Roasted Butternut Squash Soup: Fall Comfort Food at Its Best
As soon as the leaves start to turn golden and the air turns crisp, this roasted butternut squash soup becomes my go-to recipe. It’s fall comfort food at its best: super creamy, cozy, and full of rich roasted flavor.
Made with basic ingredients and ready with just 10 minutes to prep with a handful of ingredients, this plant-based but creamy soup captures everything we love about the season. It’s velvety and smooth from roasted butternut squash, naturally sweet with a hint of caramelization, and balanced perfectly by garlic, onion, and a touch of coconut milk for creaminess.
This cozy soup on a chilly day is exactly what you want when sweater weather hits. It’s one of my favorite soups to make during the fall and winter because it’s easy, comforting, and satisfying every single time. Whether you serve it as a starter, a light dinner, or a make-ahead meal, this soup delivers pure comfort in a bowl.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Super creamy without any dairy, thanks to coconut milk
- Made with basic ingredients you likely already have
- Plant-based but creamy, hearty, and rich
- Only 10 minutes to prep before the oven does the work
- Perfect cozy soup on a chilly day for fall or winter nights
How to Make Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
Making this soup couldn’t be easier:
That’s it, just 10 minutes to prep, and your kitchen will smell like pure fall bliss.
Tips for the Best Butternut Squash Soup
- Roast the vegetables until lightly browned for a deeper flavor.
- Use full-fat coconut milk for the creamiest texture.
- Adjust the consistency with more broth if you prefer it thinner.
- Add a drizzle of chili oil or a pinch of cayenne for gentle heat.
Storage and Reheating Tips
Store leftover soup in the refrigerator for up to four days or freeze it for up to three months. Reheat on the stovetop over low heat, adding a splash of broth if needed.
Serving Suggestions
- Top with chili oil, toasted seeds, or a swirl of coconut milk.
- Serve with crusty bread or a grilled vegan cheese sandwich.
- Pair with a green salad for a light, balanced meal.
This cozy soup on a chilly day makes an elegant starter or a comforting main course.
Frequently Asked Questions about Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
Yes. The flavors deepen overnight, making it even more delicious the next day.
Absolutely. Cool completely before freezing in an airtight container. Thaw overnight before reheating.
Yes, though coconut milk gives the creamiest texture. Oat milk or cashew cream also work well.
Add more vegetable broth or water until you reach your desired consistency, then blend again briefly for a smooth texture.
Sweet potatoes or pumpkin can be used instead. Both create a similar creamy and cozy result.
Add more chili oil or a small pinch of cayenne pepper for extra warmth. You can also blend in a bit of roasted jalapeño for a bolder kick.
Final Thoughts on Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
This roasted butternut squash soup is everything a cozy fall recipe should be. It’s fall comfort food at its best, super creamy, plant-based but creamy, and made from simple, basic ingredients. Each spoonful feels warm, soothing, and deeply satisfying.
It’s also one of my favorite soups to make during the fall and winter because it’s reliable, delicious, and perfect for sharing. From its naturally sweet roasted flavor to the creamy finish from coconut milk, every element works in harmony to create a comforting and nourishing meal.
Top it with a swirl of coconut milk and a drizzle of chili oil, then sit back and enjoy this cozy soup on a chilly day. Simple, seasonal, and full of warmth, this is plant-based cooking at its most comforting. Want more cozy, plant-based recipes like this? Subscribe to Dr. Vegan for weekly vegan meal inspiration, seasonal recipe guides, and kitchen tips that make plant-based living easy and delicious.
Roasted Butternut squash soup
Equipment
- Oven
- Baking sheet
- Blender or immersion blender
- Large Pot
- Knife and Cutting Board
- Mixing bowls
Ingredients
- 1 small to medium-sized Butternut Squash
- 7 fl oz Coconut Milk
- 1-2 Red Onions
- 2 Carrots
- 1-2 Bell Peppers
- 1-2 heads of Garlic
- 2 Tomatoes or 1 cup of Cherry Tomatoes
- 1 1/2 cups Vegetable Broth
- 1 tsp Fresh Ginger optional; grated
- Olive Oil enough to drizzle over vegetables
- Fresh Cilantro for garnish
Seasoning:
- 1 tsp Black Pepper
- 1 tsp Ground Cumin
- 1 tsp Paprika
- 1 tsp Dried Thyme
- 1 tsp Dried Rosemary
- 1 tsp Chili Oil
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 390°F (200°C).
