Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Roasted butternut squash soup is a creamy and comforting soup that's easy to make and full of flavor.  This recipe combines roasted carrots and butternut squash with apples, maple syrup, and stock to form a nourishing soup that tastes like Autumn but is great any time of year! 

Editor’s Note: Originally Published on October 15, 2018.  Updated with full process shots and expanded info.

Roasted butternut squash soup is one of my favorite soups to make and eat!

The roasting process brings out incredible flavor and sweetness from the butternut squash and the carrots, and the tartness of the apples just takes it over the top.

A little sweet and a little savory, this simple soup is perfect for nearly everyone. 

Butternut squash soup is perfect with some crusty bread and a Caesar salad but also makes a great side to something more substantial like pan-seared pork chops with apples or a garlic bread roast beef sandwich.  

How to make it

1. Preheat the oven to 425 and using a vegetable peeler or sharp knife, remove the skin from one large butternut squash. If you have any difficulty with the peeling process, microwave the squash for 3-4 minutes to soften it then allow cooling before handling again.
2. Cut the butternut squash in quarters, lengthwise.

3. Slice the squash into half moons or small chunks to make them easier to roast.
4. Slice 3 large carrots into chunks.
5. Place the sliced squash and carrots on a baking sheet and coat with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Place in the oven and roast for 30 minutes.
6. While the carrots and squash are roasting, dice 2 granny smith apples and saute them in 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a stockpot over medium-low heat for 5-10 minutes to soften them up and bring out the flavor. 

7. After 30 minutes check that the squash and carrots are fork-tender.  If not let them roast for another 5-10 minutes.  When they are ready add them to the pot with the apples and stir together.  Add 3 cups of vegetable stock to the pot and using an immersion blender, begin to blend the squash, carrots, and apples.  If you don't have an immersion blender, you can pulse in a regular stand blender. 
8. Add a ¼ cup of maple syrup and a ¼ teaspoon of nutmeg to the soup and allow it to simmer for an additional 20 minutes.  If you find the soup is too thick, add the remaining cups of vegetable stock a little at a time until the desired consistency is achieved. Taste test and adjust salt and pepper to taste.  Serve in bowls with crusty bread and a dollop of creme fraiche, sour cream, greek yogurt, or a drizzle of maple syrup.  Enjoy!

Top tips for perfect roasted butternut squash soup

• The squash. I used just butternut squash for this soup as it's widely available and easy to access.  If you'd like to add other squash to the soup,  delicata or acorn squash would be great choices.
• The apples. Granny smith apples are great because their tartness balances out the dish.  Honeycrisp would also be a great choice.  You can really use any apples you like but might need to hold back on the amount of maple syrup.
• Blending.  I do recommend using an immersion blender for use in a soup like this one as it's so much easier than transferring hot soup to a stand blender.  If you only have a stand blender, you can still use it but may need to be blended in batches.
• The stock. The recipe card below calls for 4-5 cups of low-sodium vegetable stock.  I do recommend starting out with 3 cups and then adding more as needed.  You may find that you like your butternut squash soup to be a little thicker.  I used low-sodium vegetable stock for this recipe but you could use low-sodium chicken stock as well.
• Fall flavors.  Maple syrup and nutmeg add wonderful autumnal flavor and compliment the roasted butternut squash soup really well.  Be judicious with the nutmeg as a little goes a very long way.  You can also serve with a little nutmeg or cinnamon on the side for anyone who'd like a little more flavor.  A little pumpkin pie spice would also work well here!

More butternut squash recipes

• Baked butternut squash pasta - Creamy baked penne with mozzarella and butternut squash sauce.
• Butternut squash parmigiana - Butternut squash is layered with sage, marinara, mozzarella and Parmigiano Reggiano and baked until perfection!
• Butternut squash gnocchi - Homemade gnocchi made with butternut squash tossed in a sage brown butter sauce and grated amaretti cookies.

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This recipe was originally published on October 15, 2018.  It was completely updated on August 25, 2022.