When the weather turns chilly and squash shows up in every corner of the store, I lean hard on this butternut squash soup. The move that really makes it work isn’t fancy at all: it’s learning to roast the vegetables until they’re properly browned. Once you understand what “deeply caramelized” actually looks like, this soup becomes incredibly reliable and almost impossible to mess up.
A lot of recipes rush the roasting step, and you end up with a flat-tasting, one-note soup. Here, we let the butternut squash and carrot go long enough in a hot oven to pick up serious color. That color is flavor. It gives you natural sweetness and a toasty depth, so you don’t have to add sugar or a bunch of extra ingredients to make it interesting. Busy weeknight? You can even roast the veg the night before and blitz everything together the next day.
We’ll also walk through two simple techniques: browning butter without burning it and blending the soup so it’s extra smooth without feeling heavy. Once you get a feel for these, you can apply them to other soups and sauces too. This butternut squash soup is cozy enough for a slow Sunday but streamlined enough for after work, especially if you pair it with grilled cheese or a quick salad. If you’ve been wanting a go-to fall soup that feels special but doesn’t demand your whole evening, this is the one to master.
Butternut Squash Soup: A Must-Try
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The Required Ingredients
- 1 butternut squash (about 2 1/2 pounds / 1kg), peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 large carrot (about 8 ounces / 215g), peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- 7 tablespoons (100g) unsalted butter, divided
- 1 large yellow onion (about 8 ounces / 215g), thinly sliced
- 4 medium garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 4 cups (1L) low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock, plus extra as needed for thinning
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 3/4 cup (180ml) heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 cup (60ml) sour cream
- Pinch ground cinnamon
- Pinch ground nutmeg
- 20 fresh sage leaves (optional, for topping)
How to Make It Happen
- Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Spread the butternut squash and carrot on two rimmed baking sheets, drizzle with olive oil, season lightly with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Arrange them in a single layer with a little space between pieces so they brown instead of steam. Roast for about 40 minutes, turning the pieces 2–3 times. They’re ready when they’re deeply browned on several sides and very tender. Set aside.
- In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium-high heat. Let it cook until the butter foams and just starts to turn light golden and smell nutty. Don’t walk away here—once you see light brown flecks, immediately add the sliced onion and garlic, then reduce the heat to medium. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is soft and lightly golden, about 10 minutes. If anything starts to darken too fast, lower the heat.
- Add the roasted squash and carrot to the pot and take it off the heat for a moment. Pour about 1/2 cup (120ml) stock onto each baking sheet and scrape up all the browned bits with a spatula—this is a big flavor boost. Pour that liquid into the pot. Add the remaining stock, thyme sprigs, and bay leaf. Return the pot to medium-high heat and bring to a gentle simmer, then lower the heat and cook for about 10 minutes, until all the vegetables are very soft. Fish out and discard the thyme and bay leaf.
- Blend the soup until completely smooth using a high-powered blender, a regular blender (in batches), or an immersion blender. Blend longer than you think you need for the silkiest texture. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Return the soup to the pot and adjust the consistency with extra stock if needed—it should be thick but easily pourable. Keep warm over low heat.
- In a mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the heavy cream, sour cream, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a pinch of salt. Whip with a whisk, handheld mixer, or stand mixer until stiff peaks form; the cream should hold its shape on the whisk. Set aside in the fridge if your kitchen is warm.
- If you’re making the sage topping, melt the remaining 5 tablespoons butter in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Swirl the pan as it foams and starts to brown. When it smells nutty and turns a deep golden color, add the sage leaves and gently submerge them, frying for about 15 seconds until crisp and frizzled. Lift them out with a slotted spoon onto paper towels and sprinkle with a tiny pinch of salt. Take the butter off the heat as soon as the sage is done so it doesn’t burn.
- Ladle the hot soup into warmed bowls. Add a generous spoonful of the spiced whipped cream to each bowl, and finish with a few frizzled sage leaves if you’ve made them. Serve right away while everything is hot and the cream is still nicely whipped.
Browning the Veg Just Right
The main technique that sets this butternut squash soup apart is how far you take the roasting. You’re aiming for squash and carrot that are deeply browned on the edges, not just soft and orange. Use two baking sheets so the pieces have space around them. If they’re crowded, they’ll steam and stay pale. If your oven has hot spots, rotate the pans halfway and flip the pieces a couple of times. If after 40 minutes they’re soft but not really browned, give them another 5–10 minutes and keep checking. This extra time builds sweetness and complexity without any added sugar.
Adjusting Thickness and Seasoning
Once the soup is blended, it’s easy to dial it in to your exact preference. For a thicker, almost puree-like soup, use less stock when thinning and simmer it uncovered for a few extra minutes to reduce slightly. For a lighter, sippable texture, stir in warm stock a little at a time until it flows easily off a spoon. Always re-taste for seasoning after thinning, since extra liquid will mute the salt and spices. Add salt in small pinches and finish with a few grinds of black pepper. If the soup tastes dull, a tiny splash of vinegar or lemon juice can brighten it without making it sour.