- Prepare the Vegetables: You can either peel and chop the butternut squash, or, like I do in the video, simply cut the squash in half for roasting. Note: Halving the squash will require a longer roasting time, while chopping the vegetables smaller will speed up the cooking process.
- Season the Vegetables: Add the seasonings (pepper, cumin, paprika, thyme, rosemary, and chili flakes) to the vegetables. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat evenly. If halving the squash, drizzle olive oil on the exposed flesh. Cover the dish with aluminum foil.
- Roasting: Roast for about 1 1/2 hours, or until the vegetables are golden and soft inside. If you've chopped the vegetables smaller, the roasting time can be reduced. If you've halved the butternut squash, expect a longer roasting time. For the last 10 minutes, remove the aluminum foil to allow the vegetables to caramelize slightly.
- Blending: Once roasted, scoop out the flesh of the butternut squash (if halved) and transfer all the vegetables to a blender. Add the vegetable broth and ginger (if using), and blend until smooth and creamy.
- Cooking the Soup: Pour the blended mixture into a pot and place it on medium heat. Stir in the coconut milk and cook for about 2 minutes, allowing everything to warm through.
- Final Touch: Adjust the seasonings to your taste. Garnish with fresh cilantro, a drizzle of coconut milk, and a pinch of chili flakes or some chili oil if desired.
Best Soup I ever cooked!!
Normally I take Hokkaido, but this is so much easier and most tastiest pumpkin soup ever ((:
This is such a flavorful soup! Easy and very delicious, even for my picky kids. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
So happy you liked it Nicole! Butternut squash really does make it easier and gives such a nice flavor. Thanks for giving it a try😊
Awesome and tasty recipe! Easy to prep at all steps. I’ve broiled the veggies as a last step before adding them to the mixer.
That sounds great! glad you liked it Claudio😃
You’ll need to roast veggies much longer than recipe says to. Mine had to roast for 1.5 hours. Kids screaming hungry the whole time. Ended up just feeding them the grilled cheese because they were starving. Husband and I still waiting till veggies are soft enough to put into blender…
I’m really sorry to hear about the squash taking longer than expected – that sounds frustrating, especially with hungry kids waiting! Sometimes ovens can be a bit unpredictable. The size of the squash pieces and even where you place them in the oven can make a difference. Next time, maybe try cutting them a bit smaller or starting earlier if you can. Hang in there, and I hope the soup turns out delicious when it’s ready!
First time ever making butternut squash soup. It was so fantastic. Was I supposed to peel the squash before baking?
You’ve got options! Either peel it before baking or just scoop out the flesh afterwards. Whatever you prefer 🙂
Tess,
I am in the middle of the recipe, I chose to slice the entire squash with my mandolin, in 1/4″ slices. Hopefully this works and cooks quickly.
So delicious and super easy to make non-vegan (I used heavy cream, chicken stock, and normal cheese). The squash and carrots took significantly longer to cook, but I figured they would, just plan ahead. So worth it!
Great tasting soup! I live at a high altitude so roasted the vegetables at 375 for about 1.25 hours. Used two small red onions and 2.5 roma tomatoes. At the end I added some salt. Delicious!! Will make again!
I wrapped the squash in foil and cooked on a cookie sheet. Cooked the other veggies in a pan with foil. That really helped so I could cook the squash for longer.
Very easy to assemble and make. This also took longer than an hour. Oven time was 1 1/2 hours at 380. Other than that great recipe. I will be making this again
Made this last night. AMAZING!!! The squash took longer than an hour- I’d recommend cutting into smaller pieces- but it was worth the wait! This recipe is perfection! 🤌🏼
It turned out great. I added the pepper flakes to the blend and the ginger. It has a nice kick to it. The timing was perfect for the size butternut squash I used. Looking forward to trying other recipes from you!
I absolutely loved this recipe. So easy to make also. And so, so yummy 😋 🤤
I made this a few months ago and it was so delicious! I came back here today because I’m making it again! Great work on keeping the blog !
I have a bell pepper allergy. Do you have a recommendation for an alternative pepper or vegetable, should I just make it without bell peppers?
