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This Butternut Squash Soup is bursting with fall flavor! It’s made in one pot with creamy squash, tart Granny Smith apples, fresh herbs, and coconut milk for a warming meal or side dish for the holidays. Vegan and Gluten-Free, Oil-Free Option.
This Apple Butternut Squash Soup Recipe is one of my favorite fall staples. It’s velvety smooth, super creamy, and bursting with cozy fall flavors thanks to 10 seasonal, healthy ingredients. Just simmer everything in a pot, then blend and enjoy!
Table of Contents
A Creamy and Cozy Fall Favorite
To me, it just isn’t Thanksgiving if the butternut squash soup isn’t on the table. Our family friend would bring it to our dinner every year, and I’d always look forward to those luscious, warming slurps. Luckily, this Butternut Squash Soup Recipe tastes exactly like it, except it’s 100% dairy-free!
Now, this recipe is a little different from the version you might know. Like the classic, it’s packed with incredible flavor, fresh fall produce, and nutrients to nourish your soul from the inside out. But with a crisp and tart Granny Smith apple added to the mix, there’s an extra pop of flavor in each spoonful that I know you’ll adore.
What’s better is that this creamy soup is freezer-friendly, meaning you can make it ahead of time or whip up a double batch to enjoy for later! Talk about a win-win.
What You Need for This Apple and Squash Soup
This cozy vegan fall soup calls for 10 simple ingredients. Thanks to a mix of seasonal produce and everyday staples, it comes together quickly and is bursting with comforting flavors you’ll love on a chilly fall or winter day.
- Granny Smith Apple: no substitutes, please! Granny Smith apples have a nice, unique tart flavor that balances the sweetness in the butternut squash perfectly. I’ve tried other varieties, like Gala, Honeycrisp, or McIntosh apples, but they don’t seem to work as well.
- Fresh Herbs: this fall apple soup gets its warming, robust flavors from a mix of fresh rosemary and fresh sage. Dried herbs will work in a pinch, but you’ll need to reduce the quantities to 1 teaspoon of dried rosemary and 1/2 teaspoon of dried sage.
- Butternut Squash: this orange, nutty-tasting squash comes into season during fall and winter. It’s one of my favorite seasonal ingredients to use in cozy soup recipes, hearty warm salads, comforting family dinners, and so much more. Feel free to use fresh or frozen butternut squash here!
- Coconut Milk: canned full-fat coconut milk is your best bet for making the soup luscious and creamy.
- Vegetable Broth: any quality brand of vegetable broth or a homemade batch will do.
How to Make Vegan Butternut Squash Soup
- Sauté the onion and apple in a large soup pot until the onion is translucent.
- Add the garlic, rosemary, sage, and a pinch of salt and sauté for a few minutes. After, add the squash, coconut milk, and vegetable broth.
- Heat the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the squash is fork tender. Blend the soup with an immersion blender or regular blender to finish.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and serve while it’s warm. Enjoy!
Caitlin’s Cooking Tips
- Roast the squash to deepen its flavors: Sautéing and simmering the squash in the soup will always give you delicious results, but roasting it in the oven can caramelize and deepen its sweet and nutty flavors. If you’d like to try this, follow the roasting instructions in this Roasted Butternut Squash Salad recipe, then add the roasted squash to the pot during the last few minutes of simmering and blend as normal.
- Be careful when blending hot soup. Blending the soup in the pot with an immersion blender is the safest option since hot liquids expand in regular blenders. If you’re using a regular upright blender, use a venting lid and blend the soup in small batches.
Serving Suggestions
This creamy soup is always on my Thanksgiving menu. It’s a wonderfully warming way to start the meal and even makes for a great side dish next to this Rosemary Sweet Potato Gratin and this Vegan Lentil Loaf.
Outside of the holidays, a bowl of butternut squash soup is the perfect light meal or side dish to enjoy on a chilly day during fall and winter. It’s best served with crusty bread for dipping or a seasonal salad, like this Kale Apple Salad or this Fall Farro Salad. Or, go with the classic soup and sandwich combo by pairing your bowl with this Rainbow Veggie Sandwich or this Vegan BLT.
I always add a few garnishes on top to make every bowl that much more appetizing. Try a swirl of coconut milk, fresh or fried sage leaves, freshly cracked black pepper, toasted pecans, walnuts, or pumpkin seeds, or herby croutons (like the homemade croutons from my Creamy White Bean Soup).
If you’re looking for even more warm and creamy soups to try this fall and winter, you’ll love this Smoky Sweet Potato Soup, this Kabocha Squash Soup, and this Feel-Good Red Lentil Soup!
How to Store Leftover Butternut Squash Soup
Wait for the soup to cool to room temperature, then transfer it to an airtight container. It will keep for up to 5 days in the refrigerator or up to 1 month in the freezer. Allow the frozen leftovers to thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
To reheat butternut squash soup, zap it in the microwave in 30-second intervals or add it to a saucepan and warm over medium heat. Feel free to add a splash of water or broth if the consistency thickened at all after chilling.
Substitutions and Variations
- Oil-Free Option: Instead of sautéing the onion and apple in olive oil, use a splash of vegetable broth or water for an oil-free variation.
- Coconut Substitute: If you have a coconut aversion, use an equal amount of cashew cream or store-bought vegan creamer instead. Unsweetened plant milk will also work, but your soup will be less creamy.
- Butternut Squash Substitutions: The squash can be replaced with another winter squash, such as peeled and chopped pie pumpkin, acorn squash, or kabocha squash. The overall texture and flavor of the soup will be slightly different depending on the variety you use, but it will still be sweet and nutty.
Recipe FAQs
Continue simmering the soup for an additional 10 minutes after blending if you find it to be too thin for your liking. Alternatively, stir in a cornstarch slurry (1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons of water) at the end of cooking to help thicken.
Yes! Unlike other squash varieties, such as delicata squash or acorn squash, butternut squash skin is tough and doesn’t blend well. Always remove it for the silkiest soup.
No, you do not need to peel the apple. The peel actually adds texture and flavor, and since Granny Smith apples have a tart flavor, their peel won’t affect the taste negatively.
I have only tested this recipe on the stovetop, but it should work in the slow cooker. Sauté the aromatics and herbs on the stove, then add them and the rest of the ingredients to a crockpot. Cook on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours or on LOW for 5 to 6 hours, or until the squash is tender. Blend, serve, and enjoy!
Enjoy! If you make this recipe and decide to share it on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @FromMyBowl + #FromMyBowl! I would also love it if you could leave a comment below with a recipe rating! Thank you for the support 😊
Butternut Squash Apple Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 2-3 cloves of garlic minced
- 1 Granny Smith apple diced
- 1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary or 1 tsp dried
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh sage or 1/2 tsp dried
- 1 small butternut squash peeled and diced (about 5–6 cups/800 g)
- 1 13.5 ounce can full-fat coconut milk
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Aromatics: Warm the oil in a large pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion and apple and sauté until the onion is translucent, 3 to 5 minutes Add in the garlic, rosemary, sage, and a pinch of salt. Sauté for an additional 1 to 2 minutes, until fragrant.
- Bring to a Boil: Add in the squash, coconut milk, and vegetable broth. Stir well, then bring to a boil over high heat.
- Simmer: Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 10 to 12 minutes, until the squash is fork-tender.
- Blend: Carefully use an immersion blender to blend the soup until smooth. You can also transfer the soup to an upright blender with a venting lid; blend on high speed for 14 to 60 seconds, until creamy.
- Serve: Serve as desired; leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or can be frozen for up to one month.
Recipe Notes
- Oil-Free: Sauté the vegetables in step 1 in 1/4 cup (60 ml) of water or additional vegetable broth instead of oil.
- Apples: I would not recommend substituting another variety of apple here; Granny Smith provides a nice, unique tart flavor
- Coconut Milk Swirl: If you’d like to garnish your soup with a coconut milk swirl (as seen in the blog post photos), simply set aside ~1/4 cup (60 ml) of coconut milk before adding to the pot in step 2. Use a spoon to drizzle the milk over the bowls right before serving.
One of our guests is allergic to garlic. Can you recommend a substitute? Thank you!
you can just omit it 🙂
Delicious.
Due to dietary issues, I sauteed onions and garlic in oil to infuse for flavour, then disguarded chunks. Added diced apples and herbs to the infused oil. Roasted my squash and added later and then let all simmer in a pot. The squash fell apart nicely and the softened apples retained their shape. I didn’t puree. Wonderful. Thank you!
sounds amazing, I’m so glad you enjoyed!
This is one of my favorite recipes. It’s the best soup I’ve ever had.
So glad to hear that, Rae!
This recipe is great as is but is also very versatile. I usually make it in the instant pot – cook on high for 8 minutes. The only thing I feel like it’s missing is a little brightness. Before serving I’ll add some lemon or fresh parsley or goat cheese. Sometimes I’ll throw in some carrots ginger and turmeric during cold season.
Thanks for the review Diana! Love the idea of finishing with some lemon!
Hi. Do you peel the apple?
You do not need to peel the apple for this recipe. The apple peel adds texture and flavor to the soup, and since Granny Smith apples have a tart flavor, their peel won’t affect the taste negatively. So, feel free to leave the peel on the apple when dicing it for the butternut squash apple soup.
This is a great soup, I get lots of compliments when I make it. It reheats really well. I often top with hemp hearts to boost the protein when eating as a meal. To save time peeling and chopping, I bake my squash, then remove seeds and scoop out the squash from the skin.
Most delicious soup! Thank you creating and sharing this recipe, Caitlin!
You’re so welcome, Lori!
Family members are allergic to rosemary. What’s a good substitute with fresh sage?
Hi Nomi. If family members are allergic to rosemary and you want to substitute it with fresh sage in the Butternut Squash Apple Soup, you can simply increase the quantity of fresh sage or use dried sage as a replacement. Sage has a warm and earthy flavor that pairs well with butternut squash and apples.
Omg. This soup is SO good! I was totally suspicious going in. But it works. This soup has hobbit vibes and I’m living for it. Even my husband loved it…and he doesn’t usually like butternut squash or blended soups
haha, love the hobbit vibes! I’m glad you both enjoyed it 🙂
I want to make this but would prefer to roast the squash in the oven, would this alter the flavor at all?
It may alter the overall taste and texture slightly. By roasting the butternut squash before adding it to the soup, you’ll get a deeper, caramelized flavor.