Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
There is nothing that captures the essence of cozy weather quite like a bowl of vibrant, velvety Roasted Butternut Squash Soup. While many recipes simply boil the squash in broth, taking the extra time to roast the vegetables on a sheet pan first completely transforms this dish from bland and watery to rich, sweet, and deeply caramelized.
Love this? You should also try our Easy 20-Minute Beef and Broccoli!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Intense Flavor: Roasting the squash, onions, and garlic brings out their natural sugars, adding a complex depth of flavor you can’t get from boiling.
- Naturally Creamy: Even before you add the optional swirl of heavy cream at the end, the pureed squash itself creates a luxurious, thick, and velvety texture.
- Freezer Friendly: This soup freezes beautifully! Make a double batch on Sunday and freeze individual portions for easy, healthy lunches all month long.
The Secret to Peeling Butternut Squash
If the thought of peeling and chopping a rock-hard butternut squash terrifies you, here is a life-changing trick: Microwave it first! Use a fork to poke several deep holes all over the squash. Microwave the entire squash on high for 3 to 4 minutes. This won’t cook the squash, but it will soften the tough outer skin just enough to make peeling it with a standard vegetable peeler incredibly smooth and effortless. Your chef’s knife will also slice through the flesh with zero resistance!


Ingredients
Method
- Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place the cubed butternut squash, quartered onion, chopped carrots, and unpeeled garlic cloves on the baking sheet.
- Drizzle the vegetables with olive oil and sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper. Toss well to coat.
- Roast in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes, or until the squash is completely fork-tender and the edges are beautifully caramelized.
- Remove from the oven. Carefully squeeze the roasted garlic out of their skins and discard the papery skins.
- Transfer all the roasted vegetables into a large heavy-bottomed soup pot or Dutch oven.
- Add the vegetable broth, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Use an immersion blender (or carefully transfer to a standing blender in batches) to puree the soup until it is completely smooth and velvety.
- Heat the pureed soup over medium-low heat for 5 minutes until hot.
- Ladle into bowls, swirl a tablespoon of heavy cream into each, and garnish with toasted pumpkin seeds!
