This easy butternut squash soup recipe is perfectly creamy, velvety, and full of sweet and savory autumn flavors. Instant Pot, Crock-Pot and stovetop options included.
The Coziest Autumn Soup
Is there a more quintessentially autumn meal than a cozy bowl of butternut squash soup? ♡
On a particularly chilly day this past weekend, we made our millionth batch of my mom’s butternut squash soup recipe to share with friends who came over for dinner. As always, this vibrant, nourishing, velvety soup delivered all the fall comfort-food vibes and completely hit the spot. It’s just perfect this time of year!
One of the best things about this butternut squash soup is that it’s naturally gluten-free and vegan, which makes it a great option for hosting (especially around the holidays). It’s also easy to make in the Instant Pot, Crock-Pot, or on the stovetop, so you can take your pick. Most importantly, it’s perfectly balanced with sweet-and-savory autumn flavors and absolutely delicious. Thousands of readers have made this one over the years and agree!
Best Butternut Squash Soup Recipe | 1-Minute Video
Recipe Tips
Here are a few tips to help make the best butternut squash soup every time:
- Aim for silky-smooth. Blend longer than you think—an extra 30–60 seconds makes it ultra-velvety.
- Balance the sweetness. Granny Smith adds brightness; a squeeze of lemon at the end can perk flavors right up.
- Salt matters. Different brands of broths vary in saltiness, so season in layers and finish with a final pinch to make flavors pop.
Recipe Variations
Feel free to try these easy twists to customize the recipe and make it your own:
- Roast the veggies: Roast the squash, carrot, and onion at 425°F until caramelized, then blend for deeper, sweeter flavor.
- Make it smoky: Swap cayenne for chipotle chili powder and finish with a sprinkle of smoked paprika.
- Use cream: Sub heavy cream or half-and-half for the coconut milk for an ultra-silky, dairy-based finish.
- Go Thai-inspired: Stir in 1–2 tablespoons red curry paste and 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger; finish with lime and cilantro.
- Go Mexican-inspired: Omit sage/nutmeg and add 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin plus a pinch of chipotle; serve with lime and cilantro.
- Brighten it up: Add a squeeze of lemon juice or a splash of apple cider vinegar to balance sweetness.
- Have fun with toppings: Try toasted pepitas, roasted chickpeas, crispy sage, chili crisp, coconut milk swirl, croutons, or Parmesan.
FAQ
Yes, you will need about 4 to 5 cups diced raw butternut squash, which roughly equals about 2 pounds. Feel free to use fresh or frozen!
Definitely! Let it cool completely, portion into airtight containers, and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight and rewarm gently, adding extra broth if needed.
If you feel that the soup is too sweet, feel free to add a pinch more salt, a squeeze of lemon, or an extra dash of cayenne or black pepper to balance the sweetness.
Sure. Kabocha, honeynut, or sugar-pie pumpkin all work well. They’re often a bit sweeter/drier, so feel free to add a splash of broth or lemon juice if needed.
More Vegetarian Soup Recipes To Try
Looking for more cozy vegetarian soup recipes to make this season? Here are a few of our favorites:
- Cozy Autumn Wild Rice Soup
- Broccoli Cheese Soup
- Potato Leek Soup
- Quick Black Bean Soup
- Tomato Feta Soup
Butternut Squash Soup
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 6 –8 servings 1x
Description
My all-time favorite Butternut Squash Soup recipe! It’s super-easy to make, naturally gluten-free and vegan, and so incredibly cozy and delicious. Stovetop, Crock-Pot and Instant Pot instructions included below.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 white onion, peeled and diced
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 Granny Smith apple, cored and roughly chopped
- 1 medium (about 3 pound*) butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced
- 1 sprig fresh sage
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
- pinch of ground cinnamon and nutmeg
- 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk
- fine sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper, to taste
- optional garnishes: smoked paprika, extra drizzle of unsweetened coconut milk, or see more ideas above
Instructions
Stovetop Butternut Squash Soup:
- Sauté the onion and garlic. Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 to 2 more minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant.
- Simmer: Add the vegetable broth, carrot, apple, butternut squash, sage, cayenne, cinnamon and nutmeg and stir to combine. Continue cooking until the soup reaches a simmer. Then cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 20-30 minutes until the vegetables are all tender and mash easily with a fork. Remove and discard the sage. Stir in the coconut milk.
- Purée: Use an immersion blender to purée the soup until smooth. (Or alternately, see instructions in the notes below for how to purée the soup safely using a traditional blender.)
- Season and serve: Taste and season the soup generously with salt and pepper as needed. Serve warm, topped with your desired garnishes, and enjoy!
Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Soup:
- Slow cook: Add the oil (optional), onion, garlic, vegetable broth, carrot, apple, butternut squash, sage, cayenne, cinnamon and nutmeg to a small (3-quart) slow cooker or large (6-quart) slow cooker. Toss briefly to combine. Cook for 4-6 hours on low, or 2-3 hours on high, or until the squash is completely tender and mashes easily with a fork. Remove and discard the sage. Stir in the coconut milk.
- Purée: Use an immersion blender to purée the soup until smooth. (Or alternately, see instructions in the notes below for how to purée the soup safely using a traditional blender.)
- Season and serve: Taste and season the soup generously with salt and pepper as needed. Serve warm, topped with your desired garnishes, and enjoy!
Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup:
- Sauté the onion and garlic: Press the “Sauté” button on an Instant Pot. Heat the olive oil. Add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 to 2 more minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant.
- Pressure cook: Add the vegetable broth, carrot, apple, butternut squash, sage, cayenne, cinnamon, nutmeg, and toss briefly to combine. Close lid securely and set vent to “Sealing”. Pressure cook on high for 8 minutes, followed by a quick release. Remove and discard the sage. Stir in the coconut milk.
- Purée: Use an immersion blender to purée the soup until smooth. (Or alternately, see instructions in the notes below for how to purée the soup safely using a traditional blender.)
- Season and serve: Taste and season the soup generously with salt and pepper as needed. Serve warm, topped with your desired garnishes, and enjoy!
Notes
Store-bought diced squash: If you’d like to save time, feel free to use 2 pounds of pre-cut butternut squash (fresh or frozen) instead.
Puréeing using a traditional blender: As always, please be extra-careful when blending hot liquids in a traditional blender. I recommend puréeing the soup in two or three batches, so that the blender is not too full. Then also be sure to slightly tent the cap of the blender lid open so that the extra steam can escape.
Great soup! This is my second time making it and I love it. I’ve been using cream cheese instead of coconut milk. I’m sure it’s not as good for you, but it makes an awesome winter treat!
Thanks Ellie, we’re happy you’re a fan! And we think that cream cheese sounds pretty amazing! :)
Hi there, I’m wondering if you could tell me how much dried powdered sage I should use if I don’t have a fresh sprig? Thanks so much!
This soup came out great and my husband remarked it was “the best thing I had ever made!” I only had 20oz of butternut squash, so I ended up using 5 large carrots instead of the 1. I also only had dried sage, so I used a generous 1/2 tsp of that. I served with roasted pumpkin seeds. I will definitely be making this again! Thank you for the recipe.
Awesome Jules, thanks for sharing! We’re glad you and your husband enjoyed this so much, and those roasted pumpkin seeds sound lovely!
Just got done making this and it is so good!! I’m not very much of a sweets person so I skipped out on the cinnamon and nutmeg and added 2t of garlic powder and some red pepper flakes..the crockpot was great to use without having to roast the squash first, and also used an immersion blender for the first time,r & loved it! Also served with toasted French bread with Swiss cheese, yum!! Thanks for the great recipe!
Awesome!! I’m so glad to hear that you loved it! :)
Hi there! Quick question – does the coconut milk leave a strong coconut taste (I’m not a fan usually), or is it hard to detect? If it does have a strong taste, you think almond milk or another non-dairy alternative would work instead? Thank you!
Hi Elizabeth! I’ve never really been able to taste the coconut milk in the soup, so I don’t think it will probably bother you. But if you’re worried, you can always use almond milk or another preferred milk instead.
Hi there, could you tell me about how much sage I should use if I have dried powdered sage instead of a fresh sprig? Don’t want to use too much! Definitely planning on making this soon!
Sure, I would start with 1 teaspoon of dried sage, then you could always add more if you’d like. Enjoy!
This sounds amazing. I’m going to make it soon
Thanks Fatima, we hope you’ll enjoy it! :)
Sounds delish! I’m thinking I’ll double the recipe. Do you think I need to increase the cook time in the slow cooker?
Awesome! And yes, it may take an extra hour or two with a double batch. I’d just keep an eye on it, but plan for a little extra time. Enjoy!
What size crock pot did you use and how many bowls of soup does the recipe make? Thanks.
Hi Ali! I used a large Crock Pot (this one – https://www.crock-pot.com/slow-cookers/digital-slow-cookers/SCCPVI600-S.html?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=post&utm_campaign=Crocktober_bloggers). And the recipe makes 6-8 servings. Enjoy!
This soup is amazing! I am not a big fan of butternut squash but I just love it as a soup! I used the SO Delicious Coconut milk because I don’t buy canned foods and since I don’t know the difference and loved the soup, who cares! Thanks so much for sharing!
Thanks for sharing Lynn, we’re glad you enjoyed it so much! :)