Earthy, silky smooth, and deliciously warm, this squash soup delivers a lot of flavor! The warm spices of allspice, clove, thyme, and cinnamon pair perfectly with the butternut squash. It's perfect for the fall and winter season!
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When the weather starts to cool off, soup recipes start to get really popular. While my chicken noodle soup and loaded baked potato soup are loved by so many, so is this spiced butternut squash soup. The spices used in this butternut squash soup is what sets this recipe apart from the rest. If you're looking for an all-natural 100% plant-based homemade butternut squash soup recipe, then this is the recipe you need to be making.
Rich, warm, and comforting, every bite is full of sweet and nutty flavors that come from the squash. When clove, cinnamon, thyme, and crushed peppercorns are added, it takes the flavor to a whole new level. Hearty and nutritious, this is a delicious autumn squash soup recipe that is easy to make!
🛒 Ingredients You'll Need
There is no waste with this soup recipe. While the butternut squash is the main ingredient, I don't "scrap the scraps." The peelings and seed are used to extract extra flavor when making the homemade vegetable broth. Every single ingredient contributes something unique to the recipe. It's the combination of the squash, spices, and other ingredients used that makes this version so flavorful!
Shallots tend to be sweeter than onion which is why it works so well in this soup recipe. The acidic level in apple cider vinegar helps create a layer flavor and depth with every bite. And the orange zest provides a subtle tangy flavor that pairs perfectly with the chopped cranberries that are used as a garnish.
🔪 Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions
Preparing butternut squash soup takes a little bit of time, but the effort is worth it. Start by cutting the 2 squash in half, lengthwise. Using a spoon, remove the seeds and flesh from the squash and place in a small bowl. Do not toss; the seeds and flesh will be used to make the homemade vegetable broth.
Next, peel the squash and dice into 2-inch cubes. Make sure to keep the peelings for the stock. Set the cubed squash aside.
From there, heat a large pot or a dutch oven over medium-high heat. Pour in 1 tablespoon of olive oil and swirl around to coat. Add in the cut butternut squash chunks, seeds, and peelings, and then sauté for about 7-10 minutes or until lightly brown.
Next, add 7 cups of water, whole allspice, Chinese Five Spice, whole black peppercorns, fresh thyme sprigs, whole cloves, a cinnamon stick, and fresh whole cranberries to the large pot. Bring the contents to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes.
After 45 minutes, strain the vegetable broth into a large bowl. Using a large spoon, scoop out the chunks of cooked butternut squash and add them to the liquid in the bowl. Place the large bowl aside. Discard all the solid peelings, seeds, and spices.
In the empty large pot, add the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil and turn the stovetop burner to medium-high heat. Once hot, add in the chopped shallot and sauté for 3-5 minutes, or until the shallot starts to turn brown. Then, return the liquid and cooked butternut squash chunks back to the large pot. Cover and cook for 10 more minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add in the salt. Grab an orange and zest the peeling into the soup mixture. Bring the contents to a boil, and then cover and simmer on medium-low heat for 30 more minutes.
Once done, place the soup mixture in a food processor or blender until it is half-way filled.
Be very careful to not overfill because the contents are extremely hot. Puree until smooth. Repeat the pureeing process in small batches with the remaining soup ingredients.
Once all the squash is pureed, pour the contents back into the large stock pot and add in the apple cider vinegar. Cook on medium-low heat for 10 minutes, ensuring to stir with a large spoon.
When done, ladle the soup into bowls. Top evenly with fresh chopped parsley, fresh chopped cranberries, and pumpkin seeds. With layers of flavor in every bite, this spiced butternut squash soup is hearty, filling, and perfect for lunch or dinner!
🙋 Frequently Asked Questions
With this recipe, the consistency should already be thick so it shouldn't need thickening. However, a cornstarch or arrowroot slurry can be added if needed. To do this, add 1 tablespoon of water to a small container and then add in 1 tablespoon of cornstarch or arrowroot. Whisk until there are no lumps. When the soup is heating during the last 10 minutes, bring it back to a boil and then slowly pour in the cornstarch slurry mixture. Continuously stir. When it reaches your desired thickness, reduce the heat to low.
Yes! Because this soup contains no dairy, this is a freezer friendly soup. To freeze, allow the soup to completely cool and then pour it into a freezer safe container. It will last for 3-4 months in the freezer. To thaw, put the frozen soup in the refrigerator and let it slowly thaw for 8-12 hours. From there, warm it up in the microwave or in a pot on the stovetop.
You can, yes. After you roast the squash and scoop it out, cut, and add the outer shells into the large stock pot so that you can still make the homemade vegetable stock.
👩🍳 What Goes Well With This Soup?
A piece of warm crusty bread pairs perfectly. And this quick peppery cheese bread is also a nice and savory add. Instead of cornbread muffins, try pairing this soup with these acorn squash muffins. They add even more sweetness to this flavorful soup! Salads are fantastic with this autumn squash soup so try serving it with this Greek kale and quinoa salad or this pear and goat cheese bistro salad!
💭 Expert Tips
- Use a large sharp knife (at least 8 inches or longer) to cut the butternut squash in half, ensuring to cut lengthwise.
- Be patient and pace yourself when making this spiced butternut squash soup. The natural flavors need to slowly extract during the cooking process, so be patient. It's SOOO worth it!
- To switch things up, garnish with cilantro and pomegranate seeds. It's also great with goat cheese, chives, chopped bacon, or fresh ground pepper.
Other Fall Favorite Recipes You'll Enjoy
If you like this classic fall soup recipes, you're going to love these other favorites. I literally just made a batch of these Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins and now my kitchen smells like pumpkin and cinnamon! Moist and flavorful, these are perfect for breakfast, a snack, or for dessert!
My all time favorite fall sweet treat is this Apple Pumpkin Spice Cake with Butter Rum Glaze. I serve this for Thanksgiving every year and it's a huge hit! Filled with shredded apple and pumpkin, every bite is delicious. Another vegan squash soup that so many love is my Hubbard Squash Soup. Velvety smooth and naturally sweet, this one is also perfect for the fall season!
And speaking of Thanksgiving, these Autumn Spiced Sweet Mashed Potatoes grace my table every single year! I boil the sweet potatoes with brown sugar and cinnamon sticks. We're talking amazingly delicious!
Want more soup recipes? Head over and check out my entire collection of soup recipes where you will find creamy soups, tomato based soups, broth based soups, and so much more!
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Spiced Butternut Squash Soup
Equipment
- large pot
- large bowl
- strainer
- food processor or blender
Ingredients
For The Soup
- 2 butternut squash, cut in half lengthwise
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 7 cups water
- ½ teaspoon allspice, whole
- ½ teaspoon black peppercorns, whole
- 6 thyme sprigs
- 3 cloves, whole
- 1 cinnamon stick
- ½ teaspoon Chinese spice
- 1 shallot, diced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- zest of ½ an orange
Optional Toppings
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- ½ cup fresh cranberries, divided
- raw pumpkin seeds, for garnish
Instructions
- Cut 2 butternut squash in half, lengthwise. Using a spoon, remove the seeds and flesh from the squash and place in a small bowl. You're going to use those seeds so don't discard them.
- Next, peel the squash and dice into 2-inch cubes. Make sure you keep the peelings. Do not discard.
- Heat large pot or a dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and swirl around to coat.
- Add in the cut butternut squash chunks, peelings, and seeds, and saute for about 7-10 minutes or until lightly brown.
- Add to the pot 7 cups of water, whole allspice, Chinese Five Spice, whole black peppercorns, thyme sprigs, whole cloves, cinnamon stick, and fresh whole cranberries. Bring to a boil and then cover. Reduce the heat and allow to simmer for 45 minutes.
- After 45 minutes, strain the homemade vegetable broth into a large bowl. Spoon out the squash cubes and put them in the pot with the broth. Set aside.You can now discard all the solid peelings, seeds, and spices.
- In the empty large stockpot, add the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil and heat on medium-high heat. Once hot, add in the chopped shallot and saute for about 3- 5 minutes, or until the shallot starts to turn brown.
- Return the homemade vegetable broth and the cooked butternut squash chunks back to the large pot. Cover and cook for 10 more minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add in the salt. Zest the orange and add zest to the soup mixture.
- Bring to a boil, cover, and allow to simmer on low heat for about 30 minutes.
- Once done, place the soup mixture in a food processor ensuring it's only halfway full. Puree until smooth. Expert Tip: Be very careful to not overfill the food processor. The soup contents will be extremely hot.
- Once pureed, pour the soup back into the large stock pot and add in the apple cider vinegar. Cook on medium-low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally with a large spoon.
- When done, ladle the soup into bowls. Top evenly with fresh chopped parsley, fresh chopped cranberries, and pumpkin seeds.
Notes
- Use a large sharp knife (at least 8 inches or longer) to cut the butternut squash in half, ensuring to cut lengthwise.
- Be patient and pace yourself when making this spiced butternut squash soup. The natural flavors need to slowly extract during the cooking process, so be patient. It's SOOO worth it!
- To switch things up, garnish with cilantro and pomegranate seeds. It's also great with goat cheese, chives, chopped bacon, or fresh ground pepper.
Nutrition
Update Notes: This post was originally published on September 2018, but was republished with an updated step-by-step instructions, pictures and tips in October 2022.
Marisa Franca
We love eating butternut squash and I'm so glad that we'll be getting plenty of it now that Fall is here. I love the spices you use in the soup! Also the garnish you use just makes the soup pop up from the screen. A very lovely dish.
jagruti
Heartwarming soup, perfect for the autumn and love the addition of cranberries here! Slurppppp