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This Vegan Butternut Squash Soup recipe is colorful, warm, and full of nutrients! Serve it with a thick piece of gluten-free bread for a comfort food meal at its best.
Note: This recipe was originally published in 2015 and has since been updated and improved!
Table Of Contents
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- The Best Vegan Butternut Squash Soup!
- Nutrient-Rich Ingredients You’ll Need
- Health Benefits of Butternut Squash
- How to Make the Best Vegan Butternut Squash Soup Recipe
- Serving Suggestions
- Common Questions About This Vegan Butternut Squash Recipe
- More Gluten-Free, Vegan Soup Recipes
The Best Vegan Butternut Squash Soup!
Veganbutternut squash soup is simply a plant-based version of classic butternut squash soup! It’s a sweet, slightly savory soup often made with roasted butternut squash, herbs, seasonings, and vegetable broth. Many recipes also contain heavy cream or coconut cream.
The end result is a smooth soup that is warm, filling, and bursting with nutrients. It’s the ultimate comfort food and one of our favorite recipes to celebrate fall!
Why We Love This Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
We may be biased, but we think this recipe is by far the best. Not only is it so tasty you’ll be tempted to lick the bowl, but it also:
- Requires minimal prep time.
- Has a quick cook time and a total time of around an hour.
- Uses simple, nutritious ingredients.
- Is gluten-free, nut-free, and vegan.
- Can be prepared in advance and stored in the fridge or freezer to enjoy later!
- Can be served on its own or as a side dish or appetizer with your favorite main course.
Nutrient-Rich Ingredients You’ll Need
Although it’s delicious all year long, this butternut squash soup recipe is particularly great to make during the fall. This is because you can take advantage of fresh, local produce to get even more bang for your buck in terms of nutrients! Here’s what you’ll need:
- Butternut Squash – Select the best butternut squash by looking for a squash that has taut skin, is evenly colored, and free from blemishes or soft spots.
- Carrot – Use large, whole carrots. Baby carrots won’t taste the same!
- Olive Oil – This helps roast the veggies, enhancing their flavor and adding healthy fats.
- Unsalted Plant-Based Butter or Oil– This sautées the onions, creating a sweet flavor and a rich base for the broth. Feel free to use regular butter, light olive oil, avocado oil, or refined coconut oil.
- Aromatics – Onions and garlic cloves create a sweet, savory base of flavor for the soup.
- Celery – Used to enhance the flavors of the rest of the ingredients and thicken the soup.
- Herbs and Spices – Sea salt, cumin, allspice, cayenne pepper, and black pepper create a savory flavor with just a touch of spice.
Ingredient Swap: Feel free to use nutmeg in place of allspice, if preferred.
- Heirloom Tomato – Heirloom season typically runs from late summer into fall in the United States. Juicy and sweet, they’re a great complement to the squash!
Ingredient Swap: Feel free to use persimmons in place of squash. Persimmons are round, orange fruit similar in appearance to oranges. The two most common are Hachiya and Fuyu. If preferred. Or, pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling) can also be substituted.
- Vegetable Broth – This forms the base of the broth, helping to create a thinner consistency. The more broth, the thinner the soup!
- Canned Coconut Milk or Lite Coconut Milk – This is the secret to creating a rich flavor and a creamy consistency! Cashew milk or plain dairy-free creamer can be substituted. Or, if dairy is tolerated, half and half can also be used.
- Toppings – Sprinkle toasted nuts, pumpkin seeds or pepitas, roasted chickpeas, and/or fresh herbs on top for extra flavor and crunch!
Health Benefits of Butternut Squash
We love to use butternut squash in a variety of recipes like butternut squash soup and roasted butternut squash throughout the fall! Not only is it super tasty, but butternut squash is full of nutrients, too. For instance, it is:
- An excellent source of vitamins C, A, E, and B.
- Rich in magnesium, potassium, and manganese.
- High in fiber.
How to Make the Best Vegan Butternut Squash Soup Recipe
This soup requires multiple steps, but they’re all easy and quick!
- Roast the Veggies. Toss the squash and carrots with oil and sea salt in a large bowl. Spread the mixture on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil, and bake in the oven until fork tender.
- Cook the Onions. Add the butter, onions, garlic, celery, and thyme to a large stock pot, and cook over medium-high heat until the onions are fragrant. Add the tomato or persimmon, and continue to cook, coating the fruit in the butter and onions.
- Boil and Simmer. Add the broth, cumin, allspice, cayenne, and salt. Stir to combine, and bring the liquid to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, and simmer until the tomato/ is tender and the soup has reduced and thickened slightly.
- Blend. Transfer the soup and roasted veggies to a high-speed blender, and blend until creamy. Work in batches if needed!
Pro-Tip: Make this step easy and mess-free, and use an immersion blender instead!
- Add the Remaining Ingredients. Return the soup to the pot, and stir in the coconut milk and black pepper. Adjust the seasonings to taste. Simmer the soup on low before serving.
- Serve. Portion your roasted butternut squash soup into bowls while it’s warm, add your favorite toppings, and enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
This soup can easily be served as a main course with a side of vegan gluten free bread, a Caesar style tomato salad, or kale chips.
Or, enjoy it as an appetizer or side dish with protein and main courses such as a quinoa burger, swiss chard salad wraps, or green goddess chicken salad wraps.