Simple Swaps for Lighter Soup
If you want a lighter version without losing the cozy feel, there are a few easy adjustments. You can swap half of the heavy cream for milk or unsweetened evaporated milk, or skip the whipped cream topping and just stir in a small splash of cream at the end. For the butter, reduce the amount in the sage step or omit that topping and simply brown 1–2 tablespoons of butter to drizzle over the bowls. You can also use olive oil instead of some of the butter in the onion step. The roasted squash still gives you a rich, satisfying texture, so the soup stays comforting even with these tweaks.
Before You Try It: FAQs
Can I make this butternut squash soup ahead of time for a busy week?
Yes, this soup works really well for planning ahead. You can roast the squash and carrot up to 3 days in advance and store them in an airtight container in the fridge. When you’re ready, sauté the onion and garlic, add the pre-roasted vegetables and stock, then simmer and blend. The fully cooked soup also keeps for about 4 days in the fridge. Reheat gently over medium-low heat, adding a splash of stock or water if it thickens too much. Make the whipped cream and sage right before serving so they stay fresh and crisp.
What if I don’t have a powerful blender? Will the soup still get smooth?
You can absolutely make this with a basic blender or an immersion blender; it just takes a bit more patience. Blend in smaller batches, filling a countertop blender no more than halfway to avoid splatters. Let the soup cool slightly before blending so steam doesn’t build up. With an immersion blender, move it slowly around the pot and keep blending for a few extra minutes. Run your spoon around the pot to check for any small chunks. If you still see bits of squash or onion, keep blending until the texture looks and feels uniform.
How can I safely adapt this recipe for kids or sensitive eaters?
For kids or anyone with a milder palate, you can easily tone things down without losing flavor. Skip the nutmeg if it’s not a favorite and use just a tiny pinch of cinnamon, or leave the spices out of the whipped cream and simply season with salt. If you’re serving very young children, you can thin the soup a bit more so it’s easier to eat and cool it slightly before serving. Taste the soup before adding extra salt at the end, and portion out a kid-friendly bowl first, then adjust seasoning in the pot for the adults with more salt and pepper if you like.
Butternut Squash Soup
Equipment
- rimmed baking sheets
- large saucepan
- high-powered blender or immersion blender
- stand mixer or handheld mixer
- small skillet
Ingredients
- 1 2 1/2–pound (1 kg) butternut squash peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 large (8-ounce; 215 g) carrot peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- 7 tablespoons (100 g) unsalted butter divided
- 1 large (8-ounce; 215 g) yellow onion thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic medium, thinly sliced
- 4 cups (1 L) low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock homemade or store-bought, plus more as needed
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 leaf bay leaf
- Kosher salt to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) sour cream
- pinch ground cinnamon
- pinch ground nutmeg
- 20 leaves fresh sage optional
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Toss the butternut squash and carrot with the olive oil, spread them in a single layer on two rimmed baking sheets without crowding, and roast until pieces are well caramelized on a few sides, about 40 minutes, turning with a thin metal spatula two or three times during baking. Remove from oven and set aside.
- Warm a large saucepan over medium-high and melt 2 tablespoons of the butter until it just starts to brown. Add the sliced onion and garlic, reduce the heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and lightly golden, about 10 minutes; lower heat as needed to avoid browning too quickly.
- Transfer the roasted squash and carrots into the saucepan and remove the pan from the heat. Pour 1/2 cup (120 ml) of stock onto each baking sheet, scrape up the browned bits, and add that liquid to the saucepan. Stir in the remaining stock, thyme sprigs, and bay leaf, return the pan to medium-high heat, bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat and simmer until the vegetables are very tender, about 10 minutes. Discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaf.
- Carefully purée the soup until completely smooth using an immersion blender or transfer in batches to a high-powered blender. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Return the soup to the saucepan and thin with extra stock if you prefer a looser consistency; keep warm over low heat.
- While the soup stays warm, whip the heavy cream and sour cream together with the cinnamon, nutmeg, and a pinch of salt using a stand mixer, handheld mixer, or whisk until firm peaks form. Set the spiced whipped cream aside.
- If making frizzled sage, melt the remaining 5 tablespoons of butter in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Swirl the pan so the butter coats it, and when it is foamy and just beginning to brown, add the sage leaves and submerge them briefly, cooking about 15 seconds until crisp. Transfer the leaves with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain and lightly season with salt.
- To serve, ladle the hot soup into warmed bowls, add a dollop or two of the spiced whipped cream to each, and top with frizzled sage leaves if desired. Serve immediately.
