Easy Squash Apple Soup
This satisfying, full-bodied and healthy butternut squash apple soup always gets rave reviews. It’s creamy, velvety smooth, full of flavor and super simple.
Make it on the stove top or instant pot. Either way, it’s a delicious vegetarian soup easily tweaked to fit the occasion and your dietary preferences.
What to expect
- Some butternut squash soups are thin and watery. This apple butternut squash soup uses a potato which acts as a natural thickening agent to make it a thicker creamier soup.
- We also add an apple or pear which adds a mildly sweet flavor to the soup.
- Don’t let this thick, luxurious, creamy soup fool you. It is very nutritious. There’s only a dash of cream which you can omit if you like. According to Healthline, butternut squash is low in calories, high in fiber and loaded with healthy nutrients such as Vitamin A, C, potassium, iron, carotenoids and magnesium.
- This soup is vegan, dairy free (without the cream), vegetarian and gluten free.
- The soup can be served any time of year. Light enough for spring and summer, and still a comforting soup for coat and sweater weather. And perfect for Thanksgiving dinner.
Consider making a double batch 🙂 Keep it simple or jazz it up.
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 or 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
Step by step instructions
Shortcuts
- It’s difficult to cut butternut squash, so do yourself a favor and buy precut and peeled squash if you can. 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 will make it much easier to peel and cut.
- Alternatively, use frozen cubed butternut squash, found in the freezer section with other frozen vegetables.
- Skip the first step of sautéeing the veggies and just dump everything into the pot together to simmer. The soup will then take less than 30 minutes to make.
- Use the instant pot to make the soup in about 25-30 minutes- instructions are in the recipe.
Creative ways to serve apple squash soup
Obviously, it’s great just as a starter soup. But I also love to serve it in shot glasses or mini espresso cups as an appetizer during a dinner party. For weeknights, I often serve the soup in a cup sitting right on the dinner plate as a side dish.
Make Ahead
The soup keeps well in the fridge for up to a week. Or you can freeze it in an airtight container or bag for 3 months. Make sure you don’t bring the soup to boil when reheating or the cream will curdle.
Unique butternut squash soup recipes
For something a bit out-of-the-norm, try one of these interesting variations of this soup. Really good!
Other 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
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Easy Squash Apple Soup (Instant Pot or Stove Top)
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 (950ml) chicken broth or veggie broth – or more as needed use water instead if you like
- 1 teaspoon each chopped fresh thyme and rosemary or more (or 1/4 teaspoon each dried)
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup cream or milk, Note 3
Garnish options
- Pepitas, 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
Instructions
- SAUTE VEGGIES: Heat oil in medium pot to medium-high heat. Add onions and saute 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 enough broth to cover the vegetables. Add seasonings. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to medium low, cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes or until vegetables are very soft.
- PUREE SOUP AND FINISH: Puree soup – I do it right in the 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. Tip: The key is to use enough broth just to cover the vegetables. Once the soup is cooked and pureed, you can add a bit more if the soup is too thick to get the consistency you like.
- 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 will make it much easier to peel and cut.
- 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 half and half cream. To reduce calories, use milk. For dairy free, leave out the cream altogether. Or use coconut milk.
- Substitutions:
- I like to use thyme and rosemary, but you can also consider curry powder, cinnamon, coriander, nutmeg or a splash of sherry vinegar.
- Instead of an apple, use a pear.
- For an extra boost of sweetness, 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 saute function and let heat up. Add oil and veggies. Saute for 5 minutes. Turn saute 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. Puree soup with immersion blender in the instant pot. Add cream and adjust seasonings as needed.
- Make ahead: The soup keeps well in the fridge for up to a week. Or you can freeze it in an airtight container or bag for 3 months. Make sure you don’t bring the soup to boil when reheating or the cream will curdle.
