Creamy Homemade Butternut Squash Soup

Creamy, luxurious, seasonal, and yet so guilt free – butternut squash soup  is the perfect treat for a cold winter night. 

What Is Butternut Squash Soup?

Butternut squash is a soup made from pureed butternut squash. It’s very popular in the wintertime, and butternut squash soup can be made with vegetarian and vegan preparations. A common variation is a butternut squash bisque which is made from pureed butternut squash and cream.   

My Approach to Butternut Squash Soup

In my approach to butternut squash soup, I will oven roast my squash before pureeing it and heating it to finish. Since most readers are unlikely to have an immersion blender, I designed this recipe to use a good ol’ fashion blender. Don’t worry, you won’t need a crazy high powered one with a plunger. 

By roasting the butternut squash and aromatics first I’m softening them up, where the blender is really just mixing everything up.

In the earliest versions of this recipe I had 1 inch cubes of butternut squash, and if you are buying pre cut squash go with these. 

If you are not buying pre cut squash, don’t worry. Cut the squash in half the long way before roasting and you will still be able to easily spoon out the squash meat. 

What Makes a Good Butternut Squash Soup

A good butternut squash soup has a mild to sweet flavor to it. Butternut squash is not a very strong flavor and so I don’t want to use too many spices or additives that could make it harder to taste. 

By roasting the squash and reducing the final soup down I develop and concentrate those flavors making them more intense. 

The Challenge with Butternut Squash Soup

The main challenge with butternut squash is breaking them down. If you don’t work with squash very often or if your knives are not sharp, breaking down a squash is going to be very difficult. 

To counteract this, I am asking for only one cut in the squash. Cut the squash the long ways before scooping out the seeds. This one cut will give enough surface area to brown and develop flavor while severely limiting the need for good knives or knife skills. 

Developing Flavors

Flavor in this butternut squash soup comes from the roasting of the squash. By caramelizing the sugars in the squash and reducing the overall water content I increase the flavor strength and complexity. 

What Pairs with Butternut Squash Soup?

Butternut squash soup pairs great with your white meat sandwiches like ham, turkey, chicken, or pork. 

Tools Required

To make this butternut squash soup recipe you will need a roasting pan or baking sheet. You will also need a good sturdy knife to cut the squash. And finally, you will want a blender to mix together the ingredients. You do not necessarily need one, but it is helpful to have a big pot to pour the final product into and reduce.