Butternut squash soup with apples, sage, and nutmeg is the perfect fall soup. It's creamy (without cream!), and the warm spices make it feel cozy. It can be made with a blender, food processor, or immersion blender.
Butternut squash is one of my favorite fall vegetables. It has a creamy, light texture when blended, yet is dairy-free. Especially with a high powered blender like a Vitamix or Blendtec, the soup comes out silky smooth.
The layering of flavors sets this savory Butternut squash soup recipe apart. There's the aromatic vegetables (onions and celery), the herbs and spices (sage and nutmeg), and the apple. The secret ingredient is the apple which adds balance with a touch of sweetness.
For more smooth, creamy dairy-free soups, try my Cauliflower, Asparagus, or Parsnip and Apple soups. Or see all of my soup recipes for more ideas.
If you're looking for more ways to enjoy roasted butternut squash, then you're going to love my Roasted Butternut Squash and Arugula Salad and my One Pan Honey Mustard Chicken with Butternut Squash and Brussels Spouts.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Making this soup is a sign that it’s time for all the delicious fall recipes.
- Made with fresh and simple ingredients.
- Works as a starter course, side dish, or main lunch or dinner recipe.
- It’s a dairy free and vegan soup.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
See the recipe card below for a complete ingredient list and measurements.
Jump to Recipe- Butternut squash - This is a large winter squash, usually in season in the late summer through fall. They store very well, so they can often be found year round. Substitutes for butternut squash are kabocha squash, red kuri squash, honey nut squash, acorn squash, and pumpkin (sugar or pie variety).
- Aromatics - Celery and onion make up the base of this soup, along with apple. Use a yellow or sweet onion.
- Apple - Adds an extra layer of flavor and a touch of sweetness. I recommend honeycrisp, gala, fuji, or envy apples.
- Fresh sage - Really makes this soup taste like fall! Use fresh if possible, or substitute with 1 teaspoon of dried sage. Fresh thyme would also work.
- Broth or stock - Use vegetable stock to keep this soup vegan, or use chicken stock. I like the Trader Joe’s brand.
- Nutmeg - Nutmeg is a great fall flavor. Grate nutmeg fresh if possible! It’s quick and easy to do and makes a big difference in flavor.
- Toppings - This is optional but a nice way to add a textural contrast to this soup. Top with croutons, parmesan crisps, toasted pumpkin seeds, or fried sage leaves. To add extra creaminess, stir in a swirl of coconut cream.
Step by Step Photos
See the recipe card below for complete directions.
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Step 1. Prep
Cut a butternut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds.
Step 2. Microwave
Put squash halves cut side down in a baking dish with a little water. Cover and microwave until soft. Spoon out the flesh, and discard the skin.
Step 3. Sauté
Sauté onions and celery until softening.
Step 4. Add
Next add in apples and sage and sauté until soft.
Step 5. Blend
Add sautéed vegetables and butternut squash to the blender with broth, and process until smooth. Adjust thickness with a little more broth or water if necessary to get your preferred consistency.
Step 6. Finish
Add soup back to the pot. Season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings to your palate. Serve warm with a topping such as croutons or pepitas.
Top Tips
- Use caution when blending hot liquids! Let the ingredients cool slightly before running the blender. If the ingredients are too hot, the steam will rise, and the pressure could cause the lid to come off and the ingredients to explode out. Be sure to vent the blender lid to relieve pressure, and with a towel in hand, keep your hand on the lid to make sure the lid stays in place.
- If the soup tastes slightly bitter, add a dash of maple syrup.
- If there is no microwave available, the butternut squash can be roasted in the oven.
- A food processor can be used to purée the soup instead of a traditional blender. Process it in batches if needed.
- This soup tastes even better the next day as the flavors meld.
Make Ahead
This soup can be made a few days in advance and stored in the refrigerator until ready to serve. It’s a great make-ahead option for a larger holiday meal. Reheat stovetop, or use a slow cooker to reheat the soup and keep it warm for serving.
Storage and Reheating
Storage: Store butternut squash soup in the refrigerator for 4 days in an airtight container.
Freezing: This soup freezes well. Freeze in a freezer safe container for up to 6 months. I like to freeze in individual portion sizes. Leave about half an inch of empty space at the top of a jar so the soup has space to expand while freezing.
How to reheat: Reheat this soup in the microwave or in a saucepan over medium heat until warmed throughout. Add a splash of veggie broth if needed to loosen it up.
When to Serve Butternut Squash Soup
This soup is great for fall and winter.
It is perfect for the fall holidays like Rosh Hashanah, the dinner before Yom Kippur, Sukkot, and Thanksgiving.
During Sukkot, keep it warm in the sukkah by putting it in a slow cooker on warm. Use an outdoor extension cord tucked out of the way if needed to get the slow cooker to reach the outdoor sukkah.
If serving this soup with a big holiday meal, make it a mini appetizer instead by serving it small espresso cups or shot glasses for sipping. Again the slow cooker is helpful for keeping the soup warm until guests are ready for their mini soups.
