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This 35-Minute Butternut Squash Soup is made with creamy squash, tart Granny Smith apple, and herbaceous rosemary and sage for a creamy soup bursting with fall flavor. Vegan, Gluten-Free, Oil-Free option.
This Butternut Squash Soup goes big on flavor, yet is made simply with just 8 healthy ingredients in just over 30 minutes! It’s the perfect way to use up a whole squash and load up on Vitamin A and dietary fiber. Finish with a swirl of coconut milk and freshly cracked black pepper and get ready to savor every wholesome bite!
Table of Contents
A Cozy, Thanksgiving Favorite
This Butternut Squash Soup tastes exactly like the soup our family friend used to make at Thanksgiving – except it’s totally dairy-free! It’s truly the perfect cozy soup to serve with holiday classics such as Mushroom Stuffing, No-Boil Vegan Mac & Cheese, and Tofu Turkey. It’s packed with incredible flavor, seasonal produce, and nutrients to nourish your soul from the inside out.
Nutty butternut squash + crisp, tart apple + warming fall spices…what more could you ask for?
Plus, this soup is freezer-friendly, meaning you can whip up a double batch in your favorite large soup pot and freeze as many servings as you’d like to enjoy any time of year. Talk about a win-win!
Ingredients for Butternut Squash Soup
You only need 8 simple ingredients to make a pot of healthy butternut squash soup!
- Aromatics: Sautéed yellow onion and garlic cloves create a flavorful foundation.
- Granny smith apple: While you may think apples in soup sounds like a big no-no, it actually works really well here. Tart Granny Smith apples help to cut through the creaminess of the coconut milk, add more depth of flavor to the squash, and complement the fall spices really, really well.
- Fresh rosemary + sage: These cozy fall spices add robust, earthiness to the soup as well as a pleasant, aromatic quality. For the best flavor, I recommend fresh, but dried will work in a pinch.
- Butternut squash: Fresh or frozen butternut squash will work. If using frozen, reduce the broth by 1/4 cup to account for the excess moisture.
- Coconut milk: Full-fat coconut milk is the best dairy-free alternative to heavy cream. It’s equally rich, creamy, and adds a very similar fat content for a perfect, velvety soup consistency.
- Broth: I like to use Homemade Vegetable Broth in my homemade soups. It’s made using vegetable scraps I’d otherwise toss in the compost and is one of my favorite ways to reduce waste, but any store-bought broth will do as well! Vegan chicken broth would also be delicious!
How to Make Butternut Squash Soup
- Sauté the onion and apple until translucent. Add the garlic, herbs, and salt, and sauté for another 1-2 minutes, until fragrant.
- Stir in the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil over high heat.
- Once boiling, reduce the heat and simmer for 10-12 minutes, or until the butternut is fork tender.
- Blend creamy with an immersion blender or a regular blender or food processor with a venting lid.
- Serve while warm, as desired. Enjoy!
Caitlin’s Cooking Tips
- Avoid substituting other varieties of apple. Granny smith provides a nice, unique tart flavor that balances the sweetness in the butternut squash. If you have other varieties of apple to use up, check out my most popular apple recipes: Apple Blueberry Crisp, Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal, and Vegan Apple Crumble.
- Don’t forget to garnish! Soup garnishes are arguably one of the easiest ways to turn a good bowl of soup into a great bowl of soup. Try a swirl of coconut milk, fresh or fried sage leaves, freshly cracked black pepper, toasted pecans, walnuts, or pumpkin seeds, or herby croutons (try the homemade croutons from my Creamy White Bean Soup)!
- Be careful when blending! It is safest to blend soups using an immersion blender as hot liquid expands in a regular blender. If you are using an upright blender or food processor with a lid, make sure the appliance has the capability to vent and blend in small batches. This is because hot soup expands in the blender. If the excess pressure cannot vent from the blender lid, it can create too much pressure inside the blender and blow the lid off of the blender.
Serving Suggestions
This creamy soup can be served as a lighter main dish, or nutritious side dish, depending on your appetite. In addition to serving on Thanksgiving, it’s a wonderful recipe to make on any chilly day during fall and winter.
