Cozy Butternut Squash Soup
A comforting and simple butternut squash soup that's naturally gluten-free and vegan, perfect for fall. Easy to prepare with stovetop, Crock-Pot, or Instant Pot options.
Recipe Details
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Servings: 6-8
Full Ingredient List
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 white onion, peeled and diced
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 Granny Smith apple, cored and roughly chopped
- 1 medium (about 3–4 lb) butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced
- 1 sprig fresh sage
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
- pinch of ground cinnamon
- pinch of nutmeg
- 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk
- fine sea salt, to taste
- freshly-cracked black pepper, to taste
- Optional garnishes: smoked paprika, extra drizzle of unsweetened coconut milk
Soup Base
Tools and Equipment
- Stovetop, Crock-Pot or Instant Pot
- Immersion Blender or Traditional Blender
Ingredients
| Quantity | Name | Preparation Notes | Substitutions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 tablespoon | olive oil | canola oil, vegetable oil | |
| 1, peeled and diced | white onion | yellow onion, shallots | |
| 4, peeled and minced | garlic cloves | garlic powder | |
| 2 cups | vegetable broth | chicken broth, water | |
| 1, peeled and roughly chopped | carrot | parsnip | |
| 1, cored and roughly chopped | Granny Smith apple | any other apple variety | |
| 1 medium (about 3–4 lb), peeled, seeded and diced | butternut squash | pumpkin, kabocha squash | |
| 1 sprig | fresh sage | dried sage | |
| 1/8 teaspoon | cayenne pepper | chili powder | |
| 1 pinch | ground cinnamon | allspice | |
| 1 pinch | nutmeg | ||
| 1/2 cup | unsweetened coconut milk | heavy cream, half and half | |
| to taste | fine sea salt | ||
| to taste | freshly-cracked black pepper |
Instructions
- Step 1: Heat olive oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add diced onion and sauté for 5 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and sauté for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant. (Tips: This step is optional for the Crock-Pot version.)
- Step 2: Add vegetable broth, carrot, apple, butternut squash, sage, cayenne, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 20-30 minutes until vegetables are tender. Remove sage and stir in coconut milk. (Tips: Ensure all vegetables are submerged in broth.)
- Step 3: Use an immersion blender to purée the soup until smooth. Alternately, purée in batches using a traditional blender. (Tips: Be careful when blending hot liquids in a traditional blender.)
- Step 4: Season soup generously with salt and pepper. Serve warm with your choice of garnishes. (Tips: Consider garnishing with fried sage leaves, smoked paprika, or additional coconut milk.)
Additional Information
Notes: The soup can be customized with various spices or extra ingredients like rice or grains. You can also roast the vegetables for added flavor.