Fall and winter is the perfect time for big cozy bowl of soup! Butternut Squash and Carrot Soup will be a hit with the whole family. It's silky smooth and delicious and makes the whole house so fragrant as it cooks!
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🩵 About This Recipe
Do you buy butternut squash often? No, right? Because it is hard to cut up! That just doesn't fit with my dizzy, busy life either!
Then I discovered FROZEN diced butternut squash. Wheeee! Affordable and easy!
The down side is that you really can't use it in everything, as it tends to get mushy when you cook it. But for soup, that aspect actually is a pro and not a con. So go ahead and buy the affordable and EASY frozen diced butternut squash for this recipe!
This soup could be delicious served with Instant Pot Chicken and Potatoes for the perfect autumn comfort meal! Another great soup is this Instant Pot Minestrone, or this fantastic Carrot and Lentil Soup. Check them out!
And if you can't get enough squash, make this tasty Butternut Squash and Sausage dish.
Why you'll love this recipe:
This meal is filled with great flavor and wonderful nutrients for your family! It's so yummy even your littles will be slurping this soup! It's on the table in only 45 minutes, making it a great weeknight meal.
🥘 Ingredients Needed
- butter - for flavor and roasting
- frozen diced butternut squash - you can certainly substitute fresh squash, but using frozen is a great time saver!
- salt, pepper, cinnamon sticks, coriander seed - all adds loads of flavor.
- onion, celery, carrots - vegetables you have on-hand, right?
- chicken broth - substitute vegetable stock if you'd prefer your meal to be vegan.
🔪 Instructions
- Preheat the oven. Melt the butter in an ovenproof saute pan. Add the squash, salt, and pepper, and cook until hot. Transfer the pan to the oven and roast for 15-20 minutes, until very soft,
- While it's cooking, heat a few tablespoons of the broth a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, carrot, cinnamon sticks, and coriander. Sauté until soft, then add the rest of the broth and bring to a boil.
- Mash the squash.
- Add the mashed squash to the broth mixture and stir to combine. Bring to a boil and simmer.
- Discard the cinnamon sticks. (don't forget to do this! not that I have ever forgotten...ahem...)
- Puree the soup with a blender or immersion blender. Season with additional salt and pepper if desired.
👪 FAQs
Yes if you're using fresh, be sure to peel the squash. The skin is tough and not palatable. Even when you puree the soup, the skin will not become perfectly smooth and silky.
It's really easy to blend the soup with either an immersion or stand blender. Use whatever is easiest for you. If you use a regular blender, you will probably need to do it in batches.
Absolutely! This soup freezes well. Allow it to cool completely and store it in freezer containers. Store it up to three months in the freezer. Leftovers can be refrigerated up to three days.
💭 Top Tips
- Use frozen butternut squash! I love using ingredients from my freezer, because that makes it easy to keep them on hand without having to worry about them spoiling within a week or so. For those days when I wake up and feel like enjoying some homemade soup, it's easy to just throw it together without having to run to the store!
- No need to peel the carrots! Just give them a good scrub. This will save you prep time, yay!
- Use a food processor to dice the veggies. Super easy!
📖 Variations
- Substitute vegetable for chicken stock for a vegan soup. Adding a can of coconut milk will make it even more creamy and luscious. Adjust the seasonings accordingly.
- Stir in a bit of cream or coconut milk for a swirl of lusciousness and garnish with roasted pepitas for crunch, sprinkle with smoked paprika and fresh ground black pepper!
- Ginger goes really well with butternut squash and carrot soup. If you're going to add this, add a one inch nub to the skillet with the squash and roast it in the oven with the vegetables. No fresh ginger on hand? Use a ¼ teaspoon of powdered. Add it with the onions, celery, and other spices.
🍴Suggested Side Dishes
This soup is delicious served with biscuits or cornbread; in fact I don't know which I love more! Soup and salad is also a great combination. Here are a few more of my favorite recommendations!
🍲 More Soup Recipes!
