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Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Roasted butternut squash soup with caramelized edges and a silky puree. The squash is roasted first for deeper sweetness, then simmered with warm spices and finished with cream for a velvety texture.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 48 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 3 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 330
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Butternut squash
  • 1 large butternut squash (about 3 lbs), peeled and cubed
Olive oil
  • 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
Salt
  • 1 tsp salt, divided
Black pepper
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper, divided
Yellow onion
  • 1 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
Garlic
  • 3 cloves garlic cloves, whole and unpeeled
Vegetable broth
  • 4 cup vegetable broth
Ground cinnamon
  • 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon
Ground nutmeg
  • 0.25 tsp ground nutmeg
Cayenne pepper
  • 0.25 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
Heavy cream
  • 0.5 cup heavy cream, plus extra for garnish
Maple syrup
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
Roasted pepitas
  • 2 tbsp roasted pepitas (for garnish)
Fresh sage
  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh sage (for garnish)

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 large pot
  • 1 immersion blender

Method
 

Roast the squash
  1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Toss the butternut squash and onion with 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper on a sheet pan, and nestle the garlic cloves among the squash.
  2. Roast for 30–35 minutes at 425°F, until the squash is deeply caramelized and fork-tender. The onions should look softened and browned at the edges.
Prepare the garlic
  1. Let the roasted garlic cool slightly. Peel the softened garlic cloves and squeeze them out of their skins into a small bowl.
Simmer the soup base
  1. Transfer the roasted squash, onion, and garlic to a large pot. Add vegetable broth, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cayenne pepper if using, then bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat.
  2. Cook at a gentle simmer for 10 minutes to let the flavors meld. The broth should lightly bubble around the squash pieces.
Blend until silky
  1. Puree the soup until completely smooth using an immersion blender (or in batches in a countertop blender). Blend until the texture looks silky with no visible chunks.
Finish with cream
  1. Stir in the heavy cream and maple syrup, then season with the remaining 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper to taste. Simmer gently for 3–5 minutes, until warmed through and glossy.
Serve
  1. Ladle the soup into bowls and swirl in a little extra cream. Top with roasted pepitas and chopped fresh sage for a crunchy, herby finish.

Notes

Pro tip: roast until the squash is truly caramelized—this is what gives the soup its deeper sweetness. Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 4 days; reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave. Freezing is yes, but for best texture thaw and rewarm slowly, then add a splash of cream if needed. For a dairy swap, use full-fat coconut milk in place of heavy cream (stir in at the end) to keep it creamy.