This easy butternut squash soup recipe uses simple ingredients and is bursting with fall flavors. It's delicious topped with pepitas and served with a side of crusty bread.
Have you ever tried the Panera Autumn Squash Soup? It's ultra-creamy and packed with seasonal flavors like butternut squash, pumpkin, cinnamon, and curry. This is a vegan copycat version, that's delicious all year long.
If you're in need of some cozy comfort food, this soup is for you! Just roast the butternut squash, blend everything together, and keep it warm on the stovetop. It's easy to make ahead of time for meal prep to enjoy throughout the week. As an added bonus, it's naturally dairy free and gluten free!
Ingredient notes
- Butternut squash: Butternut squash has a sweet, nutty flavor that's enhanced when roasted. Grab two small butternut squashes at your grocery store or local farmers market. I suggest using smaller butternut squash vs larger as the small squash are generally sweeter and more flavorful!
- Onion: The first few times I made this soup, I would saute the onion in a skillet as the squash roasted. To cut down on dishes and prep, now I just toss a roughly chopped onion in the oven with the butternut squash. It ends up providing a nice caramelized, slightly smoky flavor to the soup.
- Spices: We're using a variety of spices to season this soup! Feel free to add or omit as you please but my favorite combination combines garlic powder, dried sage, curry powder, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, cayenne pepper, and of course, salt.
- Apple juice: Infuse tart apple flavors into this soup by using apple juice or apple cider. This along with water and vegetable broth makes up the base of the soup when blended with the butternut squash.
- Maple syrup: This is an optional ingredient depending how sweet your soup already is or how sweet you want it to be. My husband actually prefers when I leave this out. You can use brown sugar as a substitute, if needed.
- Coconut milk: Canned coconut milk gives this soup a silky smooth texture that's thick and full of body. While I highly recommend using coconut milk, you can use any dairy free milk of choice as an alternative.
How to make vegan butternut squash soup
The full directions for this spiced butternut squash soup are in the printable recipe card below.
- Cut the butternut squash: Start by slicing the butternut squash from top to bottom to cut in half. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds, coat with olive oil, and place squash cut-side down on a baking sheet lined with foil.
- Roast the squash: Bake at 425F for 1 hour, or until softened and brown. When there's about 20 minutes left of roasting, add the onion to the baking sheet.
- Blend soup together: Transfer the roasted squash to a blender along with the onion, maple syrup, seasoning, apple juice (or apple cider), and water. Blend until completely smooth and creamy. You may need to add some veggie broth to make sure everything is incorporated.
- Warm the soup: Pour the soup into a large pot and warm over medium-high heat. Add veggie broth and coconut milk, stir to combine. Bring to a simmer then lower the heat. Add additional broth to thin the soup to desired consistency and adjust with more salt or seasoning, if needed.
- Serve and enjoy: Once warm, ladle into bowls, and serve warm. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge and reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.
Tips and variations
- Top with pepitas or pumpkin seeds and a swirl of coconut milk.
- Toss a sliced apple on the baking sheet with the onion for extra flavor.
- Instead of onion, use a large chopped shallot.
- Make it spicy butternut squash soup by adding a few tablespoons of Thai red curry paste or crushed red pepper.
- Serve with a side of dairy free dinner rolls!
Related recipes
Want more simple soup recipes? Try these next:
- Vegan pumpkin soup is a one pot recipe that's full of flavor!
- Vegan leek soup is creamy and warming. The perfect answer to a chilly evening!
- Vegan potato soup is thick and creamy! Perfect for weeknight dinner or meal prep.
I hope you love this dairy free butternut squash soup recipe as much as we do. It's truly one of my favorites and make for such an easy fall dinner. If you give it a try, snap a picture, and let me know what you think.
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
This easy butternut squash soup recipe uses simple ingredients and is bursting with fall flavors. It's creamy, delicious, and dairy free!
Ingredients
- 2 small butternut squash (about 4 pounds)
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ medium yellow onion
- ½ tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon curry powder
- ¼ teaspoon dried sage
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 cup apple juice
- 1 cup water
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup canned coconut milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425F and slice the butternut squashes from top to bottom. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and coat with olive oil. Place each squash cut-side down on a baking sheet lined with foil.
- Bake at 425F for 1 hour, or until softened and brown. When there's about 20 minutes remaining of roasting, roughly chop the onion and toss on the baking sheet.
- Once cooked, remove from the oven and place in a blender with the onion, maple syrup, seasoning, apple juice, and water. Blend until smooth, adding vegetable broth if needed.
- Transfer the soup to a large pot and warm over medium-high heat. Add veggie broth and coconut milk, stir to combine. Bring to a simmer then lower the heat until ready to serve.
- Ladle into bowls and serve warm. Top with pepitas and serve with bread or dinner rolls. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Calories: 210kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 3gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 659mgPotassium: 788mgFiber: 5gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 20133IUVitamin C: 41mgCalcium: 102mgIron: 2mg
Did you make this recipe?Leave a comment below and tag @theurbenlife on social!
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