I cooked with bell pepper and next time I just won’t use it. I felt the pepper took over the flavor so I’m just going to omit it.
We have replaced the pepper with sweet potato, sometimes we just use carrot and squash, normal potatoes too, chuck whatever you want in
I’m stumped at what is the beautiful red drizzle at the end. I don’t see it listed any where?
it’s extra coconut milk and some chili oil 🙂
Would you add sweet potatoes?
This is the best soup I’ve ever made. I love squash soup and I love red pepper soup, and the two together was amazing. Roasting the veggies, adding tomatoes, so much roasted garlic and all the herbs was chef’s kiss. I used cubed squash (cut into small pieces) and took the garlic out of the head, so it took about 20-25 minutes at 400°F until everything was soft and starting to caramelize. I used chicken stock, because that’s what I had. It was divine. I’m prepping for a hurricane so now it can rain all it wants to and I’ll be cozy with my soup and no yeast bread. Thank you!
Thanks Michelle for these tips on reducing baking time. Thanks Dr Vegan for your simple, beautiful recipes.
Can I use regular milk don’t have coconut milk or heavy cream?
Any thoughts on how to modify this for someone with nightshade allergies? No tomatoes or bell peppers.
Making this for dinner tonight. what is the red drizzle? I doubt see it mentioned in the blog.
it’s extra coconut milk and some chili oil 🙂
It shows a carrot in the photos but not in the recipe? Carrots or no?
I did add two carrots to the recipe. I also added a little more coconut milk and vegetable broth until I got the consistency I wanted. It may have been the size of the squash, so adjust as needed. I also cut the squash up to reduce roasting time – 30 mins covered, 5-10 uncovered until it gets a nice char.
I cut the red pepper flake by half and added to taste at the end. Perfect soup! Great balance!
Delicious! Added a little Thai red curry paste and maple syrup! Will definitely make again!
What is that RED DRIZZLE added to the finished soup?
Delicious soup! You see carrots in the roasting picture but they aren’t mentioned in the list of ingredents.
it’s extra coconut milk and some chili oil 🙂
AmazIng soup! I have the same question. What is the red and white drizzle added at the finish?
Looks so good, but i cant figure it out. Please
it’s extra coconut milk and some chili oil 🙂
Hat sehr lecker geschmeckt. Aber welche Zutat für die Würze ist als zweites aufgeführt? Erdküchlein steht bei mir? Noch nie gehört und Google auch nicht. Hab Salz genommen 😅 aber falls es was anderes ist bitte nochmal schreiben 🙏🏻
Hej hej! Kreuzkümmel ist gemeint. Ground cumin wurde etwas eigenwillig übersetzt. 😅
Excellent recipe! I’ve made it a couple times now. Reading other peoples issues with the roasting I’ve made a couple variations that I personally like.
Logistical Changes
1. Use cubed butternut squash instead of whole. My local grocery (Wegmans) offers freshly cubed butternut squash. Each package is 20oz and I’ve found that two 20oz packages are a good amount. It reliably roasts in 1 hour or less when spread out on a large baking sheet. This not only saves having to peel and handle a whole squash, but makes timing of roasting more reliable (I see in the comments people are in the “roast for 90 mins and it’s still not done” mode, which can be frustrating).
2. Many blenders come with a “hot soup” mode. If you’re lucky enough to have one of these, it makes the post-roast process substantially easier. Basically, put the roasted veggies in the blender right out of the oven, turn on hot soup mode, and the blender will come to speed and heat up the mixture (which is already quite hot having just come out of the oven…). Do this for three minutes or so, add the milk, let it churn for another two minutes, and pour directly from blender into the bowls for serving! Saves a whole step of putting this on the stove and dirtying more dishes.
Taste Changes
1. Real cow’s milk does work better than coconut. I am not a vegan and found this blog on social media. It’s a fantastic recipe, but I have found that coconut milk doesn’t handle the heating process as well and doesn’t taste quite as full. Just an observation as someone who drinks mostly almond milk and coconut milk day to day for smoothies and with oatmeal.
2. SALT! We are mostly low sodium, and eat foods without added salt in general, so don’t personally have a taste for salt. But added salt to this recipe really brings out some of the flavor. Would probably recommend adding the salt as a single tsp with the rest of the seasoning, and then add to taste after the soup is done.
3. Jalapenos – Not for everyone, but I added two (sliced and de-seeded) jalapenos to the roasting tray alongside the other veggies. It definitely gives this recipe a slight kick, which I loved. Not too much though because the roasting mellows out the jalapeno heat.
4. Onions – Two red onions is a little too much overpowering of onion. 1-15 red onions was perfect.
Fantastic recipe overall. 40oz of cubed butternut squash (which I think is about the yield of a medium butternut squash) plus everything else in the main recipe above yielded 64oz of soup, or one large Vitamix blender of soup, which is a lot for such a filling soup. We freeze about half of it for later! Cheers.
Thank you for all your feedback!!
Aaron,
Did you try coconut cream? It’s thicker and richer than coconut milk but still vegan. Some stores carry it and should be next to the coconut milk cans. (Which is different from the thinner more watery coconut milk in the fridge dairy section).
Thanks for the tip on the jalapenos. I like to add a bit of heat for the flavor, but I can’t handle a lot of heat. I also want to get used to more heat.
I did take longer than anticipated however my squash was pretty large . It was delicious, I added a little bit of Ceylon cinnamon, other than that I followed this recipe . My husband loved it too .
Made this today. Delicious. I used almost the whole container of vegetable broth because it was so thick. The coconut milk tops it off. Thanks
Made this today and it’s delicious.
Quelle recette délicieuse et réconfortante ! J’adore l’idée d’associer la douceur de la courge butternut avec la richesse du lait de coco, et le fromage grillé en accompagnement est tout simplement irrésistible. J’ai essayé votre recette hier, et toute ma famille s’est régalée. Auriez-vous des astuces pour ajouter une touche épicée à cette soupe ? Peut-être du gingembre ou un peu de piment ? Merci pour vos belles idées culinaires, je reviendrai sûrement sur votre blog pour d’autres découvertes gourmandes !
This was Amazing! I really enjoyed making this soup. I went with your recipe, but next time I will put my flair on it for sure. I love to cook and if you don’t mind I will build upon this soup recipe. I set aside some of the soup and left it thicker and I am going to add some pasta to it with cheese tomorrow. Such an easy soup. I was able to do all of my housework while the veggies roasted. Then it was easy to blend it up and finish it. I made crunchy sourdough grilled cheese sandwiches too.
So delicious! I doubled it and shared a jar with my neighbor who was dying to know what made the house smell so yummy.:)
Any chance you could share the full nutrition facts?
This soup is so delicious! I used fresh herbs from my garden and laid them on top of the veggies for roasting. I had rose harissa seasoning which has chili peppers and paprika as a substitute for the the individual spices and I think it adds a really flavorful element to the soup. I have to get off here so I can eat!
I first cooked the butternut squash for 6 minutes in the microwave. Jabbed some holes in it and set it in there skin on. I had no issue with everything needing longer to cook if anything I took it out a few minutes early. Used milk instead of coconut milk it was really good!!
Delicious!
This was delicious! I really wanted grilled cheese (we’re not vegan!) so was looking for something to go with it that’s healthier and tastier than just plain tomato soup. This was perfect! I peeled then microwaved the squash whole for 3 minutes before slicing to place in the roasting pan. It took under 1 hour (400F) for everything to get to the perfect texture for blending. I added more stock because we like it a little thinner and it turned out really good. The perfect amount of flavor from each of the vegetables and seasonings. This was sooo good and super easy!!! The whole family (teens included!) loved it!
Are you using canned coconut milk or coconut milk in the carton(like the almond milk or oat milk comes in) There’s a difference in consistency so just wondered.
Hey! Thanks for your comment! I used canned coconut milk 🙂
This is a damn good soup!! A few of your videos have popped up on my Facebook, so I wanted to give this a try and it’s excellent! Super hardy, super easy to make. I chopped up my squash into good size chunks and it cooked perfectly with everything else in about an hour. Can’t wait to try another!
Hi my husband cannot have any night shade vegetables. Is there something else I can substitute for the tomatoes and bell peppers or will it be just as good without them?
Yum!!! I made this soup and it is so wholesome and delicious. I loved the kick it has. I added some salt to the roasting veggies. A bit more vegetable broth about 2 cups total and some heavy whipping cream just a splash. It did take some time to roast the butternut squash but I expected that. I also roasted on 400 degrees for about an hour and a half. They went straight into the blender on soup mode and right into my bowl. It’s a keeper!! Thanks for sharing.
Best recipe I’ve ever tried for this soup! Excellent – robust flavor! Freezes well! Thank you!
In love with this soup! I made it tonight. I chopped all the veggies into semi large pieces, cooked at 390 for probably 40ish minutes. I added one large carrot to the veggie mix and I used chicken stock instead of veggie. So… not vegan, but delicious! With a Gouda grilled cheese! Yumm!
Made this today and it was soo good and even more important my husband loved it . This recipe is a keeper!
I have one question though or more of an observation , in one of the pictures ( the one that has veggies in the pan ready to roast) carrots are pictured but not listed in the recipe itself. I’ll try adding the carrots next time and see how they enhance the flavor.
I’ve made this recipe three times now for my family and they LOVE it! I’ve followed the recipe as instructed with the oven times and it had come out delicious each time! We usually make grilled cheese sandwiches on sour dough bread to go with it but it’s amazing on its own too. Thank you for creating such a delicious and nutritious meal!
Just made it for the first time and followed recipe. My hubby and I absolutely loved it. It’s going to be in my rotation. Having the left overs tomorrow for lunch with a grilled cheese. Thanks for the recipe! Natalie ♥
Thanks!!!
I have made this recipe before and it was amazing. I swore I used carrots last time, but the recipe is no longer calling for it. The comments talk about carrots, and the picture shows it, but my soup lacks this ingredient because you have removed it. Great recipe but kind of disappointed in the change of instruction.
This is an amazing soup/sauce. We aren’t vegan and I actually put it over some tortellini and it was unbelievably delicious. I can’t wait to try some of your other recipes. Thank you. (My husband told me how good dinner was about 8 times tonight.) A+
This has to be the yummiest pumpkin soup recipe I’ve ever tried. The whole family agrees that this is going in our favourites folder.
That’s amazing to hear Helen! So glad you and your family loved it😊
Gгeetings! Ⅴery elpful advice ԝithin this post!
It’ѕ the little сhanges whіch will make the most significɑnt changes.
Thanks a lot for sharing!
Absolutely! hope you enjoyed 🙂
Great texture and taste!
Thank you!😊
Just found this recipe on FB and now your blog and am excited to try this soup next week. While not a vegan, I’m trying to eat less meat and this sounds fantastic. One chef on FB wrote a suggestion of adding fresh rosemary and sage sprigs to the roasting vegetables. I think I’ll try it as well as a small seeded jalapeño. Thanks for the inspo!
That sounds great, and the rosemary, sage, and jalapeño combo will give it such a nice depth and kick. Hope you love it when you make it. Thanks for checking out the blog Jean😊
Just love a perfect recipe! Did not need to touch the seasoning. I doubled up for a party and everyone absolutely loved it.
That makes me really happy to hear Caryn!😊 Awesome that it was a hit at your party.
Fantastic ❣️I did not use olive oil. Replaced it with butter. Did not use coconut milk. Vegetables cooked in 1.5 hours at 400 degrees. They looked exactly as pictured. Made home made bread following Jenny Can Cook recipe. Absolutely fabulous recipe! Thank you for sharing ‼️
That sounds amazing Adriene! glad it turned out so well. The butter must have added a nice richness, and homemade bread on the side sounds perfect. Thanks for trying it out😊
I just made this soup for my lunches this week and it’s absolutely delicious! So easy and my house smells like fall.
So glad you liked it Cynthia!😊 and I love that it brought those cozy fall vibes to your kitchen.
Looks delicious; can’t wait to try it!
Just one question… the Seasoning recipe calls for chili oil, yet the recipe directions say chili flakes. Which is it? Thanks! 😊
Glad you’re planning to try it Sue!😊 You can use either chili flakes or chili oil depending on your preference. I added that note to the recipe now. Thanks for catching it.
Absolutely delicious! This one is definitely a keeper. Just the right amount of spice. Your recipe didn’t mention carrots but the photo did include them. I added just two.
Thank you for sharing such an amazing recipe.
Glad you enjoyed it Julie!😊 Good catch on the carrots, I’ve updated the recipe now. Thanks for pointing it out.