Easy Butternut Squash Soup recipe is a quick and easy soup recipe that’s perfect for busy weeknights or lazy weekends. Packed with nutrient-rich ingredients like fresh butternut squash, sweet apples, carrots, aromatic sage, and creamy coconut milk, this soup is both delicious and wholesome.
Not only is this recipe easy to make, but it’s also kid-friendly, making it a great choice for families with picky eaters. The combination of sweet and savory flavors is sure to appeal to even the most discerning palate, while the creamy texture is both comforting and satisfying.
So if you’re looking for a delicious and nutritious soup that’s easy to make and perfect for the whole family, give this Butternut Squash Soup recipe a try. You won’t be disappointed!
Some of our favorite ways to utilize this fall squash are in caramelized butternut squash, maple roasted butternut squash, cooked in the crockpot, or in a delicious pasta dish.
How to Peel a Butternut Squash?
Peeling a butternut squash can be intimidating, but with these simple instructions, you will be a pro in no time.
Start by using a sharp knife to slice off the ends off the squash. This creates a stable base. Then, peel by standing the squash upright on a cutting board. Slid an apple peeler from the top of the squash toward the cutting board. Repeat until the squash is completely peeled. Once peeled, cut in half and scoop out the seeds. Carefully chop the squash into desired size cubes.
You can purchase diced squash at your local Costco or another local grocery store if you’d like to skip the peeling & dicing steps to reduce the total time it takes to create this recipe.
How to Cook a Butternut Squash?
Cooking a butternut squash is a fantastic way to bring out the natural sweetness of the vegetable and introduce your family to the rich flavor profile. A popular method is roasting or sautéing butternut squash. You can preheat the oven or a pan before tossing the squash in olive oil, salt and any desired seasoning such as cinnamon. The diced squash can then cook until fork-tender and caramelized.
Another method is cooking in a crockpot like we are with this recipe. The slow cooker simmers the vegetable for a few hours as the squash soaks up the flavors of the ingredients. In this case, the apple, sage, garlic, and onion flavors are infused into the squash before it is pureed with coconut milk.
This slow cooker butternut squash apple soup quickly becomes a wonderful addition to any weekly menu plan. We know you’ll enjoy each and every spoonful!
Squash Soup Ingredients
- Butternut squash: Butternut squash is a vegetable known for its creamy orange center. It is rich in vitamins, minerals but low in calories and fat making it a healthy option for any family. When washed and peeled, squash makes for a delicious side dish or soup ingredient.
- Carrots: Carrots are rich in vitamin A and various important nutrients. They are an easy ingredient to puree into a soup to boost the color and nutrient content.
- Chicken stock: Chicken stock can be substituted with vegetable broth if looking to make this recipe vegetarian. Choose a low-sodium option to keep the overall salt content of the soup in check.
- Onion & green apple: These two ingredients elevate the flavors of the soup and are easy to find at a local grocer.
- Spices: The combination of garlic, sage, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes is what takes this soup to the next level to impress the whole family. If you are sensitive to spice, the red pepper flakes can be omitted.
- Coconut milk: The creaminess of coconut milk makes it the ideal liquid to pour into butternut squash soup. It is a dairy-free option that is also gluten-free and vegetarian.
How To Make Prep the butternut squash
Using an apple peeler, peel the butternut squash, remove the seeds, then dice.
Combine ingredients in a crockpot
Place squash, carrots, onion, and apple into the crockpot. Add chicken stock, garlic, sage, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Stir.
Cook
Cook on high for 1-2 hours or low for 3-4 hours.
Puree then stir in coconut milk
Puree with an immersion blender or carefully pour into the blender. Stir in coconut milk. Taste, then add more salt or pepper if needed.
What To Serve With
Butternut squash soup can be enjoyed as a delicious entree or as a tasty side dish. The possibilities are endless when it comes to pairing this creamy soup to create a meal.
