Name: Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 70 min
Ingredients: 3 pounds butternut squash ((1 large squash), unpeeled); 2 Granny Smith apples, (about 1 lb, cored and cut into large chunks, but not peeled); 1 large sweet onion, (cut in half); 2 tablespoons salted butter; 1 teaspoon dried thyme; 2 tablespoons maple syrup; 4 cups chicken stock; 1/2 cup heavy cream; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; Pinch of nutmeg (optional)

Jump to Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links, see my disclosure policy for details.

If you’ve ever wrestled a vegetable peeler around a rock-hard butternut squash, this recipe is for you. My roasted butternut squash soup skips the peeling and cubing completely. The squash roasts in halves, then you just scoop, blend, and serve.

Bowl of creamy butternut squash soup garnished with herbs, with a spoon inside and pieces of bread on the side.

I avoided making butternut squash soup for years because prepping the squash felt like a workout. So I built this recipe to remove every hard part. The squash, apples, and onion all roast in halves on one sheet pan, cut side down in melted thyme butter. The skins slip right off, and the caramelization is where all the flavor comes from.

This is also a butternut squash soup with apple. Two Granny Smiths roast alongside the squash, and their tartness brightens the whole pot without any vinegar. After plenty of fall batches in my Maine kitchen, I’d put this up against any recipe for butternut squash soup out there. Best of all? It’s only 10 minutes of hands-on prep.

Why You’ll Love This Easy Butternut Squash Soup

No peeling or cubing. Everything roasts in halves. Just scoop the squash out with a spoon.
Only 10 minutes of prep. The oven does almost all of the work.
One sheet pan, one blender. Minimal dishes, maximum flavor.
Naturally balanced. Roasted Granny Smith apples add brightness, so this creamy butternut squash soup is never one-note sweet.
Caramelized flavor in every spoonful. Roasting cut side down in thyme butter gives the soup a depth you can’t get from simmering on the stove, just like the slow-roasted flavor in my Easy Tomato Soup With Fresh Tomatoes.
Freezer-friendly. Make a double batch now and thank yourself in January.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup Recipe Ingredients

Halved butternut squash, two green apples, onion, carton of chicken stock, cream, butter, spices, and a grater arranged on a baking sheet.

Butternut squash – You’ll need 3 pounds, which is usually one large squash. Roasting it in halves means no peeling and easy scooping. (See my tips below for picking the best one at the store.)
Granny Smith apples – Two apples, cored but not peeled. They roast alongside the squash and add a tartness that balances the sweetness naturally.
Sweet onion – One large onion, halved. It mellows and caramelizes in the oven for a savory backbone.
Salted butter + dried thyme – Melting the thyme into the butter wakes up the dried herb and carries the flavor into everything on the pan.
Maple syrup – Just 2 tablespoons to round out the roasted flavors. This is where the New England in me comes out.
Chicken broth – Thins the blended vegetables into a creamy soup. Vegetable broth works too if you want to keep it meatless.
Cream – Stirred in at the end for a rich, creamy butternut squash soup without it feeling heavy. This squash soup is creamy without the cream, so feel free to leave it out.
Kosher salt and black pepper – Added after blending so you can season to taste.
Nutmeg – Optional, but a small pinch makes the whole bowl taste like fall.

How to Make Butternut Squash Soup

Step 1: Melt the butter with the dried thyme and set it aside. This little step blooms the thyme so the flavor comes through in the finished soup.

Step 2: Cut the squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Halve and core the apples (no peeling!), and cut the onion in half. That’s the entire knife work for this recipe.

Tip: If the bulb (wide end) of the squash is really large, I will slice that in half to speed up the cooking process.

Sliced butternut squash, sliced apples, and onions on a parchment-lined baking sheet, with bowls of butter and black pepper nearby.

Step 3: Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper and place the onion halves on it, cut side down. Set the squash and apples on the pan cut side up and brush them with the thyme butter, drizzling any extra butter right onto the pan.

Halved butternut squash and sliced apples and onions on a parchment-lined baking sheet, sprinkled with herbs and seasoning, ready for roasting.

Flip the squash and apples cut side down, moving the squash halves toward the outer edges of the pan.

Butternut squash halves, green apple pieces, and onion chunks with herbs on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Step 4: Roast at 425°F for 45–55 minutes, covered for the first 30 minutes, then uncovered to finish. Everything should be very soft, and the cut sides should be golden and caramelized.

Roasted butternut squash halves and pieces on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cooked until golden brown.

Step 5: Once the squash is cool enough to handle, scoop the flesh right out of the skin and slip the peels off the apples.

A white pot with cooked, mashed butternut squash and onion, stirred with a wooden spoon.

Add everything to a blender (or a soup pot with an immersion blender) along with the pan juices, maple syrup, and broth. Blend until completely smooth.

An immersion blender sits in a pot of smooth, orange soup, partially submerged and coated with the blended soup mixture.

Step 6: Heat the soup until it just starts to simmer, then turn off the heat. Stir in the cream, salt, pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg. Taste, adjust the seasonings, and serve.

A pot of creamy orange soup sits on a white surface, with a sprig of herbs and a bowl of seeds nearby.

How to Pick the Best Butternut Squash

Fresh produce is hard to measure exactly, so here’s what I look for at the store: choose a squash with a long neck. The neck is solid squash, while the round bulb end is mostly seeds. A longer neck means more soup per pound.
Ended up with a squash that has a short neck and a heavy bottom? Cut it in half lengthwise, from stem to base, so that the thick bulb end roasts evenly and finishes in the same 45 to 55 minutes as the rest of the pan.
Aim for a squash as close to 3 pounds as you can find. A little over is better than under, since you can always thin the soup with extra broth. Try not to go below 2.75 pounds.
Buying pre-peeled squash? If your store sells squash that’s already peeled and seeded (but not cubed), aim for about 2.5 pounds to account for the skin and seeds you’re not throwing away. Cover with foil if it starts browning too quickly in the oven.

My Best Butternut Squash Soup Recipe Tips

Keep everything cut side down while roasting. This is the most important tip. It caramelizes the vegetables and keeps them from drying out, and that caramelization is what makes this the best butternut squash soup recipe I’ve tested.
Blend hot soup carefully. If you’re using a standard blender, work in batches, don’t fill it more than halfway, and leave the center cap cracked with a towel over the top so steam can escape.
Squash a little small? Roast a couple of carrots on the pan to make up the difference. They blend right in.
Adjust the thickness at the end. A smaller squash makes a thinner soup; a bigger one makes it thicker. Thin with extra broth or water a splash at a time until you get the thickness you want.
Season after blending. Broths vary in saltiness, so always taste before adding the full amount of salt.

Variations and Substitutions

Butternut squash soup with coconut milk – Swap the cream for full-fat canned coconut milk for a dairy-free version. It adds a subtle sweetness that works beautifully with the maple.
Curried butternut squash soup – Stir in 1–2 teaspoons of curry powder when you heat the blended soup. Pair it with the coconut milk swap above and you’ve got a completely different (and delicious) bowl.
Make it vegetarian – Use vegetable broth in place of chicken broth. Everything else stays the same.
No sweet onion? A yellow onion works fine.
Different apples – Granny Smiths are my pick because their tartness balances the soup without extra vinegar. If you use a sweeter apple like Honeycrisp, add a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar at the end to bring back that brightness.
Warm spices – A pinch of cinnamon or ginger alongside the nutmeg makes the soup even cozier.
Toppings – Toasted pumpkin seeds, crispy bacon, a swirl of cream, oyster crackers, or homemade croutons all make this bowl feel special.

What to Serve with Butternut Squash Soup

Soup and bread are a package deal in my house. This soup was made for dunking a Crispy Sourdough Grilled Cheese Sandwich or a buttery piece of French bread garlic bread. Or toast up a slice of Boston Brown Bread for the full New England experience.

For something lighter on the side, my Apple and Walnut Salad echoes the apple in the soup and adds a nice crunch. And if you’re building out a full fall menu, you’ll find plenty more cozy ideas in my soup recipes and fall favorites.

A bowl of creamy orange soup garnished with fresh thyme, with a spoon in the bowl and a slice of bread partially visible on the side.

Storage Instructions

Cool the soup completely, then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The flavors actually deepen overnight, so leftovers are even better the next day.

Freezing Instructions

This soup freezes beautifully. Store it in an airtight, freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw it in the fridge before reheating.

Reheating Instructions

Reheat the soup in a saucepan over low heat until it’s warmed through. If the soup has thickened in the fridge or you want it a little more luxurious, stir in an extra splash of cream while it warms.

Save This Recipe

Just enter your email below and we will send this recipe right to your inbox, plus we will send more yummy recipes and ideas.