This is the Best Vegan Butternut Squash Soup ever! Creamy, delicious, and perfect for fall. Ready in just 30 minutes, ideal for chilly days, offering a cozy and comforting experience.
This soup is perfect for fall and winter when butternut squash is in season, with its rich, velvety texture and warm, earthy flavors, ideal for cozy moments by the fireplace as leaves fall outside.
Whether you're craving a quick weeknight dinner during the crisp days of fall or a soul-warming meal on a chilly winter evening, this soup has you covered!
Love comforting vegan soups? You're in for a treat! Explore my Vegan Pumpkin Soup, Vegan Potato Soup, and Vegan Mushroom Soup, and warm up your day with these flavorful delights!
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🌟 Why you'll love this recipe
- Quick and Easy: Ready in 30 minutes and requires only 10 simple ingredients.
- Dairy-Free: Made without butter or cream, perfect for a dairy-free diet.
- Nutritious: Packed with essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Butternut squash is a vitamin A powerhouse with numerous health benefits.
- One-Pot Wonder: Made in just one pot on the stovetop, so there's no need to use an oven.
- Meal Prep Friendly: Ideal for meal prepping, double the recipe, and enjoy the soup all week long!
🧾 Ingredient notes
Extra Virgin Olive Oil: My preferred source of healthy fats in this recipe. Feel free to add more for extra richness, or experiment with other oils or Vegan Butter if you prefer.
Garlic and Onion: You can opt for garlic and onion powder to save time, but using fresh garlic and onion is always the preferred choice for the best flavor.
Celery: You can omit it if it's not to your taste or if you don't have any on hand.
Carrots: Similarly, you can skip them if needed, although they do contribute a touch of sweetness.
Butternut Squash: To make this soup, you'll need a medium to large 3-pound squash, readily available at your grocery store.
Vegetable Stock: The best choice to elevate the flavor of this dish, though water can be a suitable substitute.
Ground Nutmeg: While optional, it imparts a comforting warmth to the dish. Feel free to add it according to your taste.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
📋 Variations
Time to spice up your butternut squash soup! Check out these tasty twists:
- Butternut Squash and Apple Soup: Add 2 medium apples, peeled, cored, and cubed when cooking the butternut squash.
- Curried Butternut Squash Soup: Incorporate 1 teaspoon of Curry Powder while seasoning the soup.
- Coconut Butternut Squash Soup: Mix in 1 14-ounce (400 milliliters) can of full-fat coconut milk for a creamier texture.
- Cilantro and Lemon Butternut Squash Soup: Garnish the soup with ¼ cup (15 grams) of fresh cilantro leaves and a pinch of lemon zest just before serving.
- Roasted Red Pepper and Butternut Squash Soup: Add 1 cup (150 grams) of Roasted Red Peppers, sliced into strips, to the butternut squash puree for a smoky and slightly sweet flavor.
🔪 Instructions
Step 1: Add the oil to a large pot and when it’s hot, add the garlic, onion, and celery, and cook over medium-high heat until soft, for about 5 minutes.
Step 2: Incorporate the carrots and butternut squash and cook over medium-high heat until they begin to soften, for about 5 to 10 minutes.
Step 3: Add all the remaining ingredients, stir until well combined, bring to a boil, and simmer until the veggies are tender, for about 10-15 minutes.
Step 4: Blend with an immersion blender, or transfer to a high-speed blender and blend until smooth.
💭 Expert tips
- Select Quality Butternut Squash: Opt for dark beige squash without deep cuts or bruises. A heavier squash suggests more moisture for a better soup.
- Efficient Cubing: To save time, chop your squash and carrots into small cubes. Larger cubes will require more cooking time.
- Customize Soup Thickness: Adjust the amount of vegetable stock to achieve your desired soup consistency. More stock for a thinner soup, less for a thicker one.
- Enhance Creaminess: For an extra creamy soup, add ingredients like coconut milk, plant-based yogurt, flour, cornstarch, stale bread, or nuts for richness and texture.