Here are a few suggestions:
- Parmesan Crisps
- Baked Brussels sprouts
- Golden Roasted Turmeric Cauliflower
- Gluten Free Artisan Bread Recipe
- Gluten Free Dinner Rolls
Soup Toppings
Butternut squash soup can also be served as is without any accompaniments. Instead, serve topped with drizzled coconut milk, parmesan cheese, pumpkin seeds or fresh herbs.
Storing Instructions
Proper storage including cooling soup completely is necessary to maintain the quality and safety. Once cooled, transfer the soup into a resealable container. If there is a large quantity of soup, it can be divided into multiple smaller portions to make reheating easier.
The soup can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Freezing Soup
Similar to other soup recipes, this easy butternut squash soup recipe can be frozen. Use a freezer safe container or resealable freezer bags to prevent freezer burn. It is a best practice to label the container or bag to ensure it is used by the “best-by” date.
When ready to eat, thaw the soup overnight in the fridge or run it under cool running water until defrosted.
Keep in mind that the texture will not be as creamy, and the color of the soup may be altered once frozen. Some find creamy soups to be unappetizing after freezing so, if possible, store the soup in the fridge.
Reheating Squash Soup
There are two methods when reheating stored soup – the stovetop or the microwave. These methods let the soup reach a safe internal temperature before serving.
On the stovetop, place the soup over medium heat for 10-15 minutes or until heated through. Stir occasionally to promote even reheating.
In the microwave, transfer the soup to a microwave-safe bowl to heat in 30-second increments while stirring in-between. Cover the bowl with a damp paper towel to keep the microwave mess-free.
Recipes Notes & Tips
- To save time, we buy a bag of shredded carrots. We usually add them all into the soup just to save on the leftovers, but the butternut squash flavor is stronger with fewer carrots.
- Immersion blenders are a fun kitchen tool that comes in handy when trying to get kids to eat more veggies. You can use it to puree spaghetti sauce, chili, soups etc, blending vegetables into sauces seamlessly.
- Using coconut milk keeps this recipe dairy-free.
- Not a fan of coconut milk? Try evaporated milk or 2% milk instead.
Kids In The Kitchen
Cooking tips and suggestions for kids making this recipe.
- Squash varieties such as butternut, acorn and spaghetti squash can be challenging to peel and cut. But, if you use assistance from a kitchen helper and a sharp knife, you can learn the technique. An apple peeler is a great tool to use to peel a squash. Once peeled, it is easy to cut in half. Before chopping into small chunks, use a spoon to scoop out the squash seeds. These can be thrown away or roasted for a snack later on. After you finish cutting, you are ready to cook the squash.
- This soup cooks on high for 1-2 hours or low for 3-4 hours. The smaller you dice the squash, the quicker it will cook. You can also choose to place the two squash halves in the slow cooker without dicing if you aren’t short on time.
- You want to wait to add in the coconut milk after the soup is finish cooking. This will help keep it creamy and flavorful. Use the immersion blender or pour into a blender to puree until the consistency is smooth.
Frequently Asked Questions
First things first, look for a medium size squash. Next, check the squash is free from bruises, blemishes, and cracks. You’re aiming to select a dry, firm, and orange colored squash that feels heavy for its size.
Yes! Peel the butternut squash before cooking.
Coconut! The coconut milk adds an amazing creaminess to the squash soup and the slight coconut flavor pairs really well with the sweetness of butternut squash. If you love the flavor of coconut in soup, you have to try my Brussels Sprout Soup that’s made in an instant pot or crockpot. It’s absolutely amazing.
A whole uncooked squash will last up to 2-3 months when stored at room temperature. If looking to extend the shelf life of a whole squash, check out our guide to freezing butternut squash. Once cooked, squash will last up to 5 days in the fridge.
