Butternut Squash Soup
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Silky smooth and full of sweet, earthy flavor, this butternut squash soup recipe is surprisingly simple to make.
I’ve made butternut squash soup all sorts of ways over the years, and this simple butternut squash soup recipe is my favorite. It skips the usual steps of roasting the squash and sautéing the aromatics—and there’s no wrestling with a whole squash. Using pre-cut butternut squash, everything comes together in one pot in under an hour, yet the soup is remarkably flavorful. Just simmer the vegetables until tender, purée until silky smooth, and stir in the cream. This method lets the sweet, earthy flavor of the squash really shine.
Serve the soup with crusty bread for an easy fall meal. It’s also a lovely starter for Thanksgiving or a holiday dinner, especially since it can be made ahead and reheated.
*Note: After reader feedback, this recipe was updated in October 2026 to make a thicker, creamier soup.
“This was a wonderful recipe…perfect for a cold and snowy Colorado evening. Thank you!”
What You’ll Need To Make Butternut Squash Soup
- Butternut squash: Pre-cut squash makes this soup exceptionally easy. Look for firm, bright orange cubes without any soft or slimy spots. Fresh is best here; frozen squash can make the soup watery and less flavorful.
- Red bell pepper: Adds subtle sweetness, depth, and a beautiful golden-orange color without making the soup taste noticeably of peppers.
- Onion and garlic: Give the soup a savory backbone and balance the natural sweetness of the squash.
- Water: There’s no need for chicken or vegetable broth. Water allows the sweet flavor of the squash and vegetables to shine.
- Salt and sugar: Don’t be alarmed by the amounts! Because the soup is made with water rather than seasoned broth, the salt is essential for bringing out the flavor of the vegetables. A little sugar enhances the squash’s natural sweetness.
- Heavy cream: Gives the soup its silky texture and rounds out the flavors. A little extra drizzled over each bowl makes a pretty finishing touch.
- Fresh thyme or curry powder: This is your choose-your-own-adventure moment. Thyme gives the soup a classic, savory fall flavor, while curry powder takes it in a warmer, more aromatic direction.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
How To Make Butternut Squash Soup
Combine the vegetables, water, salt, and sugar in a large pot and simmer until very tender. Purée until silky smooth, then stir in the cream and thyme (or curry powder) and bring back to a gentle simmer. The soup should be smooth and creamy but not overly thick. Give it a taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
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.
Ladle the soup into bowls and drizzle with a little extra cream, if you like. The soup is delicious as is, but you can dress it up with pomegranate seeds for a sweet-tart pop, toasted pepitas for crunch, or homemade croutons for a buttery, crisp finish.
What To Serve with Butternut Squash Soup
Butternut squash soup makes a lovely starter or light meal, and it pairs especially well with sandwiches, hearty fall salads, and simple roasted meats. Here are a few of my favorite ways to serve it:
Grilled Cheese: A classic pairing that turns a bowl of butternut squash soup into an easy, satisfying lunch or dinner.
Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad: A fresh, crunchy fall salad that balances the soup’s rich, velvety texture.
Roast Chicken: Serve the soup as a first course before roast chicken for a cozy fall dinner.
Glazed Pork Tenderloin: Another natural autumn pairing, especially for a dinner party or Sunday supper.
Thanksgiving Turkey: Serve smaller portions of the soup as a starter before dinner and all the trimmings.
More Fall Soup Recipes You’ll Love
Butternut Squash Soup Recipe (Easy)
Ingredients
- 2½ pounds pre-cut butternut squash, cubed (about 8 cups; see note)
- 1 red bell pepper, roughly chopped
- 1 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
- 5 cups water
- 2½ teaspoons salt
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 cup heavy cream, plus more for serving
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme (or 1 tablespoon 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.
Notes
- For the best flavor and texture, use fresh butternut squash in this recipe. Frozen squash can release extra water as it cooks, making the soup thinner and less flavorful. And if possible, measure the squash by weight rather than volume, since the amount that fits in a measuring cup can vary depending on the size of the cubes.
- This is one recipe where I recommend sticking to the ingredient amounts, particularly the salt, sugar, and cream. They’re carefully balanced to give the soup its rich flavor and silky texture.
- 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.
Nutrition Information
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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Can you tell me how to adjust the recipe to make approximately 10 servings
Hi Krystina, I would just double it — you can freeze any leftovers.
Easy & delicious!
Is the Nutrition Information right? Per serving (6 servings) sounds like the Sodium 1191 mg and the Cholesterol 27 mg are really high.
Hi Sandra, I just double checked and it is correct. Sorry!
This recipe looks fantastic, but the sodium count is super high, any suggestions on how to lower? Thanks!
Hi Angie, It’s fine to just reduce the salt.
This came out great! I omitted the sugar and added an apple and carrot for sweetness. Also used chicken stock instead of water. I added a pinch of cayenne, cloves and apple pie spice at the end. This is going to make great lunches this week!
How long does the soup have to simmer after you stir in the cream? Soup turned out a bit watery and wondering where I went wrong. Thanks.
Hi Barb, Not long but feel free to simmer it down until it is thickened to your liking.
Is there a substitute for the heavy cream for lactose intolerant people?
How about coconut milk? Or try my Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Soup, which is delicious w/o any cream at all 🙂
I omitted the cream, opting instead to use half chicken stock (Imagine Free Range Low Sodium Chicken Broth (Organic); or try Pacific Organic which I believe is no sodium). Soup was creamy when pureed. Placed 4 sprigs of organic thyme into pot, stirred and left on low for thyme to release its flavor into the soup. My husband and I loved the soup. He is on sodium restricted diet, so I added only 1 tsp Fine Sea Salt. On my serving I lightly sprinkled a small pinch of Fleur de Sal (will try Maldon Salt next time), and it just made the flavors pop more for me. Served with homemade dinner rolls (one each!). I always cut the sodium in all recipes and things work out fine.
This soup is as simple to make as promised. The flavor is great and it warms me up on a brisk fall day. This is a go to lunch with a green salad.
Hi i wonder if u can help me i must make butternut sop for a wedding, 160 poeple! Can u help me to dubble the ing. And can i use milk instead of cream?
Hi Cielie, You’d need to multiply the ingredients by 20. That’s a lot of soup! I would not substitute the cream with milk — it won’t work. Sorry!
Easy Butternut soup was really easy. I used yellow instead of red pepper. Tastes amazing and really easy!