Cozy up with a bowl of creamy Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with crispy sage, coconut milk, and pumpkin seed brittle. Vegan and delicious, with a video. Plus 25 Cozy Vegetarian Soup Recipes!
Awareness is like the sun. When it shines on things, they are transformed.
~ Thích Nhất Hạnh~
This roasted butternut squash soup recipe comes straight from our vegetarian restaurant. It is so cozy and comforting and perfect for fall! With dozens of 5-star reviews, we think you’ll love it as much as our customers did!
It’s made with very simple ingredients, yet feels decadent! Vegan and gluten-free, it is topped with a swirl of warmed coconut milk, crispy sage leaves and toasted pumpkin seed brittle.
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup Recipe Ingredients
- Butternut Squash: This winter squash is the star ingredient of the soup. It has a sweet and nutty flavor with a creamy, velvety texture when cooked. Its vibrant orange color adds visual appeal to the dish. We roast the butternut to enhance the flavor!
- Apple: Adding a little apple to the soup lends a touch of natural sweetness and a subtle tartness. They complement the butternut squash perfectly!
- Onion and garlic: Diced onion is often sautéed with garlic at the beginning of the cooking process to build a flavorful base for the soup. It adds depth and savory notes to balance the sweetness of the squash and apples.
- Vegetable Broth: Used as the liquid base, vegetable broth infuses the soup with savory flavors while ensuring a rich and flavorful result. It also keeps the soup vegetarian-friendly. Feel free to use chicken broth if you prefer
- Sage: Fresh sage leaves add an earthy savory flavor to the soup. Feel free to sub thyme!
- Ground Cinnamon: A pinch of ground cinnamon adds warmth and depth of flavor. It brings out the natural sweetness in the ingredients and provides a cozy and comforting undertone.
- Coconut Milk: adds a little creaminess to the soup while keeping it dairy free- or feel free to use heavy cream.
- Pumpkin Seeds and Crispy Sage leaves: the delicious garnish that adds great texture!
How to make Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
Step one: Roast the butternut squash. Cut the squash in half, roast face down on a parchment-lined sheet pan or rimmed baking sheet until fork tender.
Step 2: Sauté the apples, shallots, garlic, ginger and sage over medium-high heat until fragrant. Add the broth, seasonings and the roasted butternut squash and blend.
Step Three: Puree the soup. You can also use an immersion blender right in the pot. Return to the pot and bring to a simmer.
Step four: Add coconut milk or heavy cream.
Step five: Season with fresh nutmeg! Adjust salt and pepper, and add a pinch of cayenne if you you want.
Step six: Garnish! To elevate the Butternut Squash Soup, serve with crispy sage leaves and pumpkin seed brittle!
How to Make the Crispy Sage
Sizzle the sage leaves in a little coconut oil or butter, until crisp, about 1 minute. Season with salt, blot on a paper towel.
Make the Pumpkin Seed Brittle- see the recipe notes. 😉
And serve… garnishing with a swirl of coconut milk or cream if you like, the crispy sage leaves and the crunchy pumpkin seed brittle.
How to serve Butternut and Apple Soup
We love this soup with our Sourdough bread, or this savory Leek Bread. Serve with a leafy green salad and dinner is ready!
- Sourdough Bread
- Savory Leek Bread
- Cheddar Scones with Caramelized Onions
- Waldorf Salad
- Pear Salad with Vanilla Fig Dressing
- Roasted Pumpkin Salad with Kale, Apples and Maple Pecans
Storing Roasted Butternut Soup
Butternut Squash Soup will keep up to 4 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container or can be frozen for up to 6 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
FAQs for Butternut Squash Soup with Apples
No. That being said, roasting the butternut squash is so EASY and brings out the squash’s natural sweetness- just look at that caramelization! That is where all flavor is here but feel free to simmer it in cubes in the broth. Roasting does give the soup more flavor and truly elevates it. Do what works for you. You’ll need 4 cups, cooked.
No need to peel! Simply cut the butternut squash in half and place face down on a parchment-lined sheet pan or roasting pan. Roast until tender. Scoop out the squash into the blender. Do not use the peels in the soup!
High in fiber, low in calories, and rich in vitamins A, C , and E, we think this soup is full of amazing health benefits!
The addition of apple in this recipe, will help mitigate any bitterness!
When making soup, there is no need to peel the butternut squash before baking it. Simply cut it in half and place open side down on a baking sheet. Once tender, it is easy to scoop out with a spoon.
Cut back on the veggie broth to create a thicker butternut soup!
There is no need to cover the butternut squash while baking; the skin acts as a barrier in this case!
Expert Tips
- To make this even faster, roast the butternut ahead, say the night before and store it in the fridge until ready to make the soup.
- You can also cook a butternut squash whole (if it fits) in your instant pot (make sure to place a cup of water below the steamer basket, high pressure for 25 minutes). Refrigerate until using.
- You can easily add more depth by adding a little miso paste, more onion and garlic, roasted garlic powder, or even half a veggie bouillon cube. Salt also helps. 🙂
- For spice, add a pinch of cayenne pepper. Or branch out and try a little curry powder! A tiny splash of maple syrup can work wonders too to bring out butternut’s natural sweetness.
- And lastly, sometimes a hint of acid can brighten up a dull soup- a couple of drops of apple cider vinegar, a squeeze of orange. 🙂
- The Garnish Elevates! Here we are using crispy sage and pumpkin seed “brittle”.
If you love this butternut squash soup…
- 25 Delicious Vegetarian & Vegan Soup Recipes
- Roasted Kuri Squash Soup with Harissa & Crispy Chickpeas
- Glowing Carrot Soup
- Coconut Pumpkin Soup with Garam Masala
- Simple Tomato Soup
- Coconut Corn Chowder with Leeks
- North African Carrot soup
Enjoy the falling leaves. Truly a magical time of year here in the Pacific Northwest. The light is golden and the trees are ablaze. The air feels charged with something otherworldly. ✨
Soak it up, friends.
xoxo
Easy Butternut Squash Soup! | 60-sec Video
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup Recipe
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Total Time: 50 mins
- Yield: 6 cups
- Category: Soup, Vegan, Gluten-free
- Method: Roasted
- Cuisine: Northwest
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Cozy up with a bowl of creamy Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with crispy sage, coconut milk, and pumpkin seed brittle. Vegan and delicious!
Ingredients
- 1 med-large butternut squash (3 pounds -or roughly 4 cups of cooked butternut)
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil, olive oil or butter
- 1 large apple- gala, honey crisp, diced (more for garnish, optional)
- 2 large shallots (or 1 onion)- diced
- 2–4 fat garlic cloves – rough chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger – rough chopped ( or use ginger paste)
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage, and more for garnish
- 3 1/2 –4 cups vegetable stock or chicken stock (I used 4 cups water with 2 teaspoons veggie bouillon paste)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
- fresh grated nutmeg– optional ( about 1/4 teaspoon, more to taste, feel free to use ground)
- pinch cayenne -optional, but tasty here.
- 1/2– 3/4 cup coconut milk (from a can) or use 1/4-1/2 cup heavy cream or half and half. For a lighter version, sub almond milk or just leave it out, thinning the soup with more veggie stock if you prefer.
- 1–2 teaspoons maple syrup (optional- see notes)
- 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar (optional- see notes)
- Optional Garnishes- crispy sage, Pumpkin seed “Brittle”, sumac, warm coconut milk, sautéed diced apple (sauté in coconut oil)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425F
- Split the butternut in half lengthwise, place open side down, on a greased or parchment-lined, rimmed sheet pan. (See notes) Roast 30-35 minutes or until easily pierced with a fork, through the skin at the top, narrow end.
- While the butternut is roasting, chop the onion, apple, garlic, and ginger and herbs.
- Heat oil in a large heavy bottom pot or dutch oven, over medium heat.
- Add onion and apple and cook 6-7 minutes, stirring until golden and tender, then add garlic and ginger, and cook 4-5 more minutes, add the herbs,turning the heat down to med-low for one more minute. It will smell divine. Turn heat off.
- When the butternut is tender, flip them over, let them cool down, enough to handle, then scoop out seeds. Scoop out flesh and place in a bowl, you should have 3 3/4 to 4 cups.
- Add the apple onion mixture to the same bowl.
- Then, blend in batches with the veggie stock until very smooth, using a blender. (If using hot ingredients, be sure to Hold the lid down tight with a kitchen towel– to prevent a blender explosion!) If you prefer a thicker soup, add less water, thinner soup, more water.
- Add the blended soup back into the same pot and warm over low heat. Add salt, pepper, nutmeg. Stir in you choice of milk to desired richness.
- Taste. If you’d like more sweetness, a teaspoon or two of maple syrup will help. If you need a little acidity, a few drops of AC vinegar, or squeeze of orange juice is nice. Adjust salt.
- To serve, divide among bowls, sprinkle with maple-glazed pumpkin seeds, crispy sage leaves, sautéed apple.
Notes
Alternatively, you can slice apple and onion and roast with the butternut squash. (You’ll still need to saute the garlic, ginger and sage.)
Maple-glazed Pumpkin Seed brittle: Toss 1 cup pumpkin seeds in 1 ½-2 tablespoons maple syrup with a pinch of salt and pepper, and spread out on a parchment lined sheet pan. Bake 11-14 minutes at 350F stirring ½ way through. Let them get a little toasted. (If they they don’t toast enough the maple syrup will not harden). Remove from oven, immediately, fluff with a fork, then let cool on the parchment.
To make Crispy Sage: Heat coconut oil or butter in a skillet over medium heat. Place sage leaves carefully in the hot oil, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, fry unit crisp, about 1 minute. Remove with tongs, from the pan before they get dark, and lay flat on a paper towel.
To drizzle coconut milk over the top, I find it’s easier to heat it up a bit first then spoon it over top in a circular motion.
Sometimes, instead of the vinegar, I’ll add a squeeze of fresh orange juice- delicious!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 191
- Sugar: 9.6 g
- Sodium: 513.7 mg
- Fat: 9.7 g
- Saturated Fat: 7.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 24.4 g
- Fiber: 3.3 g
- Protein: 3.9 g
- Cholesterol: 2.4 mg
Made this beautiful warming soup last night for dinner. I baked the squash in the morning and finished the rest that evening. I amped up some of the spices to our taste as you suggested. To serve, I cooked and diced some chicken sausage and scallions, and served with corn bread.
Wonderful!
Lovely fall soup! Well balanced flavors unlike many squash/apple soups — not too sweet at all, a very subtle warmth from the cayenne, and a great flavor boost from fresh sage, nutmeg and roasted pumpkin seeds. Thank you for another fabulous meal!
Glad you enjoyed Robin!