Butternut Squash Soup Recipe (2024)

By Florence Fabricant

Butternut Squash Soup Recipe (1)

Total Time
1 hour 15 minutes
Rating
4(2,261)
Notes
Read community notes

This simple, creamy (but not cream-laden) butternut squash soup gets greater depth of flavor from sherry that is stirred in with the stock. If you’d rather not use sherry or don’t have it on hand, omit it and use an additional ½ cup of stock; your soup will be less complex, but it will still have that rich, sweet squash flavor.

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Ingredients

Yield:8 servings

  • 1tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • cups finely chopped onion
  • 2cloves garlic, minced
  • cups peeled butternut squash in 2-inch cubes (about 2 squashes)
  • cups water
  • 1cup well-flavored chicken or vegetable stock
  • ½cup medium-dry sherry
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • ½cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

123 calories; 5 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 2 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 15 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 4 grams sugars; 5 grams protein; 676 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Butternut Squash Soup Recipe (2)

Preparation

  1. Heat the oil in a heavy four-quart saucepan. Add the onions, reduce heat to low, and saute slowly until they are tender but not brown. Stir in the garlic.

  2. Step

    2

    Add the squash and water, cover and simmer until the squash is tender, about 40 minutes. Allow the mixture to cool for about 15 minutes, then puree in two batches in a food processor. Up to this point the soup can be prepared in advance, even refrigerated or frozen.

  3. Step

    3

    Return the puree to the saucepan and add the stock and the sherry. Reheat and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese on each portion.

Ratings

4

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2,261

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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

Jane

This soup had a delicious flavor, but it was thinner than I expected. It would have been perfect as a light first course, but I wanted a more substantial soup for a lunch. Inspired by another recipe on NYT Cooking*, I added chickpeas--about 400g drained weight--with an excellent result.
*Molly O'Neill's stew featuring chickpeas and butternut squash

Andrea

I add red lentils to my butternut squash soup. It accentuates the color and makes it thinker and more nutritious.

Rex

Since my other half is not a fan of sherry, I only used 1/8 cup: the result was still rich and sweet, but not too sweet, and she couldn't taste the sherry.

Like others, I reduced water by 1/3 for a thicker soup. I also recommend an immersion blender: no need to wait 15 minutes to cool, and easier clean-up.

Also, be aware that 4 1/2 cups of squash = about 1.5 lbs. Ms. Fabricant must have access to tiny squash, because I ended up using only half of 1 squash ...

Joan Bowers

Made this soup the other night, and based on others' notes, I reduced liquid by one cup. I omitted sherry (didn't have any) so I added 1/4 tsp of ginger and nutmeg, as well as a hearty pinch of red pepper flakes. It was wonderful and will definitely make it this way again.

tdalec

I used Andrea's red lentil suggestion. Not only did it make for a nice thick soup, I had to add more water during the simmering. The family thought some fresh rosemary would have added to the flavor.

My immersion blender worked just fine in my enameled dutch oven and saved a lot of extra washing-up.

Granny

I use a little curry and also add either an apple or pear, both peeled and cut up. I also add a small sweet potato, peeled and cubed. No parm cheese but a few slugs of half and half. Everyone's fave!

Elizabeth Cohen

Reduce the water by at least one cup. Then add later if/when needed.

Erin

Agreed. The soup has great flavor, but is thinner. Use less water.

Lori

This is a nice recipe to use as a base-you can then take it in many directions. The squash is not cooked in the stock for this vary reason-adjust the amount of stock to your preference and/or balance stock with heavy cream, coconut milk etc. and desired flavor-sweet with cinnamon/nutmeg/ginger, curried, smoked paprika etc. You can even change the main ingredient squash to pumpkin-the possibilities are endless............

wilcoworld

I have found that you have to go easy on the liquids in soup recipes.

You can always add more liquid

Have not tried this one but would use less liquids to start -- looks good, though !

lin

My version of this was absolutely delicious. I used MORE garlic. Also added red lentils, an apple and some dried coconut strips. Also threw in some cumin, red pepper flakes and dried ginger. Skipped the stock, thought that might muddy up the taste. Added a little bit (tbs?) of sherry to each individual serving and throw on some pepitas for good measure. The texture was perfect: velvety and just thick enough. Tasted like butternut squash ENHANCED. Nice starter recipe.