- Weigh at the Store: No home scale? Weigh the butternut squash at the store to ensure the right amount for the recipe, particularly when unsure of the needed size.
❓Recipe FAQs
It can typically last in the refrigerator for about 3 to 4 days when stored properly in an airtight container.
It's important to allow the soup to cool to room temperature before refrigerating it. When reheating, make sure to heat it thoroughly until it's steaming hot to ensure it's safe to consume.
Yes, you can freeze it to extend its shelf life. Ensure the soup cools to room temperature first.
Consider portioning it into individual servings or meal-sized portions and place them in airtight, freezer-safe containers or bags, removing excess air.
Label and date each container, then lay them flat in the freezer with room for expansion. Properly frozen, the soup can stay good for about 2 to 3 months.
To enjoy it later, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight and reheat until hot when you're ready.
You have a few options. You can add stale bread, which will also subtly flavor the soup.
Alternatively, mix a small amount of flour or cornstarch with cold water to create a slurry and gradually stir it into the simmering soup.
If your soup becomes too thick, simply pour in more vegetable stock or water to reach your desired consistency. Adjust as needed to achieve the perfect thickness for your preference.
Peeling and cutting a butternut squash may seem daunting, but it's manageable with the right approach.
Begin by trimming both ends to create stable surfaces, then peel the skin off with a vegetable peeler or knife, working from top to bottom.
Afterward, cut the squash in half horizontally, scoop out the seeds from the bottom half, and proceed to slice or cube it according to your recipe.
With these steps, you can efficiently prepare the squash for your chosen dish.
You have several delicious options to choose from.
For a creamy and visually appealing presentation, try topping each bowl of soup with a drizzle of coconut milk, a sprinkle of chopped parsley, and a handful of toasted pumpkin seeds.
To complete the meal, serve the soup with a good loaf of crusty Vegan Bread for dipping.
This combination offers a delightful contrast of flavors and textures, making your butternut squash soup experience even more enjoyable.
🍲 Other tasty vegan soup recipes
⭐️ Did you like this recipe? Please consider giving it a 5-star rating and comment below!
📖 Recipe
Best Vegan Butternut Squash Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 celery sticks, chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 1 large butternut squash, about 3 pounds or 1,360 g, peeled, seeded, and cubed
- 4 cups vegetable stock
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Instructions
- Add the oil to a large pot and when it’s hot, add the garlic, onion, and celery, and cook over medium-high heat until soft, for about 5 minutes.
- Incorporate the carrots and butternut squash and cook over medium-high heat until they begin to soften, for about 5 to 10 minutes.
- Add all the remaining ingredients, stir until well combined, bring to a boil, and simmer until the veggies are tender, for about 10-15 minutes.
- Blend with an immersion blender, or transfer to a high-speed blender and blend until smooth.
Notes
- Select Quality Butternut Squash: Opt for dark beige squash without deep cuts or bruises. A heavier squash suggests more moisture for a better soup.
- Efficient Cubing: To save time, chop your squash and carrots into small cubes. Larger cubes will require more cooking time.
- Customize Soup Thickness: Adjust the amount of vegetable stock to achieve your desired soup consistency. More stock for a thinner soup, less for a thicker one.
- Enhance Creaminess: For an extra creamy soup, add ingredients like coconut milk, plant-based yogurt, flour, cornstarch, stale bread, or nuts for richness and texture.
- Weigh at the Store: No home scale? Weigh the butternut squash at the store to ensure the right amount for the recipe, particularly when unsure of the needed size.
Denise says
Very good stuff! Thank you.
Iosune says
Hi Denise! So glad you liked it 🙂
Michelle says
My family loves this recipe so much. We eat it every week when squash is in season. Sometimes I add other veggies and spices, but the original one is a 5 star recipe!
Adriana @ Simple Vegan Blog says
Hi Michelle! So glad you all liked it 🙂