Spiced Butternut Squash Soup is delicious, creamy, and comforting. This incredible soup combines the natural sweetness of roasted butternut squash with a variety of spices, including ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and more. Enjoy the essence of the season in every spoonful!
Butternut Squash Soup With A Difference
When autumn leaves start to fall, or winter's chill sets in, and especially during the holiday season, this spiced butternut squash soup is what you need for a festive menu that will leave everyone craving for more. But it is easy enough to make on any weekday.
It is essentially all the sweet and festive flavors of the holidays, blended into a luscious bowl of soup. The flavor profile is similar to our popular sweet potato soup with coconut milk. But, I got the inspiration for this recipe from a Moroccan butternut squash soup, with a rich, creamy, slightly sweet and spicy taste.
Creamy and rich, it gets the smooth texture from goat cheese, heavy cream, or creme fraiche. The fragrant flavors of thyme, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and other aromatic spices give it the ultimate holiday taste. Further, I garnish it with toasted nuts or seeds and a drizzle of brown butter, to take it up a notch.
Ingredient Notes
- Butternut Squash: Select firm, unblemished butternut squash with smooth skin and dull matte finish; avoid soft spots or discolorations. Peel, remove seeds, and cut into cubes.
- Onions: Use yellow onions for a mellow sautéed base. Substitute with shallots or sweet onions.
- Spices and Aromatics: Ginger, ground cinnamon or cardamom, nutmeg, fresh thyme and bay leaves, for holiday flavors.
- Turmeric (Optional): Substitute it with curry powder.
- Water or Vegetable Broth: Water works fine but vegetable broth will add more flavor.
- Tomato Paste: It gives consistency and color.
- Fresh Thyme, Bay Leaves: These infuse the soup with herbal flavor.
- Heavy Cream or Crème Fraiche: To achieve a velvety and creamy texture. You can use half-and-half, whole milk, or coconut milk as substitutes.
- Goat Cheese or Crème Fraiche: Goat cheese has a tangy, earthy, and slightly tart flavor. It can vary from mild and creamy to sharp and pungent, depending on the age and type. It adds a rich and creamy taste to the soup. Some people find its taste too strong or “gamey”, in which case you can substitute with crème fraiche.
- Harissa Paste: Other than the spices and goat cheese, harissa paste, further cements the Moroccan touch to this spicy butternut squash soup. It adds a a fiery kick to the soup's profile, so adjust it to your taste.
- Maple Syrup (Optional): For extra sweetness, add a touch of maple syrup, but keep in mind the inherent sweetness of the roasted butternut squash.
How to Make Butternut Squash Soup
**Here's a brief overview of the step-by-step process. For the complete recipe, please refer to the end of this blog post.
- Roast Butternut Squash: Preheat your oven. Place the peeled, seeded, and cubed butternut squash on a baking sheet. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and roast until tender and slightly caramelized, turning halfway through. Set aside.
- Sauté Onions: In a large pot, heat extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and saute.
- Combine Ingredients: Add the roasted butternut squash. Stir in grated ginger, ground cinnamon (or cardamom), turmeric (optional), ground black pepper, and ground nutmeg. Cook for a minute, ensuring the spices don't burn. Add tomato paste, fresh thyme sprigs, and bay leaves. Pour in water (or vegetable broth), and season with salt to taste.
- Simmer and Blend: Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover and let it simmer. Remove and discard the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Using a blender, puree the soup until smooth and creamy.
- Add Creamy Elements: Blend in heavy cream (or crème fraiche), crumbled goat cheese (or more crème fraiche), harissa paste (adjust to your preferred level of spiciness), and maple syrup (optional).
- Final Simmer: Return the soup to the pot over low heat. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed. Cook for an additional 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the soup is heated through and all the ingredients are well combined.
- Serve: Serve the spiced butternut squash soup hot, garnished with toasted pecans, pumpkin seeds, or sunflower seeds, fresh thyme leaves, a drizzle of cream, roasted pepper flakes, and accompanied by crusty bread.
My Top Tips
When blending the roasted butternut squash, make sure to use a high-speed blender for an ultra-creamy texture. A food processor won't yield the same result. And be sure to release steam from the blender between pulses.
Roasting the butternut squash until it's tender and slightly caramelized will intensify the flavor and its natural sweetness.
For special occasions drizzle strained brown butter on the soup to enhance its richness and flavor.
What to Serve With the Soup
- Bread: Crusty bread, such as baguette, ciabatta, or a hearty artisan loaf, are perfect for dipping and sopping up the flavorful soup. You can also consider our wheat rolls or cheese rolls with zaatar.
- Salads: A fresh salad can provide a refreshing contrast to the warm and creamy soup. Consider options like a tabouli salad recipe or a robust kale quinoa salad.
- Other Ideas: Serve it with a grilled cheese sandwich made with sharp cheddar or Gruyere. Or a crostini - baguette slices topped with goat cheese, caramelized onions, or roasted red pepper.
Meal Prep
- Roast the Butternut Squash: You can roast the butternut squash in advance. Once roasted, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days before making the soup.
- Chop Onions: Pre-chopping the onions and storing them in the fridge can save you time when you're ready to cook the soup.
- Prepare Spice Mix: Combine the ground spices like ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and others in a small container or zip-top bag. This way, you won't have to measure them individually when you're ready to cook.
Make-Ahead
- Cook and Blend: You can prepare the soup a day or two in advance up to the point where you've blended it into a smooth and creamy consistency.
- Reheat and Finish: When you're ready to serve, reheat the soup gently on the stovetop. Once it's warmed through, blend in the remaining ingredients like heavy cream, goat cheese, harissa paste, and maple syrup (if using). Adjust the seasonings as needed.
Storage
- Refrigerator: Store any leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.
- Freezer: To freeze the soup, complete all steps except adding the heavy cream, goat cheese or creme fraiche. Allow it to cool completely, then transfer it to a freezer-safe container. Be sure to leave some room at the top for expansion. It can be frozen for up to 3 months. To complete, thaw in the refrigerator overnight, and proceed with the remaining steps.
Variations
This soup is naturally gluten free, vegetarian, egg free, soy free and grain free. Make sure to check labels of spices, harissa paste and vegetable broth for gluten, animal-derived products and other allergens.
Here are few variations, some of which I have not tried myself.
- Vegan: Substitute heavy cream or crème fraiche with coconut cream. Make sure harissa is vegan friendly. Instead of goat cheese, try vegan cheese or dairy free yogurt.
- Dairy Free: Use dairy free coconut cream instead of heavy cream, and try vegan cheese or dairy free yogurt in place of goat cheese.
More Squash Recipes
- Spicy Butternut Squash
- Moroccan Stew with Vegetables and Lamb
- Veggie Mac and Cheese (With Butternut Squash)
- Pumpkin Curry Recipe (With Coconut Milk)
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Spiced Butternut Squash Soup
Ingredients
- 2½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 pounds butternut squash peeled, seeded, and cut into 1½-inch cubes
- 1 large yellow onion chopped, approximately 2 cups
- 1½ teaspoon grated ginger or ¾ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon or ground cardamom
- ½ teaspoon turmeric optional
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 4 thyme sprigs fresh, tied as a bunch
- 2 bay leaves
- 6 cups water or vegetable broth
- Salt to taste
- ¾ cup heavy cream or crème fraiche
- 6 ounces crumbled goat cheese or crème fraîche
- ½ teaspoon harissa paste adjust to taste
- 1 to 2 tablespoons maple syrup optional
Toppings
- Toasted pecans pumpkin seeds, or sunflower seeds
- Fresh thyme
- Cream
- Roasted pepper flakes or additional harissa paste
- Crusty bread
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Roast Butternut Squash: Place the peeled, seeded, and cubed butternut squash on a baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and toss to coat. Roast the butternut squash for about 25-30 minutes or until it's tender and slightly caramelized, turning the pieces at half time. Remove from the oven and set aside.
- Saute Onions: In a large pot, heat 1½ tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and sauté until translucent, stirring in between, for about 5 minutes.
- Squash and Spices: Add the roasted butternut squash to the pot. Stir in the grated ginger, ground cinnamon (or cardamom), turmeric (optional), ground black pepper, and ground nutmeg. Cook for another minute, ensuring the spices don't burn.
- Add Water and Simmer: Add the tomato paste, fresh thyme sprigs, and bay leaves. Pour in 6 cups of water (or vegetable broth) and season with salt to taste. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat. Cover the pot and simmer for about 10-15 minutes.
- Blend and Add Creamy Ingredients: Remove and discard the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Using a blender, puree the soup in batches, until smooth and creamy. Blend in the heavy cream (or crème fraiche), crumbled goat cheese (or more crème fraiche), harissa paste (adjust to your preferred level of spiciness), and maple syrup (optional).
- Final Simmer: Return the soup to the pot over low heat. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed. Cook for an additional 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the soup is heated through and all the ingredients are well combined.
- Serve the spicy butternut squash soup hot, garnished with toasted pecans, pumpkin seeds, or sunflower seeds, fresh thyme leaves, a drizzle of cream, roasted pepper flakes, and accompanied by crusty bread.
Notes
- Adjust spiciness by adding harissa to suit your taste.
- For extra sweetness, add maple syrup, but keep in mind that roasted butternut squash is naturally sweet.
- Begin with 6 cups of water as a base and modify the thickness according to your preference.
- For special occasions drizzle strained brown butter on top to enhance its richness and flavor. You can skip the heavy cream.
- Nutrition facts not including added salt.
Nutrition
Recipe Questions Answered
It may need more spices and aromatics. And be sure to take time to roast the butternut squash and saute the onions well.
You may have boiled the soup at a higher heat and for too long, after adding the heavy cream and goat cheese. Be sure to simmer the soup at a low heat and just until heated through.
Spicy Butternut Squash Soup can be a healthy choice depending on how it's prepared and your individual dietary needs. Butternut squash is a good source of vitamins, particularly vitamin A (from beta-carotene), vitamin C, and dietary fiber. But the heavy cream can increase the calories and fat content of the soup. You can skip that, reduce the amount or try lighter alternatives.
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