Curried Butternut Squash Soup

Rich and savory with just a hint of sweetness, this creamy Curried Butternut Squash Soup will satisfy all your fall soup cravings. 

Jump to:

• What's the Scoop on this Soup?
• Butternut Soup Ingredients
• How to Make this Easy Butternut Soup Recipe
• Substitutions
• Variations
• Equipment
• Storage
• More Winter Squash Recipes
• What to Serve with Butternut Soup
• Curried Butternut Squash Soup

What's the Scoop on this Soup?

Curried Butternut Squash Soup is one of our favorite cold-weather soups! Its rich flavor, velvety texture, and warm, aromatic spices are the essence of autumn.

The recipe started out as a copycat for Panera's Autumn Squash Soup, but I'm totally addicted to curry, so I bumped up the spices slightly, added a little extra creamy something and... Boom! Before I knew it, I had a soup so cozy and delicious that we ended up eating it for week!

What's even better is, this easy Butternut Soup recipe is super easy to make! All you have to do is roast butternut squash in the oven, then blend it with the other ingredients and simmer for a few minutes. The most difficult thing about the whole recipe is peeling and cutting up the squash. (As luck would have it, we just happen to have a handy butternut squash cutting guide to help you out with that. 😉 )

If you're looking for a cozy, warm soup to curl up with this fall, give this one a try! We think you'll love it!

Butternut Soup Ingredients

• Butternut squash: Use a small to medium butternut squash; about 2-2½ pounds. You can get 3-4 cups of cubed butternut squash from a 2½-pound squash.
  • You can often buy precut butternut cubes at Costco. You need about 3-4 cups (about 2 pounds) of cubed butternut for this recipe.
  • The perfect squash combo for this recipe is a ~45-ounce butternut and a ~25 ounce red kuri squash. 
• Red kuri squash: With a sweet, nutty flavor that intensifies when roasted, red kuri brings a rich, more complex flavor to the soup.
• Olive oil: Use any neutral cooking oil.
• Broth: Use a light vegetable broth or chicken broth.
• Apple cider
• Half-and-half: Not only does this add richness, but it gives the soup a smooth, velvety mouthfeel, too.
• Honey
• Curry powder: We use a mild curry powder for this recipe; however, if you have a favorite curry, give it a try! I usually use a little more curry powder than this recipe calls for, but go easy if you decide to add extra or you will lose that lovely butternut flavor.
• Ground cinnamon
• Pepper
• Nutmeg: Use freshly ground nutmeg.
• Salt: We use kosher salt.
• Pepitas: Pepitas are hull-less pumpkin seeds. They are used as garnish only in this recipe, and are therefore optional.

How to Make this Easy Butternut Soup Recipe

Preheat oven to 400°F (205°C).

In a small bowl, mix salt, curry powder, cinnamon, pepper, nutmeg.

Hint: Visit our post about how to make roasted squash puree for more detailed directions on this step.

Arrange peeled squash cubes or chunks on parchment-lined baking tray. (You can also leave the peel on and remove it after the squash is cooked.)

Drizzle with olive oil and season with half of the spice mixture. Set the rest of the spice mix aside for later.

Transfer the baking sheet to the preheated oven and bake for 30-40 minutes, until the squash is very tender and golden brown.

Place the roasted squash into a large blender pitcher. (If you roasted the squash in its skin, you must first scoop the cooked squash off of skin before putting it in the blender. Discard any squash skins.)

Add the cider, broth, remaining spices, and one tablespoon of honey into the blender cup, and blend until very smooth.

Pour blended squash mixture into a large, heavy saucepan, and whisk in the half-and-half (or coconut milk). Heat over medium-low until mixture reaches a low simmer.

Taste and season, adding more honey if desired. Serve warm.

Garnish with roasted pepitas - they give it a nice crunch! (Check out these delicious sweet and savory Pumpkin Seed recipes for some tasty garnish inspiration!)

Substitutions

• Squashes: You can use any winter squash or combination of squashes with this soup recipe. Red kuri squash is my top pick, followed by pie pumpkin, and acorn, buttercup, honeynut, and/or Ambercup squashes.
  • You can also use pumpkin puree for this recipe, and skip the blender step entirely.
• Apple cider: Apple juice or white grape juice will also work. You can also use fresh, unsweetened applesauce.
• Half-and-half: Use coconut milk or full-fat cream in place of half and half.
• Honey: Agave and maple syrup are both good substitutes.

Variations

• Vegan: Use vegetable broth, coconut milk, and maple syrup for a rich, creamy vegan-friendly autumn soup.

Equipment

If you told me a couple decades ago that I'd spend the equivalent of a mid-range guitar on a stand blender, I'd have laughed in your face. But I did just that, and I've never regretted it. A quality blender is a good household investment: it can effortlessly tackle tasks that would bring a subpar blender to a standstill.

You can also blend this recipe with an immersion blender; it just takes a little more time.

Storage

Refrigerator: Sealed in an airtight container, butternut squash soup with curry will last about 4-5 days in the refrigerator.

Freezer: This easy butternut squash soup recipe freezes well. To freeze, transfer soup to an airtight container or vacuum sealed bag and place in the freezer for up to 3-6 months.

More Winter Squash Recipes

Many of our favorite "pumpkin" recipes work well using puree made from butternut or other squashes, including:

• Creamy Pumpkin Pasta with Parmesan & Sage
• Triple Ginger Pumpkin Pie
• Slow Cooker Pumpkin Butter
• Nana's Old-fashioned Pumpkin Gingerbread
• Pumpkin Spice Sourdough Scones

What to Serve with Butternut Soup

Serve curried butternut soup simply with a slice of crusty bread, as a starter, side, or main dish. We like to pair it with other fall-inspired mains or side dishes, like apple, cranberry, walnut salad, Brussels sprouts, and roasted vegetables.

Butternut soup also makes a delicious half of a soup-n-salad or soup-n-sandwich pairing: try it with Irish Apple Pie Grilled Cheese or Curried Chicken Salad!

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