Smooth creamy butternut squash soup is classic comfort food on a cold evening and a reminder of my childhood gardening experiences. My mother was the ultimate gardener. Each summer she tended a massive (to me) two-acre garden. She planted every vegetable and fruit she could find; potatoes, peanuts, beans, peas, corn, you name it we had it.
Not content to make us work our fingers to the bones in the summer, she continued her gardening efforts by planting crops for the spring and fall as well. I spent as much time as possible trying to get out of garden duty. I was fairly sure my mother made these gardens just to annoy me.
Creamy Butternut Squash Soup Recipe
I promised myself if I ever got away from those gardens I would never have one. Of course, where I became an adult, I broke that promise. My gardens are on a much smaller scale, but I love dishes made with fresh produce!
This Creamy Butternut Squash Soup recipe is one of my favorites. It’s naturally gluten-free and can be made Lacto-vegetarian just by changing the broth used in the recipe.
What You Need to Make the Soup
- butternut squash-choose medium-sized squash
- butter-use unsalted for this one
- apples- use a cooking apple. I prefer Granny Smith
- onion-use a mild, sweet onion for the best taste
- rosemary- fresh give an awesome flavor, but dried will work
- broth- I use beef, but if you prefer the Lacto-vegetarian option, use vegetable
- salt and pepper- use sea salt and freshly ground pepper- adjust the amount for your taste
- heavy cream
How to Choose Butternut Squash
- The squash should be a solid beige color without brown patches, punctures, deep cuts, or bruises
- Brown spots can indicate that the squash had frost exposure which will affect the taste
- Punctures, deep cuts, and bruises can introduce bacteria and mold
- Look for squash that feels heavy and has a deep brown colored intact stem
- An intact stem means the squash will last longer
What Can You Use Instead of Heavy Cream?
If you don’t want to use heavy cream or don’t have any on hand, you can substitute ingredients.
- Make your own heavy cream by combining 3/4 cup whole milk with 1/4 cup melted butter. Do this for each cup of cream called for in a recipe.
- If you want to make a vegan version of heavy cream, you can combine 1/3 cup olive oil with 2/3 cup soy milk.
- Another vegan option for heavy cream is to combine 1/2 cup silken tofu with 1/2 cup soy milk.
- Want a lower-fat version of heavy cream that can be used in soups? Use any of these ideas:
- Substitute an equal amount of half-and-half for heavy cream.
- Use an equal amount of cottage cheese and low-fat milk. Place the mixture in a blender and pulse until all the lumps are removed.
- Use Greek yogurt thinned with enough low-fat milk to make a sauce.
Printable Recipe
Creamy Butternut Squash Soup Recipe
Ingredients
2 butternut squash, cut in half with seeds removed
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and diced
1 medium onion, diced
14 rosemary leaves, minced
1 (14-ounce) can beef broth (or vegetable broth)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 cups heavy cream
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place squash halves into a 9″ by 13″ baking dish filled with one-inch water. Bake the squash for 45-50 minutes or until insides are soft.
- Scoop the insides of the squash into a large saucepan and mash with a fork. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set pan aside.
- In a large skillet, over high heat, melt the butter. Add the apples, onions, and rosemary. Saute, stirring often, until onions are browned, around 5-7 minutes.
- Add the apple mixture to the saucepan with the squash. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the cream. Allow the soup to simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, for flavors to meld.
This soup is perfect served with a thick, crusty bread or a batch of cornbread muffins. What is your favorite soup recipe to serve when the weather turns chilly?
Oh this looks like a perfect recipe for a day like today. It is snowy and cold out, there are even some roads closed in my area.
I love different kinds of soup but one of my favorites would always have to be butternut squash especially during the colder days of the year! This recipe is a must try for me! Thanks for sharing it.
I have a secret to share…I have never had butternut squash! I need to give this a try. It looks amazing!
me and my mom and i was just talking about butternut squash yesterday. i had it in a salad for the first time and loved it. this looks delish
I love the creamy type soups!
This one looks very tasty.
My friend just offered me a basket full of miscellaneous ingredients. One of them is a pack of butternut squash!
I just love soups in the wintertime! And butternut squash is my favorite!
This looks SO good! I love soup during this time of year. I’m sure my family will love this too!
I love how creamy it looks! Such a comforting dinner on a cold night!
I’ve never added apples but it sounds so yummy. With a big storm looming, this sounds like just the thing to make for my family.
As a vegetarian this is so my kind of food porn! I cannot wait to shop for all these ingredients and whip this yummy soup up for my family! Thanks so much for sharing this recipe!
I am a big fan of soups using any type of squash. This looks absolutely delicious.
Sounds like the perfect soup for a cold day!! I will have to make this.
I love butternut squash in all its forms but especially soup! This is getting added to the rotation on the next cool day!
Now this sounds super flavorful and delicious! I could go for a warm bowl right now. The forecast says it’s supposed to snow soon and it never snows here!
I love butternut squash soup which reminds me I need to make it more often. This looks fantastic!
This butternut squash soup recipe looks so delicious and easy to make. I will have to get the ingredients I need to make this on the weekend. It is a great time of the year for it.
That looks really good. I love a good soup. This is a great time of year for soup too.
This soup looks delicious. I have never had a squash soup before but I am going to be giving it a try now.
I have only had butternut squash soup one time that I can remember. I do remember that I liked it though. I would love to make it at home.
I love to make a good loaded potato soup on cold days, but this looks delish, too!
I love Butternut Squash soup! I can’t wait to try this recipe. I love lasagna soup in the winter.
It’s funny how we grow up to embrace the things we hated. The soup sounds good!
Yum! I love squash and this soup recipe looks amazing. Have to try it.
Mmm, this soup looks so good. I love butternut squash, it makes a great soup. Thanks for the recipe.
I have never had butternut squash soup before, but I do love butternut squash. This looks like a comforting dish for a chilly winter dinner!
This soup looks so yummy. I love butternut squash, but I have never made soup with it. I can’t wait to try this recipe.
Butternut squash is my favorite! What a delicious soup, esp. since it is so healthy!
That looks so good! I love a soup like this on a cold day. Not only does it warm me up, it’s also healthy. Since I don’t normally like healthy, this is great!
That sounds delicious! I love butternut squash, so I know this soup is going to be good. Thanks!
I love butternut squash soup! It would really hit the spot right now with this cold weather!
A perfect soup for the chilly weather. I haven’t tried butternut squash soup before, but I love squash!