Butternut Squash Soup
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This creamy butternut squash soup is full of flavor and surprisingly easy — ready in under an hour and pure fall comfort in a bowl.
If you’re looking for a butternut squash soup that’s as easy as it gets, this is it! It starts with my favorite time-saving trick: pre-cut squash cubes from the supermarket. From there, everything goes into one pot to simmer before getting puréed into silky perfection. One important note—please follow the recipe as written. Every ingredient, including the full measures of sugar, salt, and cream, is key to the rich flavor and texture that make this soup so special.
For the finishing touch, you get to choose your own adventure: keep it classic with fresh thyme or give it a different twist with curry powder. Either way, you’ll end up with a bowl that’s warm, comforting, and worth making again and again.
I love this butternut squash soup with crusty bread or buttermilk biscuits, or for a lighter fall meal, alongside my shaved Brussels sprouts salad.
“So good and so easy!”
What You’ll Need To Make Butternut Squash Soup
- Butternut squash & red bell pepper: The squash brings a naturally sweet, nutty flavor and blends into a silky texture, while the pepper adds a gentle sweetness and bright color. Skip frozen squash—it tends to make the soup watery.
- Onion & garlic: The aromatic base that gives the soup its depth right from the start.
- Water & heavy cream: Water keeps the flavors clean and balanced, while a splash of cream at the end makes the soup luxuriously smooth.
- Salt, sugar & thyme or curry powder: Salt pulls everything together, sugar enhances the veggies’ natural sweetness, and your choice of thyme or curry powder sets the flavor tone—to herbal and earthy with thyme, or warm and lightly spicy with curry.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1. Prep the vegetables. Add all of the vegetables, salt, and sugar to a large soup pot, then pour in enough water to cover them.
Step 2. Cook until tender. Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until the vegetables are very tender, about 35 minutes.
Step 3. Purée the soup. Use a hand-held immersion blender (or a standard blender) to blend until silky smooth.
Pro Tip: If using a countertop blender, remove the center cap from the lid and cover the opening with a folded kitchen towel—this lets steam escape and prevents a soup volcano.
Step 4. Add the cream. Pour in the heavy cream and stir until combined.
Step 5. Finish and serve. Bring the soup to a simmer and stir in the fresh thyme (or curry powder). Taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary. Serve hot, or make ahead—the soup keeps nicely for 3 days in the fridge or can be frozen for longer storage.
Pro Tip: If you want to dress up the soup with a garnish, try pomegranate seeds for a sweet-tart burst, toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds) for a warm crunch, or homemade croutons for buttery crispness that soaks up the soup in the best way.
More Fall Soups That Warm You from the Inside Out
Butternut Squash Soup
Creamy, flavorful butternut squash soup that’s easy to make and perfect for a cozy fall meal.
Ingredients
- 2½ pounds pre-cut butternut squash (7 to 8 cups, cubed; see note)
- 1 red bell pepper, roughly chopped
- 1 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
- 7 cups water
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ¾ cup heavy cream, plus more for serving
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon curry powder, for a different flavor profile)
Instructions
- Combine the squash, pepper, onion, garlic, water, salt, and sugar in a large soup pot. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 35 minutes
- Using a hand-held immersion blender, purée the soup until silky smooth. (Alternatively, cool the soup slightly, then purée in a blender in batches, making sure to leave the hole in the lid open to allow the steam to escape.) Stir in the heavy cream and bring to a simmer. Mix in the thyme (or curry powder), then taste and adjust seasoning (depending on the sweetness of the vegetables, you may need a touch more sugar). Ladle the soup into bowls, drizzle with more cream if desired, and serve.
- Note: For the best flavor and texture, use fresh butternut squash in this recipe. Frozen squash can release extra water when cooked, which may dilute the soup and make it thinner or less flavorful.
- Make-Ahead/Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The soup can be prepared up to 3 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container. It can also be frozen, without the cream, for up to 3 months. Defrost the soup in the refrigerator for 12 hours and then reheat it on the stovetop over medium heat until hot. Once heated through, add the cream and bring to a simmer before serving.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 217
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated fat: 7 g
- Carbohydrates: 31 g
- Sugar: 11 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Sodium: 1192 mg
- Cholesterol: 34 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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This is my go to soup during autumn and cold winter months! The bell peppers and onions add a very savory taste to the sweet butternut squash. The heavy cream provides a nice smooth texture to the soup leaving you feeling satisfied and warm. Love this recipe!!
I’ve made this several times and it can’t be easier or more delicious. The red pepper cuts the sweetness and reduces the onion flavor which I have found too much in other recipes.
This delicious soup is a requested favorite in our home!! I have made it as written and it’s amazing. I have also added in a carrot and an apple for another delicious option. Like another reviewer, I use coconut milk to make it dairy free.
I like to serve it with a selection of toppings, ie. chopped scallions, grated carrot, spinach, pumpkin seeds, avocado pieces, grated zuccini. Everyone enjoys topping their soup with their favorites!!
I now keep frozen butternut squash in the freezer so I can whip up a batch of this soup anytime!! Leftover freeze beautifully as well!! Enjoy!!
If using coconut milk, make sure it is unsweetened! 🙂
This is absolutely delicious!! I subbed coconut milk for the heavy cream for a dairy free version. This will be my go-to recipe for an easy, completely satisfying soup.
I made this soup for a Thanksgiving 2019 appetizer and it was a huge hit! So easy to make, esp. since my supermarket carries pre-cut squash in 20 oz packages. I like-not-love butternut squash but I found myself getting a second bowl, especially with the homemade croutons. Several family members wanted the recipe (there were no leftovers!) and have become Once Upon a Chef subscribers. So glad I found your site!
This soup is fantastic! I’ve made it several times and have shared it with all my extended family. Not difficult to make and well worth it.
So easy and great flavor!! This site is my go-to when I don’t know how to make something!!
My first OUAC recipe and it remains a staple freezer item for 3 yrs running. I accidentally added twice as much cream in my first batch but found I liked it better a little extra creamy. I’ve made it true to the recipe as well and either way, its wonderful!
Hello
I made butternut squash using your recipe yesterday (added 1/2 teaspoon of chilli powder and pepper) -my first time making /trying butternut squash soup
It was amazing – thank you very for the recipe.
Am I correct that you don’t drain the water after boiling and before blending?
Thank you!
That’s correct 🙂
Absolutely delicious. I do use homemade chicken stock for added health benefits and flavor. Thank you for yet ANOTHER fantastic recipe I make over and over.