Omar

I baked 1.5 lbs of cubed squash for 30 minutes beforehand. This took a lot of liquid out of the squash and made them smaller, so I added two grated carrots and a cut up stalk of celery. Also sautéed a few sprigs of rosemary and thyme with the onions. Also added some grated ginger. Good for a light dinner with a roll. If you want a heartier soup I'd follow the suggestion to add some red lentils. Used an immersion blender and it came out pretty tasty.

meg

Cut the water by 1 cup. The sherry makes it tangy which I did not enjoy. Added unsweetened coconut milk, ginger, cumin and red pepper flakes, celery and carrots so yeah basically this recipe is not good without doctoring.

A Lee

Ugh. This was just awful and flavorless! Wish I had read comments first about reducing liquid. I used frozen squash so maybe that’s part of it, but I think other recipes with roasted squash and more garlic and herbs are much better. This was inedible. Currently trying to reduce it and then will try some butter and cream to attempt a rescue.

Val

Perfect for the frigid cold that has just descended. Roasted butternut squash in the fridge waiting to go on stage. Didn’t need the water to cook the squash, so just added the squash, an apple and some red lentils (thx commenters) and simmered about 20 mins. Dash of cinnamon and nutmeg gilded the lily. O

Something went wrong

Made the soup with careful measurements. My husband thought it tasted like water after the 40-minute simmer. He then added balsamic vinegar - we don’t consume alcohol - and it was ruined. Clearly the wrong sherry substitute, but the dish wasn’t in a good place to begin with.

Sara

For my first attempt, I added bit of freshly grated nutmeg and halved the ingredients (about 2 cups of the cut squash).Using the microwave to steam a whole squash makes it much easier to peel and cut the squash, whether you are baking a squash or cooking with water or broth. I haven't yet tried to puree the results, but I ate a small serving as a sort of stew. The rest of the "soup" is in the refrigerator for another day.

Jenn Johnson

I made a small batch in my instant pot. Pressure cooked the squash in broth for 5 minutes with some celery and shallot. It was perfectly tender and ready to purée. Once puréed I added the sherry and some cream to make a more substantial meal. It was silky smooth and flavorful. I served with a squeeze of lemon and a drop of sour cream,

Cheryl

I added a Thai pepper to it…the last recipe I cooked using butternut squash ( a pasta recipe) was just too sweet. Also added a slice of cheddar cheese and blue cheese.Delicious and creamy concoction….perfect for a gray, fall evening.Will be on my winter rotation.

Native New Yorker

For more intense flavor, and to eliminate the difficult and time-consuming jobs of peeling & cutting-up hard, raw squash -- Microwave Instead -- the whole, in-tact Butternut Squashes, skins still on. First cut 4 deep slits, running lengthwise, into each squash to allow steam and a sugary liquid to escape, concentrating flavors while microwaving until very soft. Then cut open, scoop out soft flesh and discards outer "shell". (Birds and squirrels will love the seeds.) Proceed with recipe.

Lg

I made this as directed, but it turned out very thin. 4 1/2 c water plus 1 c stock plus 1/2 c sherry too much liquid.

Claudia from SF

I didn't have Sherry but according to the internet Rice Vinegar is its closest substitute, so I used that instead and it worked well. I followed the advice of others and used less liquid and to make squash peeling easier baked the squash for 20 minutes. Soup was great!

Bonnie

A wonderful way to cook the squash,Xander add flavor without having to peel and boil it is to roast it in the oven with a little salt and pepper and vegetable oil. 400 for an hour. Then just scoop it out and add it to the vegetables that you have already cooked down. I increased the garlic, used a shallot and a yellow onion, and then chicken broth and sherry along with ginger and nutmeg and white wine. Used an immersion blender to combine. Delicious!

Rheta

This was OK. Consistency didn’t bother me as I added some potatoes to thicken a bit. Added cumin and apple vinegar (instead of sherry) as per a comment because at first it tasted a bit bland. Meh. I prefer Moosewood Cookbook’s vegetarian version.

Robyn T

Tasteless and watery.

Laura

One of the worst butternut squash soup recipes I've tried. The flavor was flat and the texture thin. I do not recommend this.

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Butternut Squash Soup Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Do you need to peel butternut squash for soup? ›

How to cook Butternut squash. You can eat the skin, so there's no need to peel it. Simply halve it, scoop out the seeds and chop it into chunks, then roast it and add it to a warm winter salad or throw it into curries, stews or soups.

How can I make my butternut squash soup less sweet? ›

Dry cooking methods such as roasting and sauteeing tend to bring a squash's sugars to the fore. You might want to blanch or par-cook the squash in a little bit of water before sauteeing; that would diminish the sweetness somewhat but allow you to finish the dish in the prescribed fashion.