Like Roasted Tomato Soup, this butternut squash soup is delicious served with crusty bread or a hearty sandwich such as this Rainbow Veggie Sandwich, this Vegan BLT, or this Eggplant Reuben! Or, go with the classic soup and salad pairing and enjoy alongside an antioxidant-rich Kale Apple Salad or a Fall Farro Salad.
If you’re looking for more cozy soups and stews, you’ll also love this and this Vegan Chili, this Feel-Good Red Lentil Soup, and this Butternut Squash Chili with White Beans.
How to Store Butternut Squash Soup
Leftover soup will keep for up to 5 days in the refrigerator, or for up to 1 month in the freezer. Before covering and storing, allow the soup to cool to room temperature. This will prevent condensation from building inside the airtight container or jar.
Substitutions and Variations
- Oil-free option: Instead of olive oil, sauté the onion and apple in a splash of vegetable broth or water.
- Use dried herbs: Fresh herbs will yield the most aromatic depth of flavor, but dried herbs can be substituted in a pinch (1 teaspoon dried rosemary and/or 1/2 teaspoon dried sage).
- Butternut squash substitutions: Replace all or a portion of the butternut with another winter squash variety such as peeled and chopped pie pumpkin, acorn squash, or kabocha squash. This will yield a slightly altered flavor and texture, but will be similarly sweet and nutty.
- Coconut milk substitutions: I find the coconut adds a subtle rich, creaminess, but some readers have found the flavor of the coconut to be more pronounced. If you don’t enjoy the flavor of coconut or have a coconut allergy, substitute the coconut milk for another unsweetened plant-based milk. Or, blend 1/2 cup of raw cashews with 1 1/2 cups of water to make a homemade creamy cashew milk to use. If you choose to use a store-bought milk, such as soy milk or almond milk, your final soup will be much less creamy.
Recipe FAQs
If you find the soup to be too thin for your liking, simmer for an additional 10 minutes or so after blending to help thicken. Alternatively, stir in a thickening agent, such as a cornstarch slurry (1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons of water) at the end of cooking to help thicken. Note that soups thicken as they cool, so be careful not to over-thicken.
Yes, please. Unlike other squash varieties such as Delicata Squash or Acorn Squash, it is best to peel butternuts before using. The skin is tough and doesn’t blend well. Always remove it for the best, silky texture.
A sharp vegetable peeler or sturdy knife is best. If you’re short on time or kitchen tools, you can always purchase peeled and chopped butternut from the grocery store during the fall and winter months.
If you are cutting a butternut squash at home for the first time, it can be intimidating. For a helpful, step-by-step tutorial, check out this guide: How to Peel and Cut Butternut Squash.
Roasted squash can work. Follow the recipe as written, but wait to add the roasted squash to the pot until the last few minutes of simmering, then blend as normal. This will prevent the squash from overcooking.
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.
HOW MANY QUARTS DOES THIS MAKE? ABOUT 2 QUARTS?
The recipe yields approximately 4 to 6 servings. The specific quantity in quarts isn’t provided in the recipe, but it should make roughly 4 to 6 cups of soup, which is equivalent to 1 to 1.5 quarts. The exact amount will depend on the serving size and how much you’d like to prepare. If you need a specific quantity in quarts, you may need to adjust the recipe accordingly.
This was so wholesome and delicious. I volunteer at a community kitchen that provides free lunches for anyone in need. Last week I brought in your recipe and we served over 50 servings of this soup. People loved it, and several asked me for the recipe. I did pre-roast the squash the night before to save time and it worked just fine. Thank you for a great dish!
So happy you loved it and thank you for sharing it with everyone, Lynette!
OMG this was delicious – I wish I had taken a picture first because it did look very pretty – I’ll have to do that next time. I cut the squash in half and roasted in the oven for 1 hour until tender and used the meat from the roasted squash to make the soup. I did use about 3 tbps of red wine vinegar to deglaze the bottom of the dutch oven after sauteeing the onion/apple/spices mix and then add little cinnamon and a little cayenne pepper at the end after blending it all in a blender. Lastly when serving I topped the soup with some honey goat cheese and toasted pecan bits. Soooooo delicious!
Glad you enjoyed it, Kathleen! And yes, take a picture the next time you make it! ♥
Can I use an alternative to sage? I am allergic.
Thyme would work as well!
