This creamy roasted butternut squash soup is everything you want in a cozy fall recipe – rich, smooth, and loaded with flavor. Roasting the squash (no peeling required!) brings out its natural sweetness, while the warm spices keep it from being cloying. Make it completely vegan, add cream for extra richness, or spice it up further – it’s endlessly flexible and always delicious.
Growing up, I was never a fan of butternut squash (or sweet potato, or pumpkin, for that matter). I always found it too sweet and cloying. But I’ve now discovered the secret – pair that natural sweetness with something salty and something spicy, and suddenly it’s perfectly balanced and as delicious as everyone always told me.
This roasted butternut squash soup is exactly that. You get sweet nuttiness from the caramelized squash, saltiness from fish sauce (trust me on this one), rich depth from the stock and feta on top, and a gentle kick of heat from the warming spices and chili oil (I highly recommend trying this 30-minute chili oil). The salted honey squash seeds make for a fabulously crunchy, ultra-delicious topping you’ll be snacking on constantly!
But the best part? No peeling, no chopping, no faff. The squash is roasted whole for maximum ease and flavor – it caramelizes beautifully, bringing out its natural sweetness and creating a far richer flavor than you’d ever get by simmering it in stock. It’s the perfect easy dinner idea for chilly evenings. This is forever my favorite way to cook squash, and I even have a whole post that goes into more detail (best, easy way to roast butternut squash).
Why You’ll Love This Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
- Super easy to prep. No need to peel or chop up the squash – just split it down the middle and throw it into the oven.
- Perfect for meal prep. Make a big batch and enjoy it all week (or fill your freezer). The soup lasts up to 5 days in the fridge.
- Fabulous for any occasion. Think: cozy weeknight dinners, working from home lunches, dinner parties, or as part of a holiday spread.
- Flexible and adaptable. It’s super easy to make the soup vegan, vegetarian, or dairy-free. You can also adjust the spices and seasoning to your taste – add cinnamon, nutmeg, or smoked paprika for extra depth, or add more chili to spice it up.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Butternut squash. One large squash is all you need here.
- Garlic. I’m using two whole heads of garlic, but you can reduce this if you like – because the garlic is roasted with the squash, it’s not SUPER garlicky and strong, it becomes milder and sweeter.
- Spices. To add the warming factor that pairs gorgeously with the sweetness of the squash, we’ll use ground cumin, coriander, turmeric, and chili flakes. If you like, you can skip the chili flakes (or use more). You could also add ground cinnamon or nutmeg for extra cozy, fall-inspired flavors.
- Fish sauce. This is the secret ingredient that I add to just about anything to boost the umami, savory factor. It brings a deep saltiness that you can’t achieve with salt alone, and I promise it doesn’t taste fishy at all. If you want to keep this vegetarian or vegan, use a vegetarian or vegan fish sauce (often made with mushrooms) or light soy sauce.
How to Make the Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
This is a step-by-step overview of how to make the soup – the full recipe with instructions and ingredient quantities is at the bottom of the page for you.
1. Slice the butternut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Slice the tops off the garlic heads and tuck them into the seed cavities.
2. Place the squash cut-side down on a lined baking tray and roast until soft and caramelized.
3. While the squash roasts, cook your onion in a little olive oil, then stir in the spices.
4. Rinse the scooped-out squash seeds and remove any remaining flesh. Toast in a small pan with honey and flaky sea salt until sticky and crispy. Set aside.
5. Scoop the roasted squash flesh into the pot with the onions and spices, and squeeze in the roasted garlic.
6. Add the stock and fish sauce (if you’re using it), then simmer briefly.
7. Either blend the soup with an immersion blender or transfer to a stand blender for an ultra-creamy texture. Taste, and adjust the seasoning with lemon juice and salt if needed.
8. Divide the soup into bowls and top with chili oil, feta, and the salted honey squash seeds to serve.
Watch How to Make the Soup
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup FAQs
You can – it will keep well for 5 days, stored in the fridge, and it’s easy to reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months (I like to do this in individual portions in ziplock bags).
Fresh bread is a classic pairing – try it with no-knead chili cheese focaccia, no-knead rosemary parmesan bread, or Vogel’s style seed bread. A grilled cheese is also always a good idea! You could also bulk it out by adding noodles or rice.
Not in this recipe! Peeling butternut squash is one of my least favorite kitchen activities, so I tend to skip it altogether if I can help it. Here, we’re just cutting the squash in half, then roasting the halves until soft and caramelized. Not only is peeling unnecessary, but you don’t need to chop it either.
In this recipe, we’re using chili flakes for heat, along with ground cumin, coriander, and turmeric for a mild, curried flavor. But you could lean into the more typical spices that bring out the sweetness of the squash – ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and smoked paprika are brilliant for this.
Herbs like thyme or sage also work beautifully in butternut squash soup. A sprinkling of homemade spiced dukkah, or homemade everything bagel seasoning to serve, can also add extra nutty, savory flavor to the soup.
The sky’s the limit here!
– Crunchy toppings: try crispy pan-fried chorizo, bacon, sausage meat, crispy chickpeas, crunchy parmesan crisps, crispy shredded tofu, or croutons.