Why is my butternut squash soup not smooth? ›

You can save time by buying butternut squash already cubed from your grocery store's produce section. Make sure the squash is fork tender before blending. If you blend too soon, your soup will be grainy, not smooth.

What goes well with butternut squash soup? ›

What to Serve with Butternut Squash Soup
  • Simple Lemon Green Beans.
  • Roasted Cauliflower with Lemon Zest.
  • Simple Roasted Beets.
  • Rainbow Kale Salad with Carrot-Ginger Dressing.
  • Shredded Brussels Sprout Salad.
  • Roasted Brussels Sprouts.
  • Roasted Beet Salad.

Why does my butternut squash soup taste bitter? ›

Why does my butternut squash soup taste bitter? Some butternut squash is more bitter than others, which may cause your soup to taste slightly bitter. If this is the case, try adding a bit more honey.

How do you pick butternut squash for soup? ›

The One Way To Tell Butternut Squash Is Ripe

Light to dark green spots on the skin tells you it's definitely not ready to be eaten. If the skin is very pale—more creamy white than tan—it's not ripe. Look for a rich tan, darker amber, or orange color. It should also be matte, not glossy.

Why is my butternut squash tasteless? ›

If you pick too early, the flesh will not be fully developed and the squash will lack flavor and not be that wonderfully vegetal sweet that is the wonder of butternut, honeynut, delicata, acorn, pumpkin and kabocha, among dozens of other winter squash.

How can I thicken my squash soup? ›

How do I thicken butternut squash soup? If you find the soup is too thin, try adding pureed white beans to the soup. You can also use a small amount of cornstarch or arrowroot powder mixed with water (called a slurry) to thicken it up. Use a 1-to-2 ratio (for example, 1 teaspoon of cornstarch to 2 teaspoons of water).

What flavors go with butternut squash? ›

This roasted butternut squash recipe starts like any other roasted vegetable recipe—olive oil, salt, and pepper—but the simple additions of cinnamon, maple syrup, and fresh rosemary elevate it and give it a festive flair that you'll be proud to share at the table.

What not to do when making soup? ›

The 7 Biggest Mistakes You Make Cooking Soup
  1. Boiling instead of simmering. You want a small bubble or two to rise to the surface of the liquid every few seconds. ...
  2. Not using enough salt. ...
  3. Ignoring water. ...
  4. Overcooking the vegetables. ...
  5. Adding tomatoes at the beginning. ...
  6. Neglecting to garnish. ...
  7. Not trying a pressure cooker.
Nov 19, 2014

What is wrong with my butternut squash? ›

Young plants will need protection from slugs, snails and aphids after planting out. Later in the season, butternut squash can succumb to powdery mildew and cucumber mosaic virus. Keep plants well-watered and look for varieties that have good disease resistance.

How do you make perfectly smooth soup? ›

Puree the soup in batches in a blender until smooth. If using an immersion blender, leave the mixture in the pot and blend the soup until smooth. (Use caution when pureeing hot liquids.) Stir in half-and-half (if using), salt and pepper.

What is the number one soup in the world? ›

According to the Taste Atlas Awards, the international food database, the Filipino favorite, Sinigang, is hailed as the best soup in the world.

Is butternut squash good for your bowels? ›

Supports healthy digestion: The fiber in butternut squash helps maintain a healthy digestive system, preventing constipation and promoting regular bowel movements.

What does butternut squash do for the gut? ›

Butternut squash contains considerable amounts of fiber, which can help you keep a healthy weight and regulate bowel movements. It's known to help prevent colorectal cancer while the beta-carotene in butternut squash can also improve eye health.

Is it OK not to peel butternut squash? ›

Can You Eat Butternut Squash Skin? It's important to note that while many people choose to remove butternut squash skin (and this is best practice for soup making, where you want smooth results), you can 100% eat roasted butternut squash skin. Slice butternut squash into crescents and roast it with the skin on.

Can you boil butternut squash with the skin on? ›

Butternut squash skin is edible, but its texture can be tough or papery after cooking. For most recipes, peeling the butternut squash is preferred – that is why I have shared how to peel a butternut squash in this post. For butternut squash soups and stews, it is generally best to remove the skin.

Can you use butternut squash peel for broth? ›

Squash peels add good flavor to stock or broth. Use no more than 1/8 of the total stock ingredients. Sweet Potatoes don't add much flavor to stock or broth and some variety are too starchy for good stock or broth. Excellent for making stock/broth.

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