Servings:

6

The bright, vibrant colors of this creamy butternut squash soup make us happy we eat with our eyes first. The flavors are even more lively than the colors—seasonal butternut squash pairs with apples and plenty of spices like cumin, coriander, ginger, and cayenne. This simple soup simmers for just 30 minutes, making it perfect for an easy weeknight dinner or as an addition to the Thanksgiving table. The flavors only get better with time, so it’s a great recipe to make ahead for the holidays. It’s rich, creamy, and nourishing, but not too heavy—and all the best flavors of autumn in one bowl.

Apple-Butternut Squash Soup — Rachel Marek

Choosing the Right Squash

There are a few things to look for when picking a butternut squash.

Squash that is perfectly ripe should feel heavy for its size. If it feels rather light, the flavor hasn't fully developed and the squash may not have much flavor.
Give the squash a few gentle taps on the outside. It should sound hollow, not too dense or solid.
The skin should be a deep beige color with minimal scratches or blemishes. Look for a squash with a smooth exterior free of any green streaks near the stem end.

Safely Cutting and Peeling Butternut Squash

Trim the ends: Slice off the stem and root ends with a heavy, sharp knife. Use your body weight to help cut through the squash's hard exterior.
Peel the skin: Hold the squash in one hand and run a vegetable peeler down the length of the squash with the other. You may need to peel back a few layers until you're left with all bright orange flesh.
Halve and remove seeds: Cut the squash crosswise into two more manageable pieces. The bottom part of the squash can then be halved again to scoop out the seeds.

When chopping tough vegetables, it's a good idea to secure your cutting board. A few layers of wet paper towels underneath will keep the board from slipping and sliding on the counter.

Do I Have to Purée the Soup?

We love the silky smooth texture of this soup when it's puréed, but if you prefer a chunky soup, you can skip this step.

An immersion blender makes quick work of this soup if you don't have a blender. You can puree the soup right in the pot.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 medium onion, diced
1 butternut squash (about 2 pounds), peeled, seeded, and chopped
4 red or golden apples, peeled, cored, and chopped, plus 1 apple, finely diced and tossed in lemon juice, for garnish (optional)
2 teaspoons coarse salt
1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
2 ½ cups water, plus more if needed
1 jalapeno chile, thinly sliced, for garnish (optional)
Sour cream, for garnish (optional)

Directions

Apple-Butternut Squash Soup Ingredients — Rachel Marek

Cook onion:

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to soften, about 4 minutes.

Rachel Marek
Add squash and cook:

Add squash, and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 10 minutes.

Rachel Marek
Add apples, spices, and stock:

Add apples, salt, cumin, coriander, ginger, cayenne, black pepper, stock, and the water (just enough to cover).

Rachel Marek
Simmer soup:

Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and cook until vegetables are very soft, about 30 minutes.

Rachel Marek

Rachel Marek
Puree:

Puree in batches in a food processor or blender until smooth,

Rachel Marek

Rachel Marek
Warm soup:

Return to saucepan. Heat over low, thinning with more water if necessary.

Rachel Marek
Serve:

Ladle into bowls; garnish with diced apples, jalapeño slices, and sour cream if desired

Rachel Marek

How to Serve Butternut Squash Soup

If serving as the main dish, pair big bowls of this soup with warm bread for dipping, a big green salad, or melty grilled cheese sandwiches—who says that's only for tomato soup?

This soup also makes an excellent side for roast chicken, pork tenderloin, or steak au poivre.

Toppings for Butternut Squash Soup

Crumbles of creamy goat cheese or sharp shreds of Gruyere
Drizzle of full-fat coconut milk or heavy cream
Salty crumbled bacon bits
Roasted pumpkin or squash seeds

How to Store Butternut Squash Soup

If you manage to have any leftovers, let the soup cool to room temperature, then ladle it into airtight containers. Refrigerate for up to three days or freeze for up to three months.

How to Reheat Soup

Pour any leftover soup into a saucepan and warm gently over medium heat, stirring occasionally. This should take 10 to 15 minutes.

If frozen, thaw the soup in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I enhance the flavor of butternut squash soup?

The best thing you can do to ensure a flavorful butternut squash soup is to choose a ripe squash. For this recipe, we also add apples. Their slightly tart flavor are the perfect complement to sweet, earthy butternut squash.

Make sure to season the soup as you cook, adding salt and pepper and tasting it as you cook. When you season as you go, the flavors of the soup will meld together perfectly.

Do you leave the skin on butternut squash for soup?

While butternut squash skin is edible and oftentimes delicious when roasted, we like to remove it for this soup. The flesh of the squash is soft and tender—perfect for a smooth pureed soup.

Why is my butternut squash soup gritty?

Under-cooked squash will make this soup more gritty than smooth. Make sure all of your vegetables (and fruits) are very tender before blending and you'll have effortlessly creamy soup every time.

Can I use other squash for this soup?

Sugar pumpkin, acorn, and honeynut squash varieties make great substitutes for butternut squash in soup because they are also sweet and have quite a creamy texture. Just cut them into cubes as the recipe states.

More Easy Squash Soup Recipes

Originally appeared: Season's Eatings

Updated by

Riley Wofford

Apple-Butternut Squash Soup

Choosing the Right Squash

Safely Cutting and Peeling Butternut Squash

Do I Have to Purée the Soup?

Ingredients

Directions

Cook onion:

Add squash and cook:

Add apples, spices, and stock:

Simmer soup:

Puree:

Warm soup:

Serve: