This Roasted Butternut Squash Soup is an easy and healthy recipe that incorporates classic Fall flavors like apples and squash, with optional additions like cheddar cheese and cream! It’s an extra cozy soup with the best blend of delicious flavors.
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
If you’re looking to enjoy all of the flavors of Fall in a cozy bowl of soup, this Roasted Butternut Squash Soup recipe is just perfect.
Roasting the squash in the oven is the absolute best way to deepen the flavor and caramelize the natural sugars. (It’s also easier than cutting it all up into cubes. After it’s roasted, you scoop out the middle and transfer it right into the soup.)
The sweet flavors from the squash are offset by the savory broth and cheddar cheese. Freshly sliced apple adds a delicious hint of tart, and the garlic and seasonings are simple and compliment these ingredients perfectly. And finally, a hint of cream rounds everything out, (coconut milk is also great)!
It’s easy to control the consistency of this soup. Longer simmering time will lead to thicker soup, and less simmering time or more broth will make it thinner!
How to Make It
See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Drizzle the middle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place it flat-side-down on a rimmed, light-colored baking sheet. Roast at 425° for 45 minutes.
Soften onions in butter for 5 minutes. Add diced apples and cook for 10 more minutes. Add garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and seasonings. Scoop out the flesh of the roasted squash into the soup and gradually add the chicken broth.
Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle bubble and let it reduce/concentrate for 15 minutes, uncovered. Remove from heat. Use an immersion blender or transfer to a blender in batches to blend until smooth.
Transfer back to the heat on low. Stir in the half and half. Slowly sprinkle in the cheese and stir until well combined. Remove from heat and serve!
Pro Tips
- Coconut milk or heavy cream can be used instead of half and half if desired.
- Vegetable broth can be used instead of chicken broth if needed.
- Shred the cheese from a block instead of using packaged shredded cheese if possible. It will melt and taste much better.
- Ensure the base of the soup isn’t too hot when the cheese is added, otherwise the dairy can separate and create a grainy consistency.
- I use Cracker Barrel Sharp Yellow Cheese for this recipe.
- The best apples for this soup include Honeycrisp, Gala, McIntosh, and Golden Delicious. I’ve used other varieties successfully as well, it’s flexible!
- The Worcestershire sauce in this recipe is a flavor enhancer that you can’t taste outright. Soy sauce can also be used instead.
- Nutmeg is pretty potent so be sure to use just a pinch.
- You can roast the squash ahead of time, scoop out the middle, and store it in an airtight container for up to 2 days to get a head start on the soup.
Storage
- Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. This soup freezes and reheats well!
Tools For This Recipe
(Amazon affiliate links)- Check out all of my kitchen essentials here.
- Immersion Blender– To blend the soup right in the soup pot!
- Blender– An alternative to an immersion blender.
- Box Cheese Grater- Shred the cheese from a block for best results, it will melt and taste much better than packaged shredded cheese.
- 4.5 Quart Dutch Oven & Soup Ladle
- Better Than Bouillon– This is what I always use for broth in my recipes. It takes very little space and makes it easy to measure out customized amounts of broth.
- Measuring Spoons– I have these magnetic ones which stay nice and organized in my utensil drawer.
- Pinch Bowls– For measuring seasonings, etc. ahead of time.
Try These Next
- Chicken Potato Soup
- Stuffed Bell Peppers
- Stuffed Pepper Soup
- Beer Cheese Soup
- Caprese Pasta
- Roasted Red Bell Pepper Soup
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![A white bowl filled with Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with pumpkin seeds and parsley on top.](jpg/roasted-butternut-squash-soup-f-200x200.jpg)
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
Ingredients
Squash
- 1 large butternut squash, about 3 ¼ lbs.
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
Soup
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 small yellow onion
- 1 apple, diced. See pro tips.
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 5 cups chicken broth
- ¾ cup half and half, can sub coconut milk or heavy cream
- 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
Seasonings
- ½ teaspoon EACH: salt, dried rosemary
- ¼ teaspoon EACH: dried thyme, pepper
- 1 pinch EACH: cayenne, nutmeg
Instructions
Roast the Squash
- Preheat oven to 425°.
- Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Drizzle the inside of each half lightly with olive oil and rub on the surface to distribute. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Place it flat-side-down on a rimmed, light-colored baking sheet. (Dark baking sheets attract more heat and could cause burning.)
- Roast for 45 minutes. Use a spatula to flip them over and use a large scoop to test the firmness of the inside, ensuring it’s soft. Note that it will cook more in the soup as well. (Measure out remaining soup ingredients while the squash is roasting.)
Make the Soup
- Melt the butter in a large soup pot and add the diced onions. Let them soften and reduce for 5 minutes. Add the chopped apple and cook for 10 more minutes.
- Add the garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and seasonings and stir to combine.
