Butternut Squash Bisque

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Easy butternut squash bisque made with autumn spices is comforting, satisfying, and has a dynamic depth of flavor. Thanks to the creamy texture, it is a perfect soup for those cold days during the fall and winter months. It’s also naturally gluten-free, vegetarian, and can easily be made into a vegan butternut squash soup too!

Butternut squash is the perfect addition to soup recipes! It has a soft texture and slightly sweet taste that pairs well with so many spices and veggies. In this recipe, you’ll blend together fragrant ingredients like garlic, onion, nutmeg, and squash for a creamier soup with the perfect balance of flavors. 

If you have been looking for the perfect fall soup, give this butternut squash bisque recipe a try! It is the dreamiest variation of pumpkin soup, with a minimal ingredients list and minimal prep time.

From start to finish, you’ll be sitting down with this healthy butternut squash soup in just 45 minutes.

It’s the perfect soup to share at your Thanksgiving meal, or enjoy all winter long, and will quickly become your newest favorite recipe!

👩🏽‍🍳 Why You’ll Love This Butternut Squash Bisque

• Perfect Taste & Texture: This recipe for squash bisque has the perfect balance of squash flavor and creamy smooth texture. 
• Filling: This is a hearty soup that will keep you feeling full and satisfied for hours, especially when paired with other tasty side dish recipes.
• Meal Prep: Easily make a big batch of this delicious soup to last you through the week! You can also just make a double batch to have leftovers for the next day.
• Easy To Customize: This creamy pumpkin soup can be adapted for just about any dietary needs! It’s already naturally gluten-free, so there’s no need to worry about swaps there, and can easily be made vegan too.

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🥘 Ingredients

This easy butternut squash bisque calls for simple ingredients that come together for the most flavorful soup. Here’s what you need:

• Olive Oil: Extra virgin olive oil is the best way to saute your veggies.
• Onion & Garlic: Diced onion and garlic are classics for all your favorite soup recipes. You will love this addition for added flavor to this butternut squash recipe.
• Butternut Squash: I prefer to use organic butternut squash for the healthiest option in this soup!
• Carrots: Add an extra dose of health and creaminess with carrots! They blend up nicely and complement the taste of squash.
• Vegetable Broth: Use vegetable stock or broth in this butternut squash puree soup.
• Salt & Pepper: A half teaspoon salt and quarter teaspoon black pepper adds the perfect boost of flavor for this butternut squash soup recipe.
• Nutmeg: Nutmeg is one of those subtle secret ingredients that packs a punch in this pumpkin butternut squash bisque.
• Heavy Cream: To make this a creamy butternut squash soup, you’ll use heavy cream! A little goes a long way – so we’re able to make this soup really creamy without adding a ton of fat or calories. You can also make a butternut squash bisque without cream by swapping this for a plant based ingredient (see our substitution recommendations below).

🍲 Ingredient Substitutions

• Oil: Use any oil you prefer for this butternut bisque recipe. Coconut oil or avocado oil are healthy options.
• Veggies: Try other vegetables like shallots, sugar pumpkins, or sweet potatoes. Any combination will be delicious!
• Broth: If you aren’t concerned with making this recipe vegetarian, you can use chicken broth or chicken stock.
• Spice: You can try other spices like cinnamon or cardamom.
• Cream: Make this butternut squash soup with half and half, any unsweetened nut milk or even cream cheese, instead of heavy cream. Coconut milk or coconut cream are can be a popular option for creamy vegan soup recipes.

🔪 How To Make Butternut Squash Bisque

Even if this is your first time making a squash or pumpkin soup recipe, you can feel confident in the kitchen. The immersion blender or food processor will be your best friend, making it super easy to puree the bisque. Here is how to make the best butternut squash bisque:

Saute Onion, Add Additional Vegetables: Heat the oil in a large pot, and saute onion until soft. Next add the garlic, diced butternut squash and carrots into the soup pot. Continue to sauté for another 2-3 minutes over medium heat.

Boil, Then Simmer: Pour in the vegetable broth and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until the vegetable mixture is very soft, approximately 20 minutes. When the vegetables are fully cooked remove the pot from the heat.

Puree Soup: Using an immersion blender or a food processor, pureé soup until smooth.

Add Seasonings: Stir in the seasonings, nutmeg and cream.

Simmer Bisque & Serve: Heat the bisque over a low heat and bring to a gentle simmer for 3-4 minutes, stirring to prevent the bisque from burning. Do not boil as this will cause the bisque to split. Adjust seasoning to taste, adding extra salt or pepper if needed. Garnish and serve.

