Butternut Squash Soup Recipe

This easy-to-make Butternut Squash Bisque Recipe has a silky smooth texture and is jam-packed with flavor. You will love the complimenting sweet maple cream that goes on top.

I am such a huge soup fan; I used to call it my first love. If you’re unsure how to make soup flavorful, I go into detail on just about every recipe I have to show you how to do that. Try my Cream of Mushroom Soup or Beef and Barley.

Butternut Squash Soup

Butternut squash soup is a delicious soup consisting of fresh large diced butternut squash chunks that are simmered in a broth, pureed and thickened with heavy cream. It’s a smooth soup similar to a bisque and is perfect for serving up during those cool fall and winter months.

It has a strong butternut flavor and is perfectly balanced with a sweet and savory taste combination. I balance out the umami flavors in the soup with the sweet cream and when you get a bite of both, it’s amazing. Just like in any soup recipe, the flavor comes with time so it does taste better the next day. 

If you’re anything like me and can’t get enough butternut squash, then you have to try my Hasselback Butternut Squash with Maple-Sage Glaze, it’s sweet, savory, and absolutely delicious.

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Onion – I used yellow onions and garlic in this soup. You can substitute the yellow onion with a white or sweet onion.
• Butter – I always use unsalted butter in my cooking and baking to control the sodium content and not a butter company.
• Squash – You will need fresh butternut squash for this recipe. You can substitute with 8 cups of frozen diced butternut squash.
• Bourbon – Any bourbon or whiskey will work in this recipe. Brandy is an acceptable substitute. If you do not drink alcohol, skip that procedure.
• Stock – I used chicken stock. However, vegetable stock or water can be used.
• Whipping Cream – You will need heavy whipping cream for the soup and maple cream topping. Substitute the heavy cream for the soup with half and half.
• Spices – I used a combination of nutmeg and cinnamon.

How to Make Butternut Squash Soup

1. Add the butter to a large rondeau or Dutch oven pot over low to medium heat. Add the diced onions until they are caramelized, which takes about 35 to 40 minutes. Stir them every 5 to 7 minutes.
2. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, which takes 35 to 40 seconds.
3. Pour the prepared butternut squash and lightly cook on low to medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes to soften it.
4. Remove the pot from the burner and deglaze with the bourbon. Cook it until the liquid has been absorbed, which takes about 2 to 3 minutes.
5. Pour the stock and simmer over low heat for 20 to 25 minutes or until the squash is tender.
6. Add the 1 cup of cream, nutmeg, cinnamon, and puree using an emersion or blender until smooth.
7. Season with salt and ground white pepper and cook on low heat until ready to serve.
8. Whip the remaining 1 cup of heavy whipping cream in a stand mixer using the whisk attachment until stiff peaks are formed, fold in maple syrup, and chill until ready to serve.
9. Serve the soup with two tablespoons of maple whipped cream and add optional garnishes of fresh sage leaf and pepitas.

Make-Ahead and Storage

Make-Ahead: You can make this up to 2 days ahead for freshness.

How to Store: Cover the soup in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Keep it separate from the maple whipped cream garnish. Cover the soup and place in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator for 1 day before reheating.

How to Reheat: Place the desired amount into a medium-size pot and cook over low heat until hot.

CHEF NOTES + TIPS

• If using a blender, take the center part to the top off because the soup will be hot, and pressure will build, causing it to explode everywhere if kept on.

More Soup Recipes

• Italian Minestrone
• Zuppa Toscana
• Mulligatawny Soup Recipe
• Hickory Smoked White Chicken Chili
• Chicken and Wild Rice

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Butternut Squash Soup Recipe

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5 from 21 votes

Butternut Squash Soup Recipe

Servings: 8

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour

Total Time: 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Ingredients 

US CustomaryMetric

For the Soup:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 small diced yellow onion
• 3 cloves finely minced garlic
• 2 peeled and seeded large diced large butternut squashes (about 8 cups)
• 1/2 cup bourbon
• 64 ounces chicken stock
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• coarse salt and ground white pepper to taste

For the Maple Cream

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/4 cup maple syrup

Instructions

• Add the butter to a large rondeau or Dutch oven pot over low to medium heat and add the diced onions until they are caramelized, which takes about 35 to 40 minutes. Stir them every 5 to 7 minutes.
• Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, which takes 35 to 40 seconds.
• Pour the prepared butternut squash and lightly cook on low to medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes to soften it.
• Remove the pot from the burner, deglaze with the bourbon, and cook until the liquid has been absorbed, which takes about 2 to 3 minutes.
• Pour the stock and simmer over low heat for 20 to 25 minutes or until the squash is tender.
• Add the 1 cup of cream, nutmeg, cinnamon, and puree using an emersion or blender until smooth.
• Season with salt and ground white pepper and cook on low heat until ready to serve.
• Whip the remaining 1 cup of heavy whipping cream in a stand mixer using the whisk attachment until stiff peaks are formed, fold in maple syrup, and chill until ready to serve.
• Serve the soup with two tablespoons of maple whipped cream and add optional garnishes of fresh sage leaf and pepitas.

Notes

Make-Ahead: You can make this up to 2 days ahead for freshness.

How to Store: Cover the soup in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Keep it separate from the maple whipped cream garnish. Cover the soup and place in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator for 1 day before reheating.

How to Reheat: Place the desired amount into a medium-size pot and cook over low heat until hot.

If using a blender, take the center part to the top off because the soup will be hot, and pressure will build, causing it to explode everywhere if kept on.

Nutrition

Calories: 465kcalCarbohydrates: 41gProtein: 10gFat: 27gSaturated Fat: 16gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 82mgSodium: 350mgPotassium: 1006mgFiber: 4gSugar: 16gVitamin A: 20902IUVitamin C: 42mgCalcium: 159mgIron: 2mg

Course: Soup

Cuisine: French

Author: Chef Billy Parisi