What to Serve With Soup
This creamy butternut squash soup makes a great starter for a larger meal. Or pair it with a salad or appetizer for a light lunch or dinner.
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This post was updated in 2024 with new photos and updated text and tips. The recipe remains the same.
Recipe
Vegan Butternut Squash Soup Recipe
Equipment
- Large microwave safe baking dish
- Large soup pot or dutch oven
Ingredients
- 1 large butternut squash about 3 pounds, makes about 3 cups cooked squash
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium sweet or yellow onion medium dice, about 1 cup
- 2 celery ribs diced small
- 1 medium apple peeled, cored, and sliced thin
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage or 1 teaspoon dried sage
- 4 cups low sodium vegetable or chicken broth I used Trader Joe's brand.
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 ½ teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- Several grinds of freshly cracked black pepper
- Serve with croutons like Trader Joe’s Parmesan crisps optional
Instructions
- Cook Squash: Rinse a whole butternut squash, and cut in half lengthwise with a large knife. Scoop out and discard seeds. Place the two halves cut side down in a microwaveable baking dish. Add water and cover with wax paper. Microwave on high for 10-14 minutes or until flesh is soft when pierced with a fork. Use caution as dish and squash will be very hot. Let cool. Scoop out flesh, place flesh in a blender, and set aside. Discard outer skin. If the blender has a 64 ounce capacity, you’ll be able to run the blender in one batch. Otherwise, divide the blender ingredients into two batches.
- Sauté: In the meanwhile, sauté the onion and celery in olive oil in a medium-sized soup pot on a medium-low to medium flame for about 15 minutes, or until tender. Stir periodically. Add the apple, and sauté for about 5 minutes more. Then add the sage, and sauté for an additional 5 minutes. Turn off the flame when the apple is soft and the onions and celery are lightly caramelized. Let cool, then add mixture to the blender. Set the empty pot aside.
- Blend: Next add the vegetable broth to the blender. Do not run the blender yet if the ingredients are hot. Place the lid on, and turn the blender on medium for about 30 seconds, then run the blender on high for about 1 minute or until soup is very smooth and well blended. Check the thickness of the soup, and add a couple splashes of broth or water if a thinner consistency is desired.
- Season: Wipe out the pot, and return the blended soup to the pot. Add the nutmeg, salt, and pepper and combine. Use my seasoning measurements as a guide, but season to your palate. Warm for a few more minutes and serve, or refrigerate to serve later. Flavors meld and intensify when served the next day.
- Serving option: Add a generous sprinkle of croutons, parmesan crisps, or toasted pumpkin seeds.
Notes
- How to store: Store butternut squash soup in the refrigerator for 4 days in an airtight container.
- How to freeze: This soup freezes well. Freeze in a freezer safe container for up to 6 months. I like to freeze it in individual portion sizes. Leave about half an inch of empty space at the top of a jar so the soup has room to expand while freezing.
- How to reheat: Reheat this soup in the microwave or in a saucepan over medium heat until warmed throughout. Add a splash of veggie broth if needed to loosen it up.
- If the soup tastes slightly bitter, add a dash of maple syrup.
- If there is no microwave available, the butternut squash can be roasted in the oven. A food processor can be used to purée the soup instead of a traditional blender. Process it in batches if needed.
- Grate the nutmeg fresh if possible. There is a big difference in flavor, and only takes a few seconds to do.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimation only.
Heather Jarman says
Hello Dana, I can taste the soup just from reading your recipe and I can tell it's delicious. In the area around Lucca, Italy, where I live, we use zucca (various varieties of yellow to orange flesh squash) in lots of ways, but one of my favourites is as a stuffing for ravioli. It's flavoured with nutmeg too. Sage lightly stewed in butter is poured over as the sauce. If flavours go well together, everyone discovers them.
FoodieGoesHealthy says
Heather, thank you for your comments. Please put that ravioli dish at the top of the list for when I get to Italy.
Milan says
i have always liked adding apples to my soups, it adds such a natural sweetness to it, not to mention the extra nutrients! your soup is beautiful, reminds me of a bright but cold october sunday, perfect to tuck into with a lap blanket and good book in hand.
Elina (Healthy and Sane) says
I have 3 ways of organizing my recipes. The ones I find in magazines or get from my mom, I keep as hard copies in an organized binder (actually 2 binders already but I think a 3rd one is going to be needed soon). The recipes I find on blogs that I regularly read on google reader, I star there. And then when I find random recipes online, I pin them on Pinterest 🙂
Good luck! It's kind of a fun project to figure this stuff out.
FoodieGoesHealthy says
Elina, thank you for visiting my blog and sharing organizational ideas. Happy cooking!
Jagannath says
just made your soup last night- it was lovely. thanks so much for the recipe, it was just the thing on a cold night. returning from a long business trip to a mostly empty refrigerator (save a lucky butternut squash) almost kept me out of the kitchen but this was easy and quick to pull together with few ingredients. i added a shallot and some cloves of garlic. the leftovers today were even better!