Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Roasted butternut squash soup is a delicious, low-point soup that is easy to prepare and perfect for a cozy night in with family; everything roasts on a sheet pan and blends together using a regular blender or immersion blender.

Don't have an immersion blender? Check out the one I have on Amazon). This roasted butternut squash soup can be served immediately, but tastes even better the next day. It freezes fantastically and makes a great meal prep or make-ahead dish for Thanksgiving.

I will be the first to admit I am not a big squash fan. Every year around this time, my Instagram fills with people enjoying their delicata, acorn, and spaghetti squash dishes and I truly don't get it. Truthfully, I wrote off squash when I was seven years old and I haven't brought myself to give it a fair shot.

In my defense, anytime I've cut open a squash it just smells like pumpkins and I can't associate that with a palatable taste. Why are we out here eating Halloween decorations? This roasted butternut squash soup though makes me reconsider my opinions…

What I learned about butternut squash (hot takes from a nonbeliever)

I bought six butternut squashes throughout this recipe testing journey. During the fall, these are actually super cheap. You can skip the trouble of preparing squash and buy it already peeled and cut, but I wanted the full experience (plus it's slightly more expensive).

Even novice cooks can handle the prep work, but if you are skeptical of squash, I'd go for the precut ones. I say that because between the pumpkin smell and scooping out the seeded middle, it felt like I was about to eat a jack-o'-lantern and I was not happy about it. Trust me, it won't taste like one.

Butternut squash is naturally sweet; not like apple sweet, but sweet enough that you're going to have plenty of spice to offset that here if you want a savory soup. I see some people add apples to their recipes to ADD sweetness, but that is not my jam. If you're looking for a sweet soup, this is not for you.

To prepare butternut squash, first peel the squash. I cut off the tops and bottoms of the squash and sliced the long skinnier part off. Then, I left the bulb part for later. You can use a peeler, but the skin is tough. Thus, I resorted to using a chef knife to cut it off. Once I got the skin off, it was actually really simple to slice.

When I got to the bulb, I peeled it first, sliced it down the middle, and scooped out the Halloween bits. Then, I diced it up and prayed it wasn't going to taste like a pumpkin. Seriously, if you're a big baby like me, it is totally acceptable to buy the precut squash--it's really not that bad. I'm a baby.

Fall is in the herbs

Sure, squash is inherently a fall thing, but the true fall goodness comes from the combination of herbs and spices. To me, the combination of thyme, sage, garlic, and onions is more fall-like than any buffalo check flannel or pumpkin spice latte.

Fall has plenty of sweet treats (like my Pumpkin Scones), but it is the savory fall foods that warm my bones and make me think of cozy nights in with family.

There is a time and place for dried herbs, but for this recipe, I can't stress enough how much better fresh herbs are. They are more aromatic, more pungent, and more delicious.

I usually buy fresh, and I definitely buy fresh for Thanksgiving. If you are new to the fresh herbs game and don't want to fully commit to buying an ingredient for just one recipe, most grocery stores sell a "poultry pack" of fresh herbs that will have both sage and thyme (plus rosemary).

If you buy them separately for just this and have extra, you should totally make my Skillet Chicken Pot Pie--it's amazing.

Roasting the Vegetables

What I love about this recipe is the simplicity of it. You are going to dice the butternut squash into about 1 ½" cubes and toss them into a big bowl. Finely chop your herbs and throw them in the bowl.

Next, smash 4-5 garlic cloves with your knife just to break them and toss them in. Finally, quarter an onion and add that to your bowl--no need to cut them any smaller since it will be pureed. Add salt and oil, toss together, and spread evenly onto a baking sheet (or two).

I roast these at 425 for about 35 minutes, flipping halfway through. The onions will soften and get a little brown, the garlic will get golden, and the butternut squash will become tender. You'll know when it's done when you can squish the squash with a spatula or fork easily.

By the time it is done, your house will smell pretty fall-like and amazing. Roasting the Vegetables adds complexity and depth to the vegetables that you'd lose if you simply boiled or cooked in your crockpot. It dirties an extra dish, but roasted butternut squash soup beats boiled any day. The char and caramelization really make this dish.

Do I need an immersion blender for butternut squash soup?

You're going to need a blender. You can use a regular blender (depending on the brand) or an immersion blender. If you are using a blender, make sure your blender can blend hot food. If you're not sure, you can let the roasted vegetables cool before blending.

Using a blender will ensure the smoothest, silkiest soup. If you are looking for simplicity, add all your ingredients into a pot and use an immersion blender to blend. I like my soups to still maintain a little texture, so I like using an immersion blender. It allows better control of consistency.

Recommended Garnish for Butternut Squash Soup

Roasted butternut squash soup is delicious on its own. However, you may want to add a little pizazz to make it extra elegant. I topped mine with fresh herbs and the tiniest pinch of nutmeg to really drive home those flavors.

You can top this soup with roasted pepitas, sauteed spinach or kale. Try a dollop of Greek yogurt, or even some crumbled bacon or pan-fried cubed pancetta if you'd like.

Storing and Freezing Butternut Squash Soup

As I said, this roasted butternut squash soup is a great make-ahead soup if you are preparing this for Thanksgiving. I would even go as far as to say it's better the next day. If you are making ahead, store the soup in an air-tight container in the refrigerator up to four days. When it comes to to reheat, heat on the stove the next day.

Blended soups always freeze pretty wonderfully because there is no risky of the soup losing its texture. Having frozen this several times, I do think it freezes better when you omit the Greek yogurt. Dairy can freeze weird sometimes. It still tastes great, but it freezes and reheats better when you wait to add the Greek yogurt after thawing.

Yield: 4 servings (8 cups total)

Healthy Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Print

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup is the perfect fall soup that is creamy, hearty, and just warms the bones. This savory and flavorful soup starts by roasting all the vegetables together in one pan and quickly comes together with a blender.

1 WW SP for 2 cups

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes

Additional Time 5 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Ingredients

• 3 lb butternut squash (cubed)
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 onion (peeled and quartered)
• 2 tbsp fresh sage (finely chopped)
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme
• 1/2 tbsp kosher salt
• 1 pinch nutmeg
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil (or preferred oil)
• 1/4 cup non fat Greek yogurt
• 4 cups chicken broth (vegetable broth for vegetarian)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425° F.
2. In a large bowl, toss the butternut squash, oil, herbs, onion, and garlic together to coat.
3. Roast vegetables for 35 minutes at 425 degrees until butternut squash is tender. Flip vegetables halfway through cooking.
4. If using a blender, blend vegetables in batches with stock and Greek yogurt. If your blender is not heat safe, allow vegetables to cool and reheat soup on the stove once blended.
5. If using an immersion blender, add all ingredients into a stock pot and blend until smooth.Salt and pepper to taste.
6. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container and serve later. Reheat on the stove.
7. Optional garnish: Add fresh thyme, nutmeg, greens, pepitas, or even bacon to garnish if you'd like.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

2 cups
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 202Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 931mgCarbohydrates: 41gFiber: 8gSugar: 8gProtein: 6g

Are you looking for more healthy fall recipes?

These recipes are great fall recipes for people on WW or not. They are healthy, tasty, and bring on all the fall vibes.

• Pumpkin Scones
• Healthy Pumpkin Pancakes
• Pumpkin Chai French Toast Casserole
• Chicken Pot Pie Skillet
• Thanksgiving Turkey Burger
• Sausage Cornbread Dressing
• Lightened Up Cornbread