Other Butternut Squash Recipes
- Maple Roasted Butternut Squash
- Butternut Squash Soup
- Mac & Cheese
- Caramelized Butternut Squash
- Instant Pot Butternut Squash
- Gluten Free Butternut Squash Ravioli
- Sauteed Butternut Squash
- Roasted Butternut Squash with Cranberries
- Butternut Squash Casserole
- Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Soup
More Squash Recipes
- How To Roast Acorn Squash
- How to Make Spaghetti Squash
- Spaghetti Squash Carbonara
- Air Fryer Spaghetti Squash
CKC Features both Gluten-Free Guidance and Kids Cooking Instructions: If you’re new to eating gluten-free we understand it’s overwhelming trying to figure out which foods may contain gluten and which ones don’t. All of our gluten-free recipes marked with this symbol ✅ represent foods that need to be checked for gluten or cross-contamination.
The ⭐️ symbol in the recipe below denotes the steps in which kid cooks may need a helper (depending on age). If there is no ⭐️ symbol, that step (or recipe) doesn’t require a helper.
Easy Butternut Squash Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 large butternut squash , peeled and diced
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 2 cups chicken stock ✅
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 large green apple peeled and chopped
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon fresh, or 1/4 tsp. dried sage
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 14 ounces coconut milk ✅
Instructions
- ⭐️ Prep the butternut squash. Using an apple peeler, peel the butternut squash, remove seeds, then dice.1 large butternut squash
- Combine ingredients in crockpot. Place squash, carrots, onion, and apple into the crockpot. Add chicken stock, garlic, sage, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Stir.1 large butternut squash, 1 cup shredded carrots, 2 cups chicken stock, 1 medium onion, diced, 1 large green apple, 3 cloves minced garlic, 1 tablespoon fresh, or 1/4 tsp. dried sage, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ⭐️ Cook. Cook on high for 1-2 hours or low for 3-4 hours.
- ⭐️ Puree then stir in coconut milk. Puree with an immersion blender or carefully pour into the blender. Stir in coconut milk. Taste, then add more salt or pepper if needed.14 ounces coconut milk
Video
Notes
- To save time, we buy a bag of shredded carrots. We usually add them all into the soup just to save on the leftovers, but the butternut squash flavor is stronger with fewer carrots.
- Immersion blenders are a fun kitchen tool that comes in handy when trying to get kids to eat more veggies. You can use it to puree spaghetti sauce, chili, soups etc, blending vegetables into sauces seamless.
- Using coconut milk keeps this recipe dairy-free.
- Not a fan of coconut milk? Try evaporated milk or 2% milk instead.
Nutrition
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Then follow us on social media and tag #createkidsclub if you make the recipe. We love seeing what you come up with!
JULIA ARIAS PEASE says
What does the coconut milk do?
Create Kids Club says
Hi Julia! The coconut milk gives the soup a delicious creamy and just slightly coconut flavor. It is one of my favorite ingredients. If you are not a fan of coconut or there are allergies, you could substitute it in equal amounts with 2% milk or evaporated milk. I would love to hear if you try it!
Mary says
Who knew butternut squash soup was so good?!
Janna says
This was a very bland soup for me. I tried it without adding my own spin and it had very little flavor.
I added some cinnamon and nutmeg to it and it helped alot. Not trying to criticize just trying to help if anyone is looking for more of a fall flavor.
Paula says
Can I freeze the soup
Jodi Danen, RDN says
Hi Paula! Creamy soups are hard to freeze as they can separate will not look as appetizing as they do fresh. So you freeze it, but the quality will not be the same. My recommendation is to enjoy it fresh and not freeze it. I hope that helps!
Kristina says
What happens if I put the coconut milk in too soon. I wasn’t thinking and added it with all ingredients.
Jodi Danen, RDN says
Hi Kristina! I think it should be fine especially if you are cooking it on low. I hope you enjoy!
Star says
I was wondering, why not add the coconut milk from the beginning? I do when making yellow curry…
Jodi Danen, RDN says
Hi Star! You can go ahead and add it at the beginning. I just like to add it at the end for some reason 🙂