💭 Expert Tips

• More Flavor: You can easily add more flavor to this squash bisque recipe by adding a bay leaf to the pot while the veggies simmer in the broth.
• Cool Before Adding Cream: For the best butternut squash soup, do not add your cream to hot soup. Remove from heat and let it cool down a bit first. Adding dairy to any hot liquid will cause it to curdle.
• Avoid Boiling: Do NOT boil the bisque after adding cream, as this will cause the bisque to split. You want to keep it on a low simmer.
• Consistency: For the creamiest bisque, use heavy cream or coconut cream. If you use regular coconut milk or nut milks, the bisque won’t be as creamy and will be thinner. But if you like your soup thinner, then that is a good option!
• Blend Only When Cooked Through: Before blending the squash with the hand blender to check to make sure the squash is cooked completely. Pierce it with a fork. If it pierces easily, and is soft, it is ready to blend. If you do not have an immersion blender or food processor, a high speed blender will work too!
• Save Time: If you do not have a vegetable peeler or want to save time, you can use frozen squash and frozen carrots, or pre-cut squash and carrots – usually either in the fresh prepared foods section or frozen section!
• Alternative Methods: This butternut squash puree soup can also be made in an instant pot, dutch oven, or slow cooker.

✔️ How To Cut A Butternut Squash

Cutting a butternut squash is tricky if you don’t have a good method. They are dense, round, and thick. But if you have a good strategy going into it and a sharp knife, you’ll have yourself a perfectly cut butternut squash with minimal effort!

• Step 1: With a sharp knife cut off both the top and bottom of the butternut squash. 
• Step 2: Using a vegetable peeler secure your squash in one hand, starting from the top peel down to the bottom all the way around. 
• Step 3: Cut the squash in half lengthwise by standing it upright on your cutting board. It should be secure since the squash should have a flat bottom. 
• Step 4: Using a spoon scrape out the seeds from the middle.
• Step 5: Cut each half of the squash into another half making 4 quarters. Cut into 1 inch slices. 
• Step 6: Stack the slices and cut again making 1 inch cubes.

📖 Variations 

• Butternut Squash Apple Bisque: Add 1 apple to the mixture of veggies in the pot – saute and boil and follow the directions as written. Butternut squash bisque with apple is a fun way to add a little bit of sweetness and added flavor!
• Coconut Butternut Bisque: Make this butternut squash bisque with coconut milk for a creamy soup with great flavor! Use coconut milk as a 1:1 replacement for the heavy cream. Use full fat coconut milk for the best consistency, and use light coconut milk or boxed coconut milk for a thinner soup. 
• Cheesy Butternut Squash Soup: If you love broccoli cheese soup, try this soup out with that cheesy flavor too! You can add parmesan cheese or cheddar cheese as a garnish to the soup, and blend it into the soup as well.
• Make It Spicy: To spice up this winter squash bisque try adding some cayenne pepper or dried red pepper flakes. For a different flavor, add in some curry powder!
• Make It Sweeter: To add a touch of natural sweetness, try roasted butternut squash bisque. Roast the butternut squash in the oven until tender, before adding to the bisque. You can also add a touch of maple syrup or brown sugar.

🍽 Serving Suggestions

Enjoy this butternut squash bisque soup as your first course of a fall dinner! We love serving this soup with a variety of toppings including:

• A drizzle of heavy cream or coconut cream makes a great topping for butternut squash soup
• Fresh grated parmesan cheese or vegan parmesan
• A dollop of yogurt, sour cream, or creme fraiche
• Garnish with fresh herbs – like a little sprinkle of cilantro, chives, thyme, or even sage
• Try nuts and seeds like pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds
• Croutons, crackers, or paired with crusty bread or sourdough bread

For a simple yet filling lunch or dinner, enjoy this soup with a side salad like this beetroot and feta salad. If you are looking to serve this at a fall gathering, you can pair it with other fall recipes like:

• Roasted Pumpkin Salad
• Spaghetti Squash Casserole
• Vegan Lentil Loaf
• Vegan Turkey
• Vegan Pumpkin Banana Bread
• Gluten Free Apple Cake

🙌 Dietary Adaptations

This recipe for butternut squash bisque is gluten-free, vegetarian, and sugar-free. For a vegan butternut squash bisque, leave out the heavy cream or opt for a dairy-free alternative. Vegan options include vegan heavy cream, coconut cream, or coconut milk.

🫙 Storage Directions

This easy butternut squash soup recipe can be refrigerated or frozen and enjoyed later! Here is how to store and keep this butternut squash bisque:

• To Store In The Fridge: Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
• To Freeze: This soup freezes well! Store the butternut bisque in a freezer-safe container and place in the freezer for up to 1 month. Turn your soup into convenient grab-and-go meals by freezing it in individual servings. You can use quart-size freezer bags or freezer-safe glass containers to freeze soups. Keep in mind the soup will expand as it freezes so allow for space when freezing.
• To Reheat: Allow soup to defrost ahead of time in the fridge, and then transfer to a pot to reheat on the stovetop. You can also microwave in a microwave safe bowl.

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🥣 More Soup Recipes To Try!

• Pumpkin And Sweet Potato Soup
• Spaghetti Squash Soup
• Creamy Vegan Potato Soup With Cashew Cream
• Acorn Squash Bisque
• Mushroom Soup Without Cream
• Italian Chickpea Soup
• Creamy Garbanzo Bean Soup
• Carrot Potato Soup
• 41 Vegan Soup Recipes

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