The Simplest Butternut Squash Soup

This is the absolute simplest way to make butternut squash soup if you want a version that is full of slow-roasted flavor and more savory than sweet. 

I thought I was tired of butternut squash soups. Maybe you are, too. I’ve had quite a few winter squash soups on the blog. But I needed something really simple for lunch. I felt a little bad that the season for the soup had just begun and I’d already hit my limit. I thought I should give it another try.

The catch was that I didn’t want to do any chopping or dicing. I also didn’t want to pour one out of a tetra pak and heat it up. And it couldn’t be too sweet. I think that is sort of the turn-off with squash soups. When other ingredients like apple, onion, and dairy are added, they tend to end up super sweet. It has its place, but I wasn’t in the mood for it. 

So I came up with this version. No frills. It uses slow-roasted squash (see the easy instructions below), and it is creamy, savory and a touch spicy versus sweet. It’s the soup to add as a starter course for a holiday day dinner because it’s so hands off and easy to make. 

I used unsweetened almond milk which I think worked really well to add a nuttiness and cut sweetness. It’s flexible, too. If you like a thinner or thicker soup, the key is in how much almond milk you add. Simply add a little and check the soup after each addition until it reaches a consistency that you prefer. 

The cayenne is optional, but I highly recommend it. If you go easy, it adds just a tiny bit of heat. 

You can also substitute canned squash puree, but I don’t recommend it. It has so little flavor versus fresh roasted. You can roast your butternut squash whole so that all you really need is some time around the house and a few extra minutes to scoop it out once it cools. The scooping part is no longer than it takes you to open and scoop out of a can. 

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Pierce the skin of a medium butternut squash in several places. Rub it with olive oil. Place it on a baking sheet and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until tender. Remove it from the oven. Let cool. If you want it to cool a little faster carefully cut it in half to open up the center and release heat. Scoop out the seeds and discard. Then scoop the flesh away from the skin and use it for the soup. 

No pre-mashing or pureeing needed for this recipe. It will all come together in the blender. 

Oh, and did I mention it has brown butter in it. Another super simple ingredient that makes it nutty and rich. 

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 cups cooked butternut squash, about 1 medium roasted squash
1 1/4 cups unsweetened, unflavored almond milk
1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, or more to taste
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

PREPARATION

Melt the butter in a large saucepan or a small soup pot over medium heat. Swirl it in the pan as it foams and as dark specks begin to form and a nutty aroma emerges, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn off the heat. 

Add the remaining ingredients to a blender. Top with the lid and puree on high for 30 to 45 seconds, until it is completely smooth. 

Pour the soup into the saucepan with the butter and stir. Turn the burner to medium-high and heat to a simmer. Remove from the heat and serve warm.