This savory butternut squash soup is the height of the fall flavor. The combination of spices - thyme, basil, oregano, and sage – satisfies any need for comfort food. Plus, it’s ready in just 40 minutes and tastes heavenly, with a sprinkle of candied ginger on top!
This savory butternut squash soup recipe pairs well with a green salad, homemade Dillie Bread, or this flavorful Pear and Walnut Salad. The flavor will be even better if you roast the squash instead of steaming it.
Why You’ll Love This Butternut Squash Soup Recipe
- Quick and easy - Can you believe this soup is ready from start to finish in just 40 minutes? It’s one of the easiest soups to make!
- Tons of flavor - The delicious herbs add so much flavor that complements the rich butternut squash and potato. The extra ginger on top takes everything over the top!
- Freezes great - Do yourself a favor and make a double batch. The leftovers freeze well and will be perfect for an easy weeknight dinner later on!
Ingredients
- Butternut squash: Start by peeling and cubing butternut squash to help it cook faster.
- Onion: Saute a white or yellow onion to release its natural sweetness and aromatic flavor.
- Garlic: A little fresh garlic gives this soup a nice bite that pairs well with the herbs.
- Olive oil: Heat a little oil to bring out the flavorful oils in the herbs and spices.
- Seasonings: Use a mixture of dried thyme, rubbed sage, dried basil, oregano, salt, and pepper to season this homemade butternut squash soup.
- White potato: Use a starchy potato, like Russet or Yukon Gold, to add a nice creamy texture.
- Milk: Use your favorite milk or milk alternative to make the soup creamy and smooth.
- Water: Dilute the milk with water or use your favorite type of stock.
- Candied ginger: This is an optional garnish that contrasts the rich, creamy butternut squash flavor so well.
Variations
- Add a little sweetness - Butternut squash tastes amazing with a little sweetness. Add some apple, a splash of maple syrup, or a glug of apple cider, and let the flavors cook down.
- Add a crunch - This rich, creamy soup tastes wonderful with a little crunch on top. Add some homemade croutons or toasted pumpkin seeds.
- Make it savory - Instead of water, use homemade chicken stock for a satisfying meaty flavor.
What You Need
For this recipe, you need a soup pot or Dutch Oven (this one has over 44,000 reviews!), knives, a cutting board, a vegetable steamer, measuring cups and spoons, and a good vegetable peeler. You also need an immersion blender, regular blender, or food processor to blend the cooked squash and other ingredients to a smooth consistency. I prefer the immersion blender because it's so easy.
How to Make Savory Butternut Squash Soup
- Peel the squash and remove the seeds.
- Cut the squash into cubes and put it in your vegetable steamer.
- Peel and cube the potato. Put it in your vegetable steamer with the squash.
- Steam the squash and potatoes until soft and tender, about 12-15 minutes.
- While the squash and potatoes are steaming, heat the oil in your soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat until it is hot.
- Add the onions to the soup pot and sauté until they are transparent (5-10 minutes). Add the garlic and continue cooking for 30 seconds.
- Mix in the thyme, sage, basil, and oregano.
- Add the salt and pepper.
- When tender, place the squash and potatoes in the soup pot and stir to combine.
- Add the milk and water to the soup pot and continue cooking until the mixture starts to thicken.
- Using an immersion blender, pulse the soup to blend until smooth.
- Adjust the seasonings, if necessary, and serve hot. Top with fresh chopped basil and/or chopped candied ginger.
Expert Tips
- Roast the squash - Although you can steam the squash, roasting concentrates the flavor and caramelizes the edges of the squash for tons of flavor.
- Use fresh herbs - Your herbs will lose their potency in the spice cupboard. For the best flavor, use fresh herbs or add extra to make up for the difference.
- Make it non-dairy - Use coconut milk or your favorite non-dairy alternative instead of regular milk.
- Season often - Taste your soup several times while it’s cooking, and add more salt when needed. This will make the final soup so flavorful!
Recipe FAQs
Butternut squash has a pretty mild flavor with a subtle sweetness, and because of that, it pairs well with so many other flavors. It’s excellent with classic fall flavors like maple syrup, sage, and thyme, but it’s also lovely with more robust seasonings like cumin, smoked paprika, and chili powder. It can easily go between sweet and savory flavors, so if you’re curious about a flavor combination, be brave and test it out! Try these side dishes for butternut squash.
When roasted or steamed, butternut squash is naturally quite creamy and has a smooth consistency. To make your soup really creamy, there are a few options. First, add cream. This can be coconut milk, heavy cream, sour cream, or milk - they all work. Another option is to add a potato or sweet potato. These are starchy and give that starchiness to the squash. Finally, you can try thickening the soup with a cornstarch slurry or roux, but try the other steps first, as they’re usually all you need!
You can eat butternut squash skin, but it’s not always ideal, depending on the preparation. In a soup, the skin never thoroughly cooks down and adds a gritty, unpleasant texture. It’s common to remove the skin of the butternut squash for a smooth flavor and easy eating experience, but that’s entirely up to you.
More Butternut Squash Recipes You'll Love
- Smokin' Butternut Squash Soup
- Harvest Butternut Squash Soup
- Vegan Gluten Free Butternut Squash Soup
- Minty Indian Pumpkin Soup
- Gingery Butternut Squash Soup
- Butternut Squash Vichyssoise Soup
Savory Squash Soup Recipe
Author: Recipe Idea Shop
Ingredients
- 1 medium Butternut Squash peeled, seeded and cut into small cubes
- 1 large onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic about ½ teaspoon minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves or 2 teaspoons fresh time, minced
- ½ teaspoon dried rubbed sage
- 1 teaspoon dried basil or 2 teaspoons fresh basil, chopped
- ¼ teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 medium white potato peeled and diced
- 1 ½ cups milk alternative I used coconut milk
- ¼ teaspoon pepper or to taste
- 1 ½ cups water
- 2 tablespoons candied ginger chopped, optional ingredient
Instructions
- Peel the squash and remove the seeds.
- Cut the squash into cubes and put it in your vegetable steamer.
- Peel and cube the potato. Put it in your vegetable steamer with the squash.
- Steam the squash and potatoes until soft and tender, about 12-15 minutes.
- While the squash and potatoes are steaming, heat the oil in your soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat until it is hot.
- Add the onions to the soup pot and sauté them until the onions are transparent (5-10 minutes). Add the garlic and continue cooking for 30 seconds.
- Mix in the thyme, sage, basil and oregano.
- Add the salt and pepper.
- When tender, place the squash and potatoes in the soup pot and stir to combine.
- Add the milk and water to the soup pot and continue cooking until the mixture starts to thicken.
- Using an immersion blender, pulse the soup to smoothly blend.
- Adjust the seasonings, if necessary, and serve hot. Top with fresh chopped basil and/or chopped candied ginger.
Kathy acquired the blog, Recipe Idea Shop in 2024. She was raised on a farm in Arkansas where having a big garden and good food to eat was the norm. She shares recipes for homemade comfort food and new trending dishes.
Kathy began her blogging journey in 2011 when she founded PetticoatJunktion.com, a home décor blog focused on repurposing and upcycling furniture, and thrift store finds.