I’m calling it – this has got to be the best butternut soup recipe ever! Best because it’s not just flavourful but it has minimal ingredients and requires very little effort.

Has the cooler weather hit? Need a warming soup? Try this roasted tomato soup with the cutest mini grilled cheese sandwiches or this hearty roasted garlic and potato chowder.

A bowl filled with butternut soup topped with crusty bread and pepitas. Another bowl behind it.

Why you’ll love it

You could just throw all these ingredients in a pot and boil it all up until everything is tender but what makes this easy butternut squash soup really amazing is the flavour you get from roasting the squash instead, along with some onion and garlic.

This soup is;

  • Simple to make – there is very little effort required on your part.
  • So flavourful – from both the simple ingredients and the caramelisation after roasting them.
  • Just 6 ingredients – in fact only 5 if you don’t add the optional chilli.
  • Easily scalable – make more for a crowd or to freeze or less if you just want a simple meal.
  • Perfect for dinner or a starter – fill up a big bowl and add some crusty bread for dunking or serve a small bowl to start a meal.
  • Healthy – just wholesome ingredients turned into a cosy meal.
  • Great for meal prepping – you can prep this ahead for weekday lunches or even freeze big batches when you see butternut on sale.

I call this sort of food soul soothing because it’s nourishing and healthy but tastes super comforting all at once. I most often serve this with my parmesan cheese toast (which I also freeze in big batches) or if I’m feeling naughty, these mini grilled cheese.

Ingredients in this butternut soup recipe

Just 6 ingredients are all you need.

Ingredients for butternut squash soup on a marble benchtop.
  • Butternut squash
  • Onion
  • Garlic
  • Chicken stock
  • Salt
  • Chilli flakes (optional)

How to make butternut soup

Boiling everything together on the stovetop is certainly an option but my favourite way to get a more intense flavour in this soup is to roast the vegetables. The butternut, onion and garlic become sweeter and get those caramelised edges which all add more flavour.

A collage of 6 images showing the steps to making butternut squash soup.
  1. Roast the veggies: After chopping just a little off the ends to make them flat, carefully cut the butternut in half (photo 1). Scoop out the seeds (photo 2) and place them on a baking tray. Add the onions and garlic to the seed cavities (photo 3) and roast until soft and caramelised (photo 4).
  2. Blitz the soup: Add the butternut flesh, onion and garlic to a blender (photo 5) then add chicken stock (photo 6) and blend until super smooth.
  3. Heat the soup: It will cool after you add the chicken stock so heat it in a large pot.

This soup is also wonderful served with these Cheese and garlic croutons.

How to roast butternut squash

This is a roasted butternut squash soup recipe. Roasting the vegetables, caramelises them and gives them a sweeter flavour making it the perfect way to add extra flavour to this soup. To roast butternut squash:

  1. Start by cutting a thin slice off the base of your butternut – just so you have a flat surface, and remove the stem at the top end.
  2. Now stand it up on it’s flat end and use a sharp knife to cut directly down the centre.
  3. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and any string bits, leaving a round cavity.
  4. Place the butternut on a baking tray lined with baking paper.
  5. Score the flesh about 2-3mm in depth with a sharp knife into the flesh.
  6. Rub or brush a little oil over the top then sprinkle some salt and pepper over the top.
  7. Roast in a preheated 200C / 395F / 180C oven for 45 minutes to an hour or until the flesh is soft and the top is caramelised.

The roasting time will depend on how large your butternut squash is.

A dutch oven filled with butternut soup with a ladel taking some out.

Pro tips and tricks

  • Score the butternut: Use a sharp knife to score squares in the top of the butternut. This allows for more caramelisation of all those edges.
  • Skip the blender: Using an immersion blender directly in the pot you’re heating the soup in is actually my preferred method but I know not everyone owns an immersion blender. Put all the ingredients in a dutch oven or large saucepan on the stove. Bring to a boil then either use an immersion blender right in the pot.

Variations

  • Pumpkin: Swap the butternut squash for any type of pumpkin.
  • Vegan butternut soup: Swap the chicken stock for a good vegetable stock to make it vegan.
  • Cream: To up the creaminess and cosy factor, add some cream drizzled over the top before serving.
  • Carrot: Add a large carrot when roasting for extra flavour and sweetness in the soup.

This soup is amazing topped with crispy bacon, croutons, pepitas and / or some thyme leaves. You could also try a little sage fried in butter first. Delicious! Always serve this with some crusty bread too for dunking.

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A hand dipping a piece of bread into a bowl of butternut soup.

If you try this easy butternut squash soup, make sure to come back and leave a rating and comment below. I love hearing from you.

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Top down view of a bowl filled with butternut soup topped with crusty bread and pepitas.

Easy Butternut Squash Soup

Yield: 4 serves
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
0 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
5 from 2 ratings
Naturally thick and creamy, this easy butternut squash soup recipe is an absolute belly-warmer. Rich in pure butternut flavour, this simple soup is perfect when the cooler weather hits or even just when you feel like dunking some bread in soup.
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Ingredients

  • 2 kg whole butternut squash (roughly 2.2lb)
  • 1 large brown onion
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt
  • 4 cups chicken stock
  • ½ teaspoon dried chilli flakes (optional)

For best results, always weigh ingredients where a weight is provided

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 200C / 395F / 180C fan forced.
  • Cut a thin slice of each end of the butternut then stand it on it’s end and cut straight down through the middle.
  • Scoop out the seeds and stringy bits with a spoon and discard. Now score a checkerboard pattern across the flesh side of each piece.
  • Place the butternut, cut side up on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Brush a little oil over the top, then sprinkle a little of the salt over.
  • Remove the skin from the onion and cut in half or quarters and place in the seed cavities of the butternut. Remove the skin from the garlic and do the same.
  • Roast for 45-60 minutes until the flesh is soft and the top is caramelised.

OPTION 1: IF YOU HAVE AN IMMERSION BLENDER

  • Scoop out the flesh, discarding the skin, and add it to a large pot over medium heat. Add the garlic, onions, remaining salt and chicken stock.
  • Use an immersion blender to blend until smooth. Add the chilli flakes and heat to a simmer.

OPTION 2: WITH A BLENDER

  • You may need to do this in 2-3 batches. Scoop out the flesh, discarding the skin, and add it to blender. Add the garlic, onions, remaining salt and chicken stock.
  • Blend until smooth, then pour into a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the chilli flakes and heat to a simmer.
  • Serve the hot soup with pepitas and thyme scattered over and some crusty bread (or see notes for more ideas).

Notes

  1. Serving suggestions: Here I’ve used pepitas, thyme leaves and my Sizzler Cheese Toast. For more ideas you can use pesto, cream, sour cream, croutons, crispy bacon, crusty bread or these cheese and herb scones.
MORE COLD WEATHER RECIPES!
Calories: 139kcal
Author: Marie Roffey
Course: appetiser, Appetizer, Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: World
Have you tried this recipe?Don’t forget to leave a rating and comment below and let me know how it was! I love hearing from you. Nutrition information is approximate and derived from an online calculator. The brands you use may cause variations.
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