Vegan Butternut Squash Soup

I’m all about soups and stews as the weather dips, and nothing says comfort like this easy and creamy vegan butternut squash soup. This is one of my favorite fall and winter soups, alongside vegan potato soup and vegan cream of mushroom soup. Butternut squash is one of the more omnipresent winter squashes, and if you freeze up at the thought of cutting it, the good news is that it is often sold pre-cut. It is loaded with nutrients, especially vitamins A and C, and it is so, so delicious in recipes like this soup, butternut squash curry and butternut squash risotto. The butternut squash soup comes together in one pot, and it takes just about 30 minutes to go from scratch to done. It’s a great starter course or a complete meal, depending on how hearty an eater you are. I usually eat it all by itself, curled up in front of the television, for a light and healthy meal.

Why you will love this recipe

Cozy and delicious. There are so many amazing flavors in this butternut squash soup: the sweetness from the squash and maple syrup, the heat from the ginger, curry powder and paprika and the smokiness from the sage. The texture is smooth and creamy. Easy to make. You don’t need to roast the squash first and the soup comes together in one pot (you need a blender or an immersion blender as well to make it creamy). The soup takes no more than 30 minutes to make. Gorgeous. They do say we eat with our eyes first and I love soups with vivid colors. This curried butternut squash soup is a pretty orange-yellow and a swirl of the pumpkin cinnamon cream makes it even prettier. Healthy. Butternut squash is loaded with good for you nutrients, including vitamins A, potassium and fiber, among other goodies. And it’s not the only vegetable in this soup. We also have tasty leeks, carrots and celery, which make the soup tastier and healthier. Can be oil free. If you don’t like added oils in your food, you can leave out the oil and saute the ginger, leeks, carrots and celery in ¼ cup vegetable stock. Everyone friendly. The soup is soy-free, nut-free, gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan.

How to make vegan butternut squash soup

Saute the aromatic base ingredients. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or large pot. Add the crushed ginger and saute for a few seconds. Add the leeks, carrots and celery, season with salt and pepper, and cook until softened but not brown, about five minutes over medium heat.

Add the butternut squash and herbs. Saute the butternut squash for a couple of minutes, then add the fresh sage, water, maple syrup and paprika. Stir, cover and cook 8-10 minutes or until the squash is tender and fork tender.

Blend the soup. Transfer the soup to a blender and blend until smooth. The soup is very hot, so exercise caution and follow manufacturer instructions on blending hot liquids. You also might need to blend in batches. If you have an immersion blender you can blend the soup right in the pot. Or if you have a food mill pass the soup through the mill to puree. Finish the soup. Return the soup to the pot and bring back to a simmer. Check seasoning and add more salt and pepper if needed. Turn off the heat.

Make the pumpkin cinnamon cream

To make the optional pumpkin seed cinnamon cream place all ingredients for the cream into a blender and blend until smooth. Drizzle over the soup before serving. If you are not using a high powered blender like a Vitamix, soak the pumpkin seeds in the water for 30 minutes first.

More topping ideas

Pumpkin seeds. Sprinkle a few pumpkin seeds on the vegan butternut squash soup before serving to add crunch and nutty flavor. Curry powder or paprika. If you like the soup spicier, sprinkle a dash of curry powder or paprika on the soup. Vegan sour cream. A dollop of vegan sour cream is divine with a hot bowl of butternut squash soup. Chives, parsley or basil. To add a lovely dash of green and freshness to the soup bowl, chop and sprinkle on some fresh herbs. Coconut milk. Swirl a bit of coconut milk over the butternut soup and sprinkle with cinnamon. Butternut squash with coconut milk tastes amazing. Melted vegan butter or a drizzle of olive oil. This adds a lovely dash of flavor.

Helpful tips and variations

For easy prep use pre-cut butternut squash cubes. This saves a good bit of time peeling and cutting a whole butternut squash, making the dish much more weeknight friendly. Don’t add too much of the leeks and celery for a more vividly colored soup. Just one small leek and one celery will add enough flavor without toning down the orange color too much. If you add water instead of stock or broth, add a cube or two of vegetable bouillon for better flavor. You can make the soup as thick or thin as you like. If you find the consistency too thick, thin out with more water or vegetable stock. If you accidentally make it too thin, cook a little longer or stir in a slurry of ½ teaspoon cornstarch mixed with two teaspoons water and bring to a boil. This soup tastes amazing with butternut squash, but you can also use another orange-fleshed winter squash, including pumpkin and acorn squash. Add a dash of nutmeg to the cinnamon cream, or replace all of the cinnamon with nutmeg for a different deliciousness.