flour taste?)- I have not thickened with anything but roux in the past. Thanks!
Hi Astrid, I think that would work; just go easy and simmer it for at least 10 min after you add it. Please lmk how it turns out.
It. Was. Fabulous!!!.
After it was finished, I poured it into the electric pressure cooker on keep warm mode, and we dipped into it all day long until dinner was ready.
Thank you for the recipe! Can’t wait to receive your cookbook in April.
Hello, I am dairy free for 28 days, have you ever tried coconut creme in lieu of heavy creme? Thank You, Happy Thanksgiving.
Hi Bo, I haven’t tried it but other readers have said it works. Please come back and lmk how it turns out if you try it that way.
Hello: I wanted to make this soup 3 days before Thanksgiving. After cooking, Will it stay in the refrigerator for 3 days, or do I have to freeze it without adding the Heavy Cream, then add it the day of.
Thanks
Hi Frances, It should be fine for three days in the fridge. Enjoy!
Thanks Jen. I’ve made quite a few different versions of this soup and I must say, this is the very best tasting by far. I am sure my guests will agree also. I added a carrot, and used unsalted chicken broth in place of the water. Because my husband cannot have salt in his diet, I learned to cook without the salt. This is so hearty and tasty, and definitely comforting. Thanks again, and Happy Thanksgiving!