This is the best butternut squash soup recipe around. It’s a classic soup and is just so delicious, warm and comforting. I shared a recipe for freezer butternut squash soup previously, but it got lost in the shuffle, so I’m republishing with an easier searchable blog post title. So as the crisp autumn breeze begins to sweep through the air and leaves transform into a breathtaking tapestry of reds and golds, there’s no better way to embrace the season than with a warm bowl of butternut squash soup.

Butternut squash soup in a white bowl with a side of salad — soup pictured with salad with candied nuts and seeds

Butternut squash is not only a star in terms of flavor but also in nutritional value. This vibrant orange vegetable is rich in essential vitamins and minerals. It’s a powerhouse of vitamin A, which is crucial for maintaining healthy vision, a strong immune system, and vibrant skin. Additionally, butternut squash provides a healthy dose of vitamin C, a potent antioxidant that helps your body fight off infections and supports collagen production for skin health. So it’s perfect for fall and winter as a preventative nutritional ingredient!

What ingredients do I need to make butternut squash soup?

Onion and garlic cloves – both are used to give the soup a great flavor base.
Cinnamon – cinnamon provides an extra touch of fall flavor to this soup. It pairs perfectly with butternut squash.
Thyme – a wonderful herb to add flavor to the soup
Cayenne pepper (optional) – this is my favorite ingredient in the soup! It adds an extra kick of heat that cuts through the sweetness. It’s a gentle heat, but is optional if you don’t like the spice.
Butternut squash – obviously the base of this delicious soup! You can use a fresh butternut squash, peeled and cubed into 1″ pieces or take a time-saving route and use fresh peeled/cubed butternut squash from the produce section, or even from the freezer section!
Chicken broth (or vegetarian broth) – I use chicken stock, but you could certainly use a vegetarian broth in an effort to keep this recipe completely vegetarian.
Half-and-half – the half and half brings the creaminess to this soup, if you wanted a thick bisque butternut squash soup, you could use heavy cream in place of half and half
Fresh lemon juice – a hint of acid to cut the cream and sweetness
Sour cream – this is optional and really only needed for serving. The sourness can help cut any sweetness in the soup. My husband likes having sour cream or Greek yogurt as a topping to this soup, I like mine plain
Pepitas – a nice topping to this soup is toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

How do you make butternut squash soup?

In a large saucepan, heat butter over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, thyme, cinnamon, and cayenne. Season with salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened. This will take 5 to 7 minutes.
Add butternut squash, broth, half and half and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer, and cook until squash is tender, about 20 minutes.
Working in batches, puree in a blender or with an immersion blender until smooth.
Stir in lemon juice and season with additional salt if desired. Garnish with sour cream and cayenne if desired.

A few tips/notes for this butternut squash soup:

There is one major time saving trick to this recipe! Buy already chopped/peeled butternut squash
If you want to play with the flavors a bit, you can add a touch (½ teaspoon) of nutmeg/cloves instead of cinnamon or use chili powder to give it a more Smokey flavor.
Depending on the size of your blender, you may need to blend in batches.
To freeze, ladle cooled soup into airtight containers. Leave 1-inch of space at the top. Freeze up to 3 months.
To reheat from frozen, run container from freezer under hot water to release the soup. Transfer soup to a pot or large microwave safe container. Heat with a bit of water, stirring occasionally.

Butternut Squash Soup Recipe

This butternut squash soup will quickly become a fall favorite! There are plenty of ways to make butternut squash soup, but this recipe is the best!

4.50 from 8 votes

Print Rate

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 30

Servings: 6 servings

Equipment

Ingredients

2 Tbs butter
1 medium onion chopped
2 garlic cloves pressed
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper more for garnish, optional
2 lbs butternut squash usually 1 large butternut squash (peeled, seeded and cut into 1 inch cubes) or find pre peeled and cubed,
1 can (14.5 oz.) chicken broth
1 cup half and half
2 cups water
1 Tbs fresh lemon juice from 1/2 lemon

Instructions

In a large saucepan, heat butter over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, thyme, cinnamon, and cayenne. Season with salt, and cook, stirring occasionally until onion is softened, 5 to 7 minutes.
Add butternut squash, broth, half and half and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer, and cook until squash is tender, about 20 minutes.
Working in batches, puree in a blender or with an immersion blender until smooth.
Stir in lemon juice and season with additional salt if desired. Stir, serve and enjoy!

Notes

Notes-if you want to change it up, you can add a touch (½ teaspoon) of nutmeg/cloves instead of cinnamon or use chili powder to give it a more smokey flavor.
*Big timesaver hint! Buy pre-chopped, fresh butternut squash.

Nutrition information disclaimer: the nutrition information presented on this site should be considered an estimate as the calculations will change based on the exact products you use in your own kitchen.

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