Try this Instant Pot Lentil Soup, a delicious and easy Creamy Tomato Carrot Soup, Stuffed Acorn Squash, or one of these other fantastic options!
Butternut Squash and Carrot Soup
📋 Recipe Card
Butternut Squash Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 20 ounces frozen diced butternut squash
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper (use a little more if you like pepper)
- 1 cup onion, diced small
- ½ cup celery, diced small
- ½ cup carrots, diced small
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander seed
- 64 ounces chicken or vegetable broth
Instructions
- Heat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Heat butter in an ovenproof saute pan. Add the diced squash, salt, and pepper, and cook until hot. Place the pan in the oven and cook for another 15-20 minutes, until very soft, then mash with the back of a spoon and set aside.20 ounces frozen diced butternut squash, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, 1 tablespoon butter
- While the squash is roasting, heat a few tablespoons of the chicken broth in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, carrot, cinnamon sticks, and coriander. Saute until soft, about 10 minutes.1 cup onion, diced small, ½ cup celery, diced small, ½ cup carrots, diced small, 2 cinnamon sticks, 64 ounces chicken or vegetable broth, 1 teaspoon ground coriander seed
- Add the rest of the broth and bring to a boil. Add the mashed squash and stir to combine. Bring back to a boil and simmer for abut 12 minutes.
- Fish out and discard the cinnamon sticks.
- Puree the soup using a blender or immersion blender. Season with additional salt and pepper if desired.
Notes
- Use frozen butternut squash - it's super convenient.
- No need to peel the carrots, just wash thoroughly. Or better yet, buy baby carrots which are already pre-washed and pre-peeled.
- Use a food processor to dice the veggies to save time.
- Substitute vegetable for chicken stock for a vegan soup.
- Add a can of coconut milk to make it even more creamy and luscious. Adjust the seasonings accordingly.
- When serving you can stir in some cream or coconut milk for a pretty swirl. Garnish with roasted pepitas, smoked paprika, and freshly ground black pepper.
- Add a one inch nub of ginger to the skillet with the squash and roast it in the oven with the vegetables. OR use a ¼ teaspoon of powdered ginger and add it along with the other spices.
Video
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate. The nutritional values for your final dish may vary based on measuring differences and products used.
Update Notes: This post was originally published in January 2018, but was republished with tips, step by step photos, and a recipe change in October 2020.
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Happy cooking!
JEC says
What temperature for the oven?
Kristin King says
In the recipe card, it specifies in step 1 to preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. I hope that helps!
Alison Bell says
Just found frozen butternut squash in freezer soup sounds delicious .Am going to make it this afternoon. Can't wait to taste it. Sounds so easy to make.A
Kristin says
Yay! I love the frozen butternut squash...so much easier than having to cut up a fresh squash. I hope you enjoy the soup! 🙂
Maria says
Oh yes. I need this! i'm drooling, it looks amazing <3
Kristin says
Thanks, Maria, I think you are going to really like it! 🙂
Emily Liao says
Loved the hint of carrot in here! So delicious and creamy
Kristin says
Thanks, Emily!
Shelley says
Oh my gosh - I can totally relate to your excitement of finding frozen butternut squash. I basically had the exact.same joyous epiphany when I discovered it, too LOL! And what a terrific recipe to showcase it in all its delicious (and nutritious) glory. I love that this soup is so simple to make, too!
Kristin says
Haha, that's too funny! Yeah, I love when I find a product that solves a big obstacle for me, namely cutting up that raw butternut squash! Thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoy the soup!
Andrea says
Such a flavorful and comforting bowl of soup. Perfect for the fall.
Kristin says
I agree, it's so perfect for a chilly fall day! I love to have some crusty warm bread with it too. Thanks!
Roxana says
I love butternut squash and this soup recipe also has carrot, so even better. Your post is very helpful with all the tips and pictures. Thanks for such a lovely recipe.
Kristin says
Yay! Glad to hear it. Thanks for stopping by!