BEST Vegan Butternut Squash Soup

This is the best vegan butternut squash soup I’ve ever tried. It’s delicious, creamy, perfect for fall, and made in 30 minutes with 10 ingredients.

It’s also super cozy, buttery, flavorful, comforting, and extremely easy to make, it'll warm you up now that the cold is finally here.

I think this is the perfect soup for fall and winter when butternut squash is in season.

One thing I love about this recipe is that it goes well with pretty much everything.

I really like to serve it with a good loaf of crusty bread for dipping, and fried or baked tofu, or any other source of plant-based protein for a complete meal.

🧾 Ingredients

• Extra virgin olive oil: this is my favorite source of fat for this recipe. Feel free to add more oil if you want.
• Garlic.
• Onion.
• Celery: omit it if you don’t like it, or don’t have this veggie on hand.
• Carrots: same as above. They add sweetness.
• Butternut squash: you need a 3-pound squash to make this soup, so look for a medium-large one at your grocery store.
• Vegetable stock: it’s the best choice because it enhances the flavor of this dish. However, using water is okay too.
• Salt: I used ionized salt, but any salt will do.
• Ground black pepper.
• Ground nutmeg: this ingredient is optional, but adds warmth to this dish.

See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

🔪 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, stirring occasionally.

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, stirring occasionally. 

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.

📋 Substitutions & variations

• Extra virgin olive oil: feel free to use another type of oil or even vegan butter. Omit it for an oil-free version of this recipe, and make sure your vegetable stock is oil-free as well.
• Garlic and onion: use garlic and onion powder if you want to save some time, but fresh is always the best choice.
• Vegetable stock: you could use a 14-ounce can of full-fat coconut milk and 2 and ⅓ cups of stock instead, or 2 cups of any unsweetened non-dairy milk and 2 cups of stock.
• Add other ingredients like fresh ginger, one diced tart apple, or maple syrup for extra sweetness.
• Add fresh or dried herbs, like thyme, sage, or rosemary.
• Add other spices, like ground cinnamon, paprika, or curry powder.
• Make it spicy by adding a pinch of crushed red pepper or cayenne pepper.

🍽 Equipment

This recipe doesn’t require any special equipment, just a large pot, a wooden spoon, a blender, measuring spoons, measuring cups or a scale, and a cutting board and a knife to chop all your veggies.

I like to use a high-speed blender because I like my soup with a really smooth texture, but an immersion blender also works great and is ideal if you prefer a chunkier texture. 

❄️ Storage

• Refrigerator: store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
• Freezer: store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2-3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
• Reheat: ​​it can be reheated on the microwave or the stovetop over medium heat until warm through, stirring occasionally. Add some water or vegetable stock if needed.

💭 Expert tips

• Look for butternut squash with a dark beige color, without any deep cuts or bruises. Choose squash that feels heavy for its size, which indicates more moisture inside.
• Chop your squash and carrots into small cubes if you want to save some time, the larger the cubes, the longer you’ll need to cook the soup.
• Add more or less vegetable stock if you want your soup to be thinner or thicker than mine. 
• For an extra creamy soup, feel free to add: coconut milk or cream, plant-based yogurt, flour or cornstarch, stale bread, or ground nuts.
• If you don’t have a scale at home, it could be a good idea to weigh the squash at the store.

❓Recipe FAQs

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⭐️ Did you like this vegan butternut squash soup? Leave a comment and a rating below!