Creamy Butternut Squash Soup
There’s nothing cozier than a bowl of Butternut Squash Soup! This soup is velvety smooth, creamy and perfect for those cold fall and winter nights!
Soup is one of my favorite things on the planet. Hot weather will never deter me — I’ll gladly eat favorites like chicken tortilla soup or white bean and kale soup any time of year!
Butternut Squash Soup has a special place in my heart. I almost always order it when it’s on the menu at a restaurant, but homemade is always best!
My roasted butternut squash soup includes this sweetness of pears, but this version combines butternut squash, potatoes and leeks into one comforting, unforgettable soup.
It includes fresh thyme and a pinch of cayenne pepper for a little background heat, and heavy cream is stirred in at the end to make it irresistibly creamy.
This soup is guaranteed to warm you inside and out. 🙂
Why you’ll love this recipe:
- This soup is velvety smooth, creamy and one of the most comforting soups you’ll ever eat.
- This recipe is a fun take on potato leek soup. The squash adds texture, flavor, added nutrition and a beautiful golden hue.
- It’s easy to make and appeals to the pickiest eaters.
- It’s a great for meal prep and it’s freezer friendly.
Recipe ingredients
There are a few standard ingredients in this recipe, some of which may be customized as outlined below.
- Butternut squash. A large butternut squash will yield 5-6 cups of cubed butternut squash. Pre-cubed butternut squash is a great time saver, or see how to cut and peel butternut squash easily in my handy tutorial.
- Yukon gold potatoes. You can use russet potatoes in this recipe, but I highly recommend yukon golds. They add a smooth, creamy texture to this soup the same way they do in my yukon gold mashed potatoes!
- Leeks. Leeks add a mild onion flavor, but it may be substituted with white or yellow onion. See my post on leek recipes for more information on how to clean and prep them, etc.
- Vegetable stock. Use homemade vegetable stock to control the sodium, or use store bought reduced sodium vegetable stock.
- Heavy cream. For a creamier soup, add more, or omit altogether for a healthier version. Heavy cream may be substituted with creme fraiche, Greek yogurt or make it dairy free with full fat coconut milk.
See the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and quantities.
How to make this recipe
This butternut squash potato soup recipe is extremely easy to make, and comes together in about 45 minutes.
Pro tip: Prep the butternut squash and potato to make meal prep even faster, or purchase pre-cubed butternut squash as a time saver. See my tutorial on how to peel and cut butternut squash easily as it’s more cost effective to do it yourself.
See the recipe card below for full instructions.
- Heat the oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium low heat. Add the leeks and sauté until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cayenne pepper and sauté 30 seconds longer.
- Add the butternut squash and potato, and sauté 1 minute more. Add the bay leaf and broth and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the squash and potato are very tender. Remove from heat and discard the bay leaf.
- Puree the soup with an immersion blender or high speed blender until smooth.
- Stir in the cream and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve and enjoy!
Recipe FAQs
Heat olive oil in a pan, and add the leeks. Cook for about 4 minutes until softened, then add garlic and a pinch of cayenne pepper and cook 30 seconds. Add the butternut squash and potato and sauté one minute longer. Add the vegetable stock and bay leaf, and bring to a boil.
Cook for 20 minutes, or until the butternut squash and potato are tender. Remove from heat and discard the bay leaf, then purée the soup with an immersion blender or high speed blender until smooth. Stir in the cream and season with salt and pepper to taste.
That depends. Many varieties of butternut squash contain a large amount of heavy cream, which makes them higher in calories, saturated fat and cholesterol. This butternut squash recipe contains 1/4 cup total, which makes it a healthier option. The cream can be omitted to make the soup healthier, or substitute with Greek yogurt or coconut milk.
While butternut squash itself is nutritious, it is higher in carbohydrates compared to other varieties of squash. Enjoy in smaller portions to keep the amount of carbs to a minimum.
For best results, keep the amount of liquid to a minimum when making butternut squash soup. If the soup is too thick, more liquid may be added after the soup is pureed.
If butternut squash is too thin, add cream, creme fraîche, Greek yogurt or coconut milk until the desired consistency is reached. You may also place the soup back on the stove top and cook down until it thickens.
Butternut squash soup will keep for up to 5 days when stored in an air tight container in the refrigerator.
Butternut squash soup may be frozen in an air tight container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator, heat and enjoy!
Serving suggestions
This recipe is comforting and satisfying on its own, but it may be served with a number of dishes for a more balanced meal.
- Serve with focaccia bread or beer bread as they are great for dunking.
- Serve with butter lettuce salad or spinach apple salad for a balanced meal.
Recipe notes
- Pro tips: Prep the butternut squash and potato to make meal prep even faster, or purchase pre-cubed butternut squash as a time saver. See my tutorial on how to peel and cut butternut squash easily as it’s more cost effective to do it yourself.
- For extra flavor, consider adding a sprig of fresh thyme to the soup while it cooks, or add a bouquet garni. For more information, see my round up of Soup Recipes.
- I added 1/4 cup of heavy cream to my soup after I pureed it, which was perfect for me. For a creamier soup, add more, or to make it healthier, omit it altogether.
More butternut squash recipes you’ll love:
Did you try this recipe? If so, be sure to leave a review below and tag me @flavorthemoments on Facebook and Instagram
Creamy Butternut Squash Soup
Ingredients
For the soup:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 leeks white and light green parts thinly sliced, cleaned, halved, and sliced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- pinch cayenne pepper add more for added heat
- 5 cups cubed peeled and seeded butternut squash, about 1 large (cut into 1" chunks); See notes.
- 2 medium potatoes peeled, and cubed (about 1 1/2 cups in 1" chunks). I highly recommend using Yukon gold potatoes for their creamy texture
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried; sub with your favorite herbs
- 6 cups homemade vegetable stock or your favorite store bought brand
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup heavy cream optional*
Instructions
Prepare the soup:
- Heat the oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium low heat. Add the leeks and sauté until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cayenne pepper and sauté 30 seconds longer.
- Add the butternut squash and potato, and sauté 1 minute more. Increase the heat to medium, then add the bay leaf, thyme and broth and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the squash and potato are very tender. Remove from heat and discard the bay leaf.
- Puree the soup with an immersion blender or high speed blender until smooth. Do this in two batches in a blender as necessary.
- Stir in the cream and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Pro tips: Prep the butternut squash and potato to make meal prep even faster, or purchase pre-cubed butternut squash as a time saver. See my tutorial on how to peel and cut butternut squash easily as it’s more cost effective to do it yourself.
- For extra flavor, consider adding a tablespoon of freshly grated ginger.
- I added 1/4 cup of heavy cream to my soup after I pureed it, which was perfect for me. For a creamier soup, add more, or to make it healthier, omit it altogether.
- Store butternut squash soup in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.
65 Comments on “Creamy Butternut Squash Soup”
I do love a pureed soup and this soup was very good, but I felt it was missing something – I added a dash of chili which improved it. My potatoes were on the small side, I could have used an extra one.
Thanks for your feedback Mark.
Butternut squash is my favorite type of soup. It’s so rich, smooth and delicious! I love the leek and potato in this! So many healthy goodies!
We truly have the same taste Katherine! 🙂
Love this recipe! I added some separately made beans to the bottom of each bowl and it was extra filling and delicious!
I’m so glad that you enjoyed the soup Samantha — thank you for the feedback! 🙂
I have SO many recipes that could use upgrades….good for you for doing it! This soup sounds flavorful and comforting and perfect for fall!
I have plenty more where this one came from! haha
This soup looks so creamy and delicious! Perfect for fall!
Thank you, Nancy!