Description
A creamy and comforting butternut squash soup made with fresh vegetables, herbs, and a touch of smoked paprika. This easy stovetop recipe is perfect for fall and winter, served with a drizzle of cream and fresh herb garnish for a flavorful warm meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter or olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, diced (about 1 3/4 cups)
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced (about 1 cup)
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled
- 1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch chunks (about 3 pounds / 8 cups)
- 1 (32-ounce) carton low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth (4 cups)
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh sage, thyme, or rosemary leaves (from about 2 sprigs), plus more for garnish
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Heavy cream, crème fraîche, or coconut cream, for drizzling (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the base: Melt 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter in a medium Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion, peeled and diced carrots, and crushed garlic cloves. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and lightly browned in spots, about 8 minutes.
- Add squash and seasoning: Stir in the chopped butternut squash, low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth, finely chopped fresh sage (or thyme/rosemary), smoked paprika, and kosher salt. Bring the mixture to a boil.
- Simmer the soup: Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Partially cover the pot and cook until the squash is tender and starting to fall apart, about 30 minutes.
- Blend the soup: Turn off the heat. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup directly in the pot until creamy and smooth, or blend in batches using a stand blender.
- Season and serve: Taste and adjust seasoning with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed. Serve the soup drizzled with your choice of heavy cream, crème fraîche, or coconut cream, and garnish with additional chopped fresh sage leaves and black pepper if desired.
Notes
- To make the soup vegan, use olive oil instead of butter and coconut cream for drizzling.
- For a thicker soup, reduce the amount of broth slightly or cook uncovered for the last 10 minutes to evaporate some liquid.
- Fresh herbs add the best flavor; if using dried herbs, reduce quantity to 1 teaspoon.
- You can prepare this soup a day ahead; store in the refrigerator and reheat gently before serving.
- If you don't have an immersion blender, allow soup to cool before blending in batches to avoid splatters.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 400 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 27 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg
