Butternut Squash And Apple Soup (Stovetop or IP)
Silky, full-bodied, surprisingly light and super simple. This butternut squash and apple soup uses a small potato for natural creaminess and an apple for a touch of sweetness.
Make it on the stove top or instant pot in about 30-40 minutes. Either way, it’s a delicious savory soup that can be easily tweaked to fit your dietary preferences (vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free).
What to expect
Creamy without the heavy cream: Some butternut squash soups are thin and watery. Here, a potato does the thickening, so the soup can be dairy-free and still feel luxurious. (You can, of course, add a splash of half-and-half cream for extra richness. I do.)
Balanced flavor: You get natural sweetness from an apple or pear and savory flavors from herbs (thyme and rosemary). I also love to add texture with some fun garnish (see below)
Flexible and make-ahead: The soup is vegetarian and gluten-free – and easily made dairy-free. It keeps well, freezes well, and fits any season with a light starter or a cozy bowl. Perfect for Thanksgiving dinner.
Ingredients – tailored to your taste
- Butternut squash: I strongly recommend buying pre-cubed and peeled butternut squash if your local store carries it. It’s a little bit more expensive, but this shortcut is well worth the time and effort saved. Squash is hard to cut!
- Broth: Use vegetable broth or chicken broth. Homemade is great, but the next best kind in my opinion is Better Than Bouillon base (just add water). You can even use water – just add more seasoning.
- Potato: This is used to thicken the soup. Use a white or small sweet potato.
- Apple: Used to add slight sweetness (really good!). You can substitute it with a pear if you like.
Variations and Substitutes
- Dairy-free and vegan version: Leave out the cream or use a splash of full-fat coconut milk. The soup will still be thick and full-bodied.
- Seasonings: Instead of thyme and rosemary, consider curry powder, cinnamon, coriander, nutmeg or a splash of sherry vinegar.
- Garnish options:
- Pepitas or pumpkin seeds
- Homemade croutons (my fave)
- Fresh herbs – thyme, rosemary, chives, sage
- Crumbled goat cheese
- Cheese toasts
- Parmesan wafers
- Chopped cooked bacon
- Toasted nuts or candied pecans
- Sour cream or Greek yogurt
Step by step instructions
Tip
For a soup with more depth, add just enough broth just to cover the vegetables before simmering. Once the soup is cooked and puréed, you can add a bit more if the soup is too thick to get the consistency you like.
Shortcuts
- Buy pre-cut squash already peeled and cubed. No pre-cut? Microwave whole squash 4–5 min (pierce first) to make peeling/cutting easier.
- Use frozen cubed squash from the freezer aisle. No need to thaw. Excellent shortcut.
- Skip the sauté: add everything to the pot and simmer – done in <30 min.
- Instant Pot: cook in 25–30 min (see recipe notes).
Creative ways to serve apple squash soup
- Starter: As a classic bowl with your favorite garnish.
- Appetizer: Pour the soup into shot glasses or mini espresso cups for a fun appetizer.
- Side dish: I place a small cup right on the dinner plate for a weeknight side.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, buy frozen cubed squash in the freezer vegetable section. No need to thaw.
You can skip the potato and enjoy a thinner soup. Or, add 1/2 cup red lentils to help thicken the soup with a bonus of extra protein.
It’s best to add the cream after thawing the soup, but if it’s already added, you can still freeze it – reheat it gently (don’t boil) to prevent curdling and whisk it well while reheating.
Yes, roast the squash and onions at 425F/218C for 25-30 minutes until slightly caramelized. Then simmer with the broth, apple, potato and seasonings until tender.
Unique butternut squash soup recipes
If you want something a bit out of the norm and an interesting version of this soup, try one of these. Really good!
More butternut squash recipes
- quinoa and butternut squash salad
- butternut squash salad cups
- squash curry (30 minutes)
- butternut squash salad with warm cinnamon dressing
- butternut squash noodles stir fry
Please leave a 5 star rating ***** with a comment in the recipe card below if you like the recipe, Thank you so much!
Butternut Squash and Apple Soup
Equipment
- immersion blender, blender or food processor (to puree soup)
Ingredients
Butternut Squash soup, Note 1
- 2 teaspoon olive oil or vegetable oil
- 1 small onion, roughly chopped (or 1 leek, trimmed and sliced)
- 1 garlic cloves, chopped (1 tsp)
- 5 cups -6 cups butternut squash, peeled and cubed (1 1/2 lbs/700g), Note 2 (or 1 medium butternut squash)
- 1 apple, peeled, cored and cut into chunks (or pear)
- 1 potato, peeled and cut into chunks (white or sweet potato)
- 4 cups vegetable broth or vegetable stock – or more as needed (or chicken stock or water instead)
- 1 teaspoon each chopped fresh thyme and rosemary or more (or 1/4 teaspoon each dried)
- kosher salt and black pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup cream or milk, Note 3
Garnish options
- Pepitas, Homemade croutons (my fave) or toasted bread cubes, Fresh herbs – thyme, rosemary, chives, sage; Crumbled goat cheese; Dollop of plain Greek yogurt; Cheese toasts; Parmesan wafers; Chopped cooked bacon; Toasted nuts or candied pecans
Instructions
- SAUTÉ VEGGIES: Heat oil in medium to large pot to medium-high heat. Add onions and sauté for 3 minutes. Add butternut squash, potato, garlic and apple. Saute another 4 minutes. Shortcut: skip this first step, add all veggies to the pot and go to the next step.
- SIMMER SOUP: Add just enough broth to cover the vegetables. Add seasonings. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to medium low heat, cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes or until vegetables are very soft.
- PURÉE SOUP AND FINISH: Purée soup for a silky texture – I do it right in the soup pot with an immersion blender, but you can also do it in a regular blender or food processor. The soup will be fairly thick as the potato acts as a thickening agent. Here’s where I add about 1/4-1/2 cup (59-118 ml) of half and half cream – or milk if you want to keep it lighter. Or, you can skip the dairy altogether and just add some water or broth to desired consistency if you find the soup too thick. Taste and adjust seasonings. I often add a pinch of fresh or dried thyme. Serve with garnishes you like.
Recipe Notes
- Measuring amounts: Use the recipe amounts as a guideline. If you have a bit more or less butternut squash or onions, it won’t matter. You also may need more or less broth depending on the size of your pot.
- Preparing butternut squash: If you can, buy precut and peeled butternut squash. If you can’t, buy a whole butternut squash, pierce it a few times with a knife, then microwave it for 4-5 minutes. This is a great way to ease cutting and peeling the squash.
- Cream or milk options: Use whatever combination you like to get the creaminess you want. Heavy cream will make a richer and thicker soup (you may need to add more broth to thin it out). I use about 1/4 cup/60 ml. half and half cream. To reduce calories, use milk. For dairy free, leave out the cream altogether. Or use coconut milk.
- Substitutions and Variations:
- Fresh butternut squash: Swap in frozen squash cubes (no need to thaw) – great shortcut.
- Seasonings: Try curry powder, cinnamon, coriander, nutmeg or a splash of sherry vinegar.
- Apple: Use a pear instead.
- Deeper flavor: Roast the onions and squash on a baking sheet first at 425F/218C for 25-30 minutes. Then simmer with broth, apple, potato and seasonings until tender.
- Add a touch more sweetness (as well as nutrition and depth of color): use a small sweet potato instead of a white potato.
- To add heat, use red pepper flakes or a pinch of cayenne pepper.
- How to make butternut squash soup in an instant pot. Press sauté function and let heat up. Add oil and veggies. Sauté for 5 minutes. Turn sauté function off. Add broth and seasonings. Set pressure cooker to High Pressure for 10 minutes. Place lid on and turn knob to Sealing. Once finished cooking, do a quick release, taking care not to burn yourself from the steam. When button drops, you can safely take off lid. Purée soup with immersion blender in the instant pot. Add cream and adjust seasonings as needed.
- Make ahead/store/freeze:
- Store leftover soup in the fridge for 5-6 days.
- Freeze it in an airtight container or sealed bag for 3 months. If you added cream, make sure you don’t bring the soup to boil when reheating or the cream will curdle – and whisk it well while reheating.
Good
The skin is edible and softens when cooked. Or you can save the peeling, toss with oil and herbs, and roast or air-fry and use instead of bread croutons.
What a creative tip, Susan – thank you for sharing!