– Make it creamier: swirl through 1/2 cup of heavy cream, cream cheese, coconut milk, or coconut cream before serving.
– Spice it up: add extra chili flakes, or a tablespoon of gochujang paste when you cook the onions.
– Curry-inspired vibes: add red or yellow curry paste when you cook the onions, and stir through coconut milk at the end.
Yes! Skip the feta and swirl through coconut cream, or a big drizzle of olive oil instead. Swap the fish sauce for a vegan fish sauce, light soy sauce, or a little white miso paste for that umami flavor.
Like this recipe? Here are more cozy favorites to try
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear from you! You can leave a recipe rating and a comment below. And remember to tag @DishedByKate on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok if you’ve made one of my recipes. Seeing your recreations really makes my day 😊.
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Creamy Roasted Butternut Squash Soup (No Peel, No Fuss)
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This creamy roasted butternut squash soup is everything you want in a cozy fall recipe – rich, smooth, and loaded with flavor. Roasting the squash (no peeling required!) brings out its natural sweetness, while the warm spices keep it from being cloying. Make it completely vegan, add cream for extra richness, or spice it up further – it’s endlessly flexible and always delicious.
Ingredients
For the soup –
- 1 large butternut squash
- 2 whole heads of garlic
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon chili flakes
- 1 tablespoon honey
- Flaky sea salt
- 4 cups vegetable (or chicken) stock
- 2 teaspoons fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
To serve –
- 2 tablespoons chili oil
- 1/4 cup feta, crumbled
- Handful of mint leaves
Instructions
- Prepare the squash. Heat your oven to 425°F (220°C fan) and line an oven tray with parchment paper. Carefully chop the top (with the end of the stem) off the squash, then cut straight down the middle, so you’re left with two long pieces of squash. Scoop the seeds out and place them in a bowl. Slice the tops of the cloves off your garlic heads.
- Roast the butternut squash. Drizzle the cut sides of the squash and garlic with a little olive oil, then place the garlic into the cavities where the seeds were. Sprinkle the squash with 1 teaspoon of salt. Turn the squash halves (with the garlic inside) upside down, then place them on your prepared tray. Transfer to the oven for 45 minutes, until super soft and caramelized. When it’s ready, you should be able to easily pierce the squash with a knife.
- Cook the onions and spices. Set a large saucepan over medium heat, then add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the diced onion and 1 teaspoon of salt, then cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes, until the onion starts to soften. At this point, add the ground cumin, coriander, turmeric, and the chili flakes. Stir the spices through the softened onion for another minute, then remove from the heat until the squash is cooked through.
- Make the salted honey seeds. Rinse the squash seeds and remove as much of the squash flesh as you can. Pat dry with a kitchen towel. Place a piece of parchment paper onto a small plate or tray. Set a small pan over low heat, then add the dried seeds. Cook, stirring, for a couple of minutes, until they start to smell nutty and they’re developing brown spots. At this point, pour in the honey and add 1 teaspoon of flaky sea salt, then stir them through the seeds for another 30 seconds. Transfer the seeds to the prepared plate to cool and crisp up. PRO TIP: The seeds will get SUPER sticky once they dry, so it’s important to use greaseproof paper – they will stick to the plate if you don’t.
- Add squash, garlic, and stock. Once the squash is super soft (pierce the squash with a knife – it should easily go through the skin into the flesh), remove it from the oven. Scoop the squash from its skin, directly into the pot with the onion and spices. Squeeze the garlic from its skin into the pot too. Pour in the stock, then add the fish sauce and lemon juice. Turn the heat to medium, then stir and bring the soup to a simmer for a couple of minutes, just to let the flavors meld.
- Blitz, season, and serve. You can either use an immersion blender to blitz the soup or transfer it to a stand blender. I prefer using a stand blender for the smoothest consistency, but the immersion blender is easier and creates less washing up, so it’s up to you. Blitz the soup until it’s super smooth and creamy. If you’re using a stand blender, transfer the soup back into the pot, then taste and add more salt if you like. Divide the soup between bowls, then top with a drizzle of chili oil, a scattering of the feta, and the salted honey seeds.
Notes
STORAGE INSTRUCTIONS: The soup will keep well for up to 5 days, stored in the fridge in a covered container. Reheat it on the stovetop or in the microwave at 30-second intervals. It’s fab for freezing too – I like to freeze individual portions in ziplock bags for quick and easy defrosting. If you only have a little soup left over, try tossing it with pasta for a quick, delicious pasta sauce.
SUBSTITUTIONS: To keep this vegetarian or vegan, skip the fish sauce or use soy sauce or a vegetarian or vegan fish sauce. You can skip the chili flakes and the chili oil if you’re making this for kids, or if you don’t like things too spicy.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS: A piece of lovely fresh bread is perfect with this soup – try it with no-knead chili cheese focaccia, no-knead rosemary parmesan bread, or Vogel’s style seed bread.
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 45
- Category: soups
- Method: stove top
- Cuisine: american
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 350g
- Calories: 468
- Sugar: 8.5g
- Sodium: 1512mg
- Fat: 38.9g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Carbohydrates: 28.6g
- Fiber: 3.4g
- Protein: 4.6g
- Cholesterol: 8mg
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