This easy butternut squash soup recipe is delicious and timeless! The sweet squash forms a luscious puree with no cream.
There is nothing like an easy butternut squash soup recipe to usher in cooler weather! This soup is one of the first recipes Alex and I ever made together. I remember eating it in our first apartment, before our interest in cooking, as well as local and seasonal eating. Honestly I think we ate it in the summer (though I must admit I have had squashes that have lasted that long in our pantry!). Whatever the case, I remember us being incredibly impressed at how delicious it was.
How to make this easy butternut squash soup
Time has passed, and I was curious to look back at this easy butternut squash soup to see if it was as good as we remembered! At first glance, I was pleasantly surprised at the short ingredient list and simple preparation method. I also was surprised at the lack of cream, which tends to be common in this type of soup.
Here’s the basic process for this easy butternut squash soup recipe:
- Chop the veggies: Thinly slice the shallots. Peel and dice a butternut squash (see the section below for tips!). Peel and dice a potato.
- Saute the shallots in olive oil.
- Add water and simmer until tender, about 30 minutes.
- Blend the soup! You can puree using a standard blender, but our favorite for pureed soups is using an immersion blender. This way, you don’t have to transfer the hot soup into a blender and then back to the pot: you can put the blender right into the pot and whiz!
After tasting this butternut squash soup recipe, we were amazed at how creamy it got without cream. Somehow, just a potato and the squash make for an incredibly creamy texture! This easy soup still stands the test of time! It’s a solid, basic soup with a full-bodied flavor and a smooth, velvety texture. And while we love fancy versions like our Cozy Curried Butternut Squash Soup, this one still hits the spot every time!
Video: How to cut butternut squash
The main challenge in this soup is this: just how to cut butternut squash? Everyone uses slightly different methods, but here’s what Alex and I do. Once you know how to cut it, it’s a breeze to this easy butternut squash soup recipe. See the video below to watch us in action!
- First, slice off top of the squash, then the entire straight neck of the squash.
- Peel it and peel the round base.
- Cut the base in half and remove the seeds from each half with a spoon.
- Slice the neck into strips and then cubes.
- Then do the same with the rounded bottom part of the squash: slice it into strips and then cubes.
Looking for more squash recipes?
Here are some of our favorite butternut squash recipes on A Couple Cooks:
- Butternut Squash Pasta
- Vegan Butternut Squash Soup
- Creamy Butternut Squash Risotto
- Cozy Curried Butternut Squash Soup
- Easy Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup
- Roasted Butternut Squash
- Healthy Butternut Squash Recipe
- Superfood Butternut & Lentil Soup
- Vegan Butternut Squash Soup
- 33 Butternut Squash Recipes
- Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
This butternut squash soup recipe is…
Vegetarian, vegan, plant based, dairy free, gluten free, and sugar free.
PrintEasy Butternut Squash Soup
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
This easy butternut squash soup recipe is delicious and timeless: the sweet squash forms a creamy puree with a handful of ingredients and no cream!
Ingredients
- 2 shallots
- 1 pound butternut squash
- 1 medium boiling potato
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 bay leaf
- Kosher salt
- Fresh ground pepper (or white pepper, if you have it)
- To garnish: Fresh sage, sour cream or coconut milk (or vegan sour cream) and fresh herbs
Instructions
- Thinly slice 2 shallots. Dice the butternut squash (see the video!). Peel the potato and cut into 1-inch pieces.
- In a saucepan over low heat, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil, add the shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallots are translucent (5 to 10 minutes).
- Add the squash, potato, 1 bay leaf, a few pinch of kosher salt, and 3 cups of water. Increase the heat to medium high and bring to a steady simmer. Cook about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the squash is tender.
- Remove the bay leaf and let the soup cool slightly. Then puree the soup using an immersion blender (or transfer to a blender, then transfer back to the pot). Let the soup cool a bit more; it will thicken a bit and become creamy. Taste and add kosher salt and pepper to taste (we added about 1 teaspoon kosher salt). Use white pepper to preserve the pure look of the soup (if you don’t mind the black flecks, use black pepper).
- Serve garnished with sour cream and fresh dill, or other garnishes as desired.
Notes
Adapted from Williams and Sonoma: Rome Tip: We highly recommend an immersion blender for a pureed soup. However, a blender or food processor will also suffice – you’ll just have to transfer the soup to the blender and back to the pot. You also can stir in spices of your choice to add a bit of flair – curry powder, cumin, coriander, chipotle powder, etc.
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Butternut Squash Soup, Easy Butternut Squash Soup Recipe, Butternut Squash, Soup, Vegetarian
Last updated: September 2019
25 Comments
Lauren @ Healthy Food For Living
October 20, 2011 at 6:39 amYes – I also love that the recipe doesn’t call for cream! Butternut squash soup is one of my favorite seasonal comfort meals, and I agree that a really great basic recipe is good to have on hand. Can’t wait to make this!
