Butternut squash soup from scratch is a classic fall favorite!

Everyone usually gets a little more intentional about the meals they are feeding their family this time of year.

And healthy, cozy soup works great.

Surprisingly, butternut squash soup is pretty simple to make and requires a few ingredients.

Making this dish from scratch gives you full control over each ingredient used.

Once you make this recipe once, you will be confident enough to make it over and over and enjoy it all season long.

For years, I was not a fan of butternut squash.

It was not until I learned how to properly prepare and cook this squash did things change.

I also took time to learn about the health benefits of butternut squash and became more motivated to add this vegetable to my family’s diet.

We now enjoy some version of butternut squash weekly.

Keep reading to find out just how easy it is to make this recipe a part of your regular meal planning.

Table of Contents

HOW DO YOU THICKEN UP BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

One reason why some people shy away from butternut squash is that some butternut squash recipes are very thin.

Especially canned or boxed soups.

Cooking your butternut squash soup from scratch gives you control of not only the ingredients but also the thickness of the soup.

If your soup is too thin after you have finished making it there are several ways you can easily thicken it up.

You can:

Scoop a small portion of the soup and add it to a stand blender or food processor for about 3-4 minutes (Carefully monitor the heat that can escape from the blender. And do not overfill the blender. Add the blended portion of soup back into the pot)
Add in a creamy thickener such as cream, coconut milk, or yogurt (add in small amounts to avoid over thickening your soup)
Add in flour or cornstarch (Do not add the flour or cornstarch indirectly but mix with butter or broth then add small amounts of the mixture into your soup.)
Blend bread crumbs into the soup
Use cooked and blended rice or lentils

HEALTH BENEFITS OF BUTTERNUT SQUASH

What’s not to love about this winter squash!

Besides the fact that using butternut squash as the main ingredient in fall recipes is flavorful and enjoyable, this vegetable is packed with health benefits.

When cooking with butternut squash you are feeding your family an abundance of powerful antioxidants.

Butternut squash offers the following health benefits:

Vitamin A
Vitamin C
Vitamin E
Betacarotene
Magnesium
Potassium
Calcium

Butternut squash is also about 87% water which helps with hydration.

Also, butternut squash is an excellent source of fiber and is low glycemic.

Low glycemic foods contain carbohydrates that take the body a long time to break down. This causes a person’s blood sugar levels to rise much slower, helping blood sugar levels, not to spike.

DO YOU HAVE TO PEEL BUTTERNUT SQUASH

Great news!

To make this creamy, delicious butternut squash soup from scratch you do not have to peel the butternut squash at all.

After adding olive oil, salt, and pepper you simply will slice the butternut squash in half and lay face down on a baking sheet to roast in the oven.

Once the butternut squash is done roasting you will have to scoop out the inside to complete the cooking process.

FALL AND WINTER SEASON SOUP

Starting in late September is the perfect time to stock up on butternut squash.

This time of year, this vegetable is in season and you can find plenty of it at low prices in most grocery stores or local markets.

Soups are sounding more delicious these days as we are getting more cool weather days.

Butternut squash is a great make-ahead dish.

You can start this soup in the morning and allow it to simmer then set it on your stove once it’s done.

By evening, you will be ready to cozy up with a nice warm bowl of homemade soup.

EASY THANKSGIVING SIDE

Fall is also the perfect time to begin at least thinking about your Thanksgiving menu.

Most of us are planning for those labor-intensive dishes that may take hours to prepare; Such as the large turkey that you’ll probably start marinating days before Thanksgiving dinner.

And, you’ll constantly be checking on the turkey throughout the day as it slowly bakes in your oven.

So why not reward yourself and your guest with a few side dishes that are quick and easy but still satisfying and tasty?

This butternut squash soup from scratch is also perfect to snack on while waiting for dinner to finish.

HOW TO MAKE CREAMY BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP FROM SCRATCH

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

2. Drizzle butternut squash with olive oil and sprinkle salt and pepper inside. Place face down on a baking sheet.

3. Bake for 45 minutes. The butternut squash will brown and caramelize.

4. Melt butter in a large soup pot and add chopped shallot. Allow to cook for about 5 minutes before adding in garlic. Continue to cook shallots and garlic for about 1 minute, then place cooked vegetables in a stand blender.

*All the ingredients needed for butternut squash soup from scratch. DO NOT fill past your blender’s max line.*

4. Use a spoon to scoop out the insides of the butternut squash after it has cooled down. Add the inside filling into the blender with the cooked vegetables. Also add syrup, nutmeg, vanilla extract, salt, and pepper into the blender. Last, pour in the bone broth.

5. Close and secure lid, blend until a creamy texture is reached. Adding in small amounts of more bone broth will help your soup to “thin out” more if you want a thinner consistency.

6. This step is optional, but I prefer pouring the soup from the blender back into the original large soup pot and allow to simmer for about 20 minutes on low. Feel free to add in more salt, pepper, and or butter to taste.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Many people enjoy the convenience of cooking prepackaged foods as an option because it’s quick and easy.

Unfortunately, many prepackaged foods from the grocery store are loaded with many unhealthy ingredients.

This is what spurred my journey to preparing meals from scratch for my family.

The Health Benefits of Cooking From Scratch is an article I wrote to encourage parents in their journey of preparing more meals from scratch and why it’s important.

I also suggest reading Restorative Kitchen by Dr. Ashley Turner. Her knowledge of food that she shares in this book has changed my entire perspective on the way I prepare meals for my family.

Nourishing Traditions is another transformative book that brings so much understanding of food from scratch and its benefits.