- Scoop the flesh of the roasted squash into the soup and gradually add the chicken broth. Use a silicone spatula to stir, combine, and smooth out the squash, it’ll almost look like mashed potatoes at first, until the rest of the broth is added.
- Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce heat so that it’s still bubbling, but gently. Let it reduce/concentrate for 15 minutes, uncovered.
- Remove from heat. Use an immersion blender or transfer to a blender in batches to blend until smooth.
- Transfer back to the heat on low. Stir in the half and half. Let the soup simmer until desired thickness is obtained (the longer it simmers, the thicker it becomes). Conversely, if it’s thicker than you like, add a little broth.
- Slowly sprinkle in the cheese and stir until well combined. Remove from heat and serve!
Notes
- Shred the cheese from a block instead of using packaged shredded cheese if possible. It will melt and taste much better.
- Ensure the base of the soup isn't too hot when the cheese is added, otherwise the dairy can separate and create a grainy consistency.
- I use Cracker Barrel Sharp Yellow Cheese for this recipe.
- The best apples for this soup include Honeycrisp, Gala, McIntosh, and Golden Delicious. I've used other varieties successfully as well, it's flexible!
- The Worcestershire sauce in this recipe is a flavor enhancer that you can't taste outright. Soy sauce can also be used instead.
- Nutmeg is pretty potent so be sure to use just a pinch.
- You can roast the squash ahead of time, scoop out the middle, and store it in an airtight container for up to 2 days to get a head start on the soup.
Storage
- Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. This soup freezes and reheats really well!
The nutritional information provided is an estimate and is per serving. There are 8 servings in this recipe.
Yummy!! I used half the cheese called for and cheddar with caramelized onion, also used two pinches of cayenne! Only had heavy cream so that’s what went in!! I think some crushed cashews will top my next bowl!! Thanks for sharing!
Hi Amy! I’m soooooo happy that you loved this soup, and your cashew garnish is GENIUS!!!!! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review, you’re the best!! 🙂 -Stephanie
This is a great base soup recipe! So many ways to change it up with little extras and without compromising the integrity of the recipe. I’m thinking a smoked Gouda would be great too! I’ve been playing around with butternut squash soup for a couple years and now I have my starting point 😊! So excited, thank you!!
I totally agree- smoked gouda would be INSANE!
I’ve tried many butternut squash soup recipes, never really feeling one I loved, but now I have! I didn’t have any garlic on hand, so I left it out, and this recipe still was amazing! Can’t wait to make again and again!
I am so happy to hear that Katie!! You made my day, thank you so much for taking the time to leave this review, I really appreciate it! -Stephanie
4th time making this! Hubby absolutely loves loves this soup. Made exactly like recipe! Phenomenal. Thank you.
Plus, freezes great!
Wahoooo! Thanks so much for the great review Natalie, I’m so happy the hubby loves this one!💗
As every recipe I make of yours, it was delicious! I used white cheddar, so mine was slightly different in color. I can see the spices in mine whereas I can’t see them in yours. Will definitely make again this season!
Hi Laura!! I am sooooo happy to hear that you loved this soup! I think White Cheddar was a fantastic idea, DELISH! Thank you soooo much for taking the time to let me know how it came out, you made my day!! :)-Stephanie
Not sure if I want to try this never heard of cheese in swash soup
You can always skip the cheese or try a little bit and add as much or as little as you want! The apples, cheese, and squash are all Fall flavors that pair well together in this soup!
I just roasted a medium sized butternut squash but didn’t weigh it when I bought it. How much squash would I need to have the proportions be correct? Thank you!
Hi Jodie! Mine was large, yours might be a little smaller than mine but honestly, this is flexible and you’ll get that delicious roasted squash flavor in there no matter what! 🙂 Just roast what you have and enjoy!
I have a couple bags frozen cubed butternut. Would that be a good replacement here?
Hi Jody! Yes, I think that would be just fine! 🙂
Delicious. However, FYI the recipe says soy sauce but the instructions say Worcestershire sauce.. I went with Worcestershire so I hope that was right (tastes good)!
I am so happy that you enjoyed it Tanisha!!! And thank you so much for letting me know! Either one can actually be used, but I’ll update it to consistently say Worcestershire sauce, good choice! Thank you so much!!!
OMG this was sooooo good. I was a little skeptical at first when I was putting apples in the soup but all the ingredients totally compliment each other and it was fabulous. I let it boil down a bit because I like my soup on the thicker side. I went easy on the nutmeg as you said and it was perfect! I plan on making this frequently as long as I keep finding Butternut squash at our farmer’s market. The kids loved it too. You haven’t let me down yet, Cozy Cook!!!
Yayyyy! I’m so happy the kiddos loved it to Janis, thanks so much for taking the time to leave such a great review!💗
Excited to make this! What are the seeds sprinkled on top in the pictures? Could I use a spaghetti squash in this recipe?
I used pumpkin seeds as a garnish! I think spaghetti squash would work but I haven’t tested it! 🙂