Cara
October 20, 2011 at 9:47 amI agree, butternut squash soup is pretty much the best thing ever. I have to say that my favorite version is a “fancier” one – a Spicy Peanut Squash Soup that I perfected and blogged earlier this year. Another way I love to make it is by roasting squash, onions, and apple or pear, then pureeing with broth. Your photo is gorgeous!
Alex
October 20, 2011 at 10:02 amBoth of those alternatives sound delicious! We’ll have to try them out.
Lindsay @ Pinch of Yum
October 20, 2011 at 9:58 amSo pretty! I also like that there’s not a bunch of cream in it. I love butternut squash soup and I think you may have just put it on my menu for next week. Thanks you two!
erin
October 20, 2011 at 11:31 amGorgeous! I also have to agree that sometimes simple hits the spot! I have a similar recipe and sometimes I will sub garbanzo beans for the potato to add a little protein!
Alex
October 20, 2011 at 12:04 pmI love that idea! Thanks for the tip :)
Orli
February 21, 2012 at 1:18 amI love the idea of subbing garbanzo beans – would you suggest a whole can or less?
Sonja
February 22, 2012 at 6:34 pmOrli – I’m not sure – we haven’t tried this substitution yet! I’ll have to defer to Erin :)
Indy Fan
October 20, 2011 at 7:52 pmMMM MMM MMM. Love me some Butternut Squash. This post has motivated me to go home and make some to take to work tomorrow :)
foodie @ Tasting Spot
October 20, 2011 at 10:11 pmlove the recipe.. will give it a try
Carolyn
October 22, 2011 at 11:13 amI love it even more when they are so simple! This looks amazing too!!
I would love for you to link this up on my soup linky–I’m looking for new recipes and tips!
Thanks!
Carolyn
http://cookinformycaptain.blogspot.com/2011/10/baked-potato-soup-tips-linky.html
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October 22, 2011 at 5:44 pmLooks yummy. I love this soup and the fact there is no cream. The hardest part it trying to cut up the butternut squash. Do you have any tips or suggestions? I noticed that you peel yours first. Maybe this would help.
Sonja
October 22, 2011 at 8:32 pmI am so with you! I avoided butternut squash for a long time because it was so hard to prepare! I was just remarking today that I felt I was finally getting better with it :)
Yes, we peel it first, then cut it in half lengthwise (which is probably the hardest part – this takes some strength!). Then we lay each half cut-side down and chop it into smaller pieces. Let us know if you need further guidance — and good luck!
Dale
October 2, 2012 at 4:42 pmits easy to microwave.puncture a few places, then 9-15 minutes depending on size.Peel comes off very easily and squash almost cooked!!!
Toby
October 25, 2011 at 5:08 pmIf you look at Real Simple’s website (realsimple.com), they have a whole article on how to prepare squash and they have some easy instructions on how to peel and cut a butternut squash. I found it to be really helpful!
lauren
October 29, 2012 at 4:13 pmI always cook the squash(2-3 whole ones seeds and all)in the oven .. just throw them in like baked potatoes..let them cool then peel , slice , remove seeds, dice . Sooo much easier to dice!
[email protected]
October 25, 2011 at 5:59 pmI really appreciate it. I think I’ll make some butternut soup soon:)
Sonja
October 26, 2011 at 8:02 amWonderful — let us know how it goes!
Becky
October 26, 2011 at 9:49 amI like it with a parsnip or two thrown in. Parsnips really accent butternut squash beautifully. I do occasionally throw some cream into the mix. And fried sage leaves are an excellent garnish.
Beckey
November 9, 2011 at 9:43 pmThis soup is simply delicious! I threw in some Williams and Sonoma Ras El Hanout seasoning and it gave it some great extra flavor. So yummy! Thanks for sharing this!
Sonja
November 10, 2011 at 3:11 pmYou’re welcome! I had never heard of Ras El Hanout and just looked it up – sounds delicious! Thanks for the idea :)
Anna
January 19, 2012 at 2:29 pmJust made this! And yes I ate it for breakfast! Thank you for such a simple and delicious recipe. It’s amazing how much just a single bay leaf can do. I roasted the squash and potato with the shallots and some garlic. Added an apple also and simmered with a parmesan rind I had lying around (just tryin to clear out the fridge!) Thank you for this soul warming recipe.
Dee
March 10, 2012 at 4:10 pmI can’t wait to try your soup recipe with one of the dozen squash that are in my basement from this past year’s harvest. I need to get them all turned into something before the new garden season.
Alex
March 11, 2012 at 10:29 amHaha! Good idea. We have held onto squash a bit too long before — they don’t necessarily go bad, but they aren’t so good either!
Sarah
August 2, 2012 at 6:29 pmThis soup looks great, I can’t wait to make it some time! I also like it because it doesn’t need cream (which I don’t have) and it doesn’t need peanuts (which I’m allergic to).