Had this or very similar at a hotel one year. They put a few pumpkin seed on top for appearance. It was amazing. Can’t wait to make this.
Loved, loved this soup, will make it regularly going forward. Thank you
You’re so welcome, Karin!
What are your thoughts about roasting the butternut squash first?
Hi Amy, this could work. I would still simmer the other veggies and the apple for about 10 minutes and add in the roasted squash just before blending to avoid over cooking. Let me know if you try this out!
I roasted then peeled and cubed butternut. I followed recipe except instead of broth, I used about a cup to a cup and a half of apple cider. After blending, I added cinnamon and nutmeg and it was delicious.
I love how creamy and thick this soup is; it’s like a bisque! Don’t skip on the fresh herbs – they make it!
I wanted to like this recipe more, however I found the coconut milk a pronounced flavor. I roasted 6 cups of butternut squash first, used leeks and a shallot instead of an onion because that’s what I had. Next time I’ll leave out the coconut milk and add more broth.
Hi Heather, thank you for your feedback. If you would still like the soup to have a creamy component, you can substitute the coconut milk for any other plant-based milk you prefer, just make sure it’s an unsweetened variety. You can also blend 1/2 a cup of cashews in about 1 1/2 cups of water for a creamy cashew milk and add this in place of the coconut milk, as it would be more neutral in flavor. Let me know if you try this out!
Delicious and would have never thought to combine the ingredients this way! I love pumpkin soups and squash soups and love trying different variations. Thank you!
Happy you found the combination delicious, Marin!
I always say my love language is food. I do all the cooking in our house and love coming up with new ideas and finding new recipes. Every night I am so eager to ask my boyfriend or friends what they think of the food, hoping they love it.
I made this soup last night because I had a squash I needed to use up. I did not have rosemary or sage and I used a Pink Lady Apple instead of a Granny Smith but it added the perfect sweetness to the soup.
When we sat down to eat, I didn’t even have to ask, my boyfriend, after one bite, told me he thought it was really good and part way through commented on how good the apple was.
This recipe was so easy to make and a hit in our household!
I really love the flavors in the soup and how it feel so comforting and seasonal. Is this a good recipe to freeze? I love soup for a couple of days, but prefer to freeze the rest !
Hi Kelly! Yes, it’s freezer-friendly.
WOW. very unique, delicious combination of flavours. such a wonderful sweetness. made for (canadian) thanksgiving and it’s perfect for the season!!! thank you
Glad it turned out great, Ani! Happy Thanksgiving!
Made some adjustments (as we always do when adopting a recipe)… fantastic base for a recipe! Thanks for sharing. I hope someone I know will make this “as is” so I can compare to the changes that I made.
Thank you for trying the recipe, Jen! Glad you liked it!
Excellent!! My family begs me to make this soup; even in the middle of summer. Thank you for sharing
You’re welcome. I appreciate the feedback, Cin! I’m glad you and your family loved it! ♥
My family loves this! Getting my husband and son to eat vegetables almost impossible, but even they ask for this soup. I do a bit of sweet curry to mine to cut the strong butternut squash flavor.
Can I use Almond milk instead of coconut milk in this soup.
Coconut milk can be substituted for almond or soy milk, but the final soup will be less creamy.
Thisnis my Go To recipe I share with everyone! It is delicious everytime! Thank you!
Thank you for sharing, Brie! Glad you enjoy it!
Delicious!
Thank you!
Made this for lunch today, really comforting and tasty.
Thank you!
Absolutely loved this soup. Trying to eat more vegan friendly food and this is a keeper ty
Glad you loved it, Lisa. Thank you for leaving a feedback!
My non-vegan boyfriend loved it! I haven’t tried it yet so I can’t say much but he was licking the serving spoon and getting the last bit out of his bowl ???? he said he can taste all the herbs (which he loves) but probably could use less sage and more apple (ours was kind of small). Can’t wait to try it with some bread tomorrow! Thanks Caitlin!
Love it! Thanks so much for sharing!
Could I substitute dry sage & rosemary? As that’s all I have. If so, how much of each? Thank you.
Hi Astaff, yes, you can. You can sub 1/2 tsp dried rosemary and 1/3 tsp dried sage for the fresh. This is because dried herbs tend to be more concentrated in flavor than fresh.