Of course, however you serve it, you can’t forget dessert! Top off your meal with gluten free chocolate chip cookies or gluten free brownies to satisfy your sweet tooth.
How to Store, Freeze, & Reheat
Make a giant batch of this butternut squash soup recipe to keep on hand and enjoy throughout fall!
- To Store: Transfer leftovers to an airtight container, and keep it in the fridge for up to 1 week.
- To Freeze: Transfer your soup to a freezer-safe container, and keep it frozen for up to 3 months.
Storage Tip: Pour your soup into ice cube trays, and freeze until solid. Then, transfer the cubes to an airtight container, and keep frozen for up to 3 months. Pull out a few cubes at a time for individual servings!
- To Reheat: Allow your soup to thaw in the fridge overnight. Then, warm it in the microwave or on the stovetop over medium heat.
Common Questions About This Vegan Butternut Squash Recipe
Why is butternut squash soup healthy?
Butternut squash soup is loaded with vegetables meaning it’s full of vitamins, nutrients, and fiber. In addition, it often contains healthy fats that are nutritious on their own and help with the absorption of the fat-soluble vitamins from the veggies.
Why does my butternut squash soup taste bitter?
If your soup is a little bitter, it’s likely just the flavor of the squash, the particular squash. Try adding apple, honey, or maple syrup to balance it out!
Can you eat butternut squash skin in soup?
Many people find that its texture is not pleasant and prefer to peel the squash. However, the skin is edible and can be included in the soup!
More of Our Favorite
More Gluten-Free, Vegan Soup Recipes
If you enjoy this vegan butternut squash soup recipe, don’t miss out on more of our gluten-free, vegan soup options below!
- Curried Cauliflower Soup with Kale
- Creamy Vegan Mushroom Soup
- Cumin Roasted Root Vegetable Soup
- Roasted Corn Vegan Soup (Blender Recipe)
Vegan Butternut Squash Soup Recipe
5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star
4.5 from 12 reviews
- Author: Lindsay Cotter
- Total Time: 52 to 60 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Prepare this easy roasted vegan butternut squash soup recipe with a handful of healthy ingredients and minimal steps!
Ingredients
Units Scale
- 2 cups (12 oz or 330 grams) peeled and chopped butternut squash (see notes)
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and sliced (~½ cup)
- 1 Tablespoon light olive oil
- Pinch sea salt
- 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter or plant based butter (see notes for sub)
- 1 cup chopped onion (~½ large onion)
- 1 ½ to 2 teaspoons minced garlic (2 cloves)
- 1 celery stick, chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme or 2 fresh sprigs (leaves only)
- 1 medium heirloom tomato or Fuyu persimmon peeled and diced (½ cup diced) see notes for substitute
- 2 ½ cups vegetable broth (the less broth, the thicker the soup)
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon allspice or nutmeg, to taste
- Pinch cayenne, to taste
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup coconut milk or coconut milk lite, see notes for substitutes
- Freshly cracked pepper to taste
- Optional Toppings – toasted nuts or seeds, roasted chickpeas, fresh herbs
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 F. In a medium-sized bowl, toss together the squash, carrot, 1 Tablespoon oil and sea salt. Spread out the mixture on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil and roast for 20-25 minutes or until tender.
- In a large stock pot, add 1 Tablespoon butter, onions, garlic, celery, and thyme. Cook on medium-high heat for 2 minutes or until the onions are fragrant. Add the persimmon and continue to cook for 5 minutes, coating the persimmon in the butter and onions.
- Add the broth, cumin, allspice, cayenne, and salt. Stir to combine. Bring the soup to a light boil then reduce to low heat. Simmer for 5 minutes, or until the persimmon is tender and the soup has slightly reduced and thickened.
- Working in batches (if needed), carefully transfer the soup and the roasted squash and carrots to a high speed blender (or use an immersion blender), and blend until creamy and smooth.
- Return the soup to the pot, stir in coconut milk and pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings, if desired.
- Simmer on low for 5 minutes to allow the flavors to develop before serving and add desired toppings.
- Store the cooled soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week or the freezer for up to 3 months.
Notes
Prep Tips for Slicing Squash- Lay the butternut squash on its side, using a large knife carefully slice off the top ½-inch (including the stem) of the squash and the bottom ½-inch of the squash. Discard the two end pieces. Using a vegetable peeler, peel all of the skin off and discard. Slice the squash in half down the center. Then slice each piece in half down the center vertically equaling 4 pieces of squash. Scoop out and discard the seeds and pulp. Cut the squash into 1-inch cubes. Cook the squash immediately or refrigerate it in a sealed container for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Substitute Tips – Light olive oil, avocado oil, or refined coconut oil may be substituted for butter. ½ cup pumpkin puree may be used in place of the persimmon. Cashew milk or a plain non-dairy creamer are the best creamy non-dairy substitutes for coconut milk. If dairy is tolerated, half and half may be substituted.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 37 to 45 minutes
- Category: dinner
- Method: Stove Top, Oven
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 181
- Sugar: 6.6 g
- Sodium: 717 mg
- Fat: 11.3 g
- Saturated Fat: 6.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 20.9 g
- Fiber: 3.1 g
- Protein: 1.7 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
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