Seasonal, roasted butternut squash, paired with fresh jalapeños is a fun balance between creamy harvest flavors against a punch of heat. This Spicy Butternut Squash Soup will satisfy your tastebuds and make you feel all cozy inside.
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why you'll love this spicy butternut squash soup
This Spicy Butternut Squash Soup recipe is so easy that there's really no excuse to not try it. And if you've never had butternut squash soup before, let me describe it to you. The texture is thick and creamy. While it may look like the pureed baby food you see in the stores, I promise it's not! Instead it tastes very sophisticated when pureed into soup, yet ridiculously easy to whip up.
Wether you're vegan or just trying to eat more plant-based, this Spicy Butternut Squash Soup is also completely free of animal products. I do love to add a sprinkle of feta on top, but that is completely optional.
This Spicy Butternut Squash Soup is great for a cozy weeknight meal, a side dish or appetizer at your holiday feast, or even for meal prep! It holds up great in the fridge or freezer for multiple days. And if you're looking for another way to enjoy the seasonal flavor of butternut squash, check out my Seasonal Harvest Salad that's also oh so fresh!
Ingredients in this Vegan, Spicy Butternut Squash Soup
Butternut Squash - Butternut squash is an amazing fall veggie. It is nutty and subtly sweet, similar to a pumpkin. You will want to peel and roast the squash prior to making the soup!
Olive Oil - Softens the squash while roasting and elevates the natural flavor of the butternut squash.
Red Onion - I prefer the bite of red onion for this soup but you could also use scallions, chives, or any onion you enjoy.
Garlic - Fresh minced garlic gives the best flavor but garlic powder will work too. Simply swap the minced garlic for ⅛ tsp garlic powder.
Jalapeño - Adds the kick of heat we are looking for in this Spicy Butternut Squash Soup but feel free to omit it if you're not a fan of spice.
Vegetable Broth - Adds moisture and flavor to this Spicy Butternut Squash Soup recipe. Feel free to use any type of broth you'd like here and add more if needed to thin the soup out. You could also swap for coconut milk or cream for an extra
Seasoning - Salt and pepper are fine enough for this butternut squash soup but there are other options too! Try adding a dash of paprika, cumin, or even everything but the bagel seasoning.
kitchen equipment & tools needed
To make Spicy Butternut Squash Soup, you will need a baking sheet, measuring cups & spoons, cutting board, chef’s knife, blender, sauce pot, and a rubber scraper.
How To Make Spicy Butternut Squash Soup
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Peel the butternut squash, slice in half length wise and remove seeds. Dice your butternut squash into cubes.
- Toss the cubes with 2 tablespoons olive oil on a baking sheet and then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 20-25 minutes until squash is soft.
- While the squash is cooking, dice red onion and jalapeño and mince garlic. Combine together in a large sauce pot with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Sauté for 4-5 minutes on medium heat until soft and browned.
- Once the squash is finished baking, take 1 ½ cups and place into a blender or food processor.
- Add the sautéed veggies, vegetable broth and Everything But the Elote Seasoning to the blender.
- Blend for 45 seconds - 1 minute until a pureed texture is achieved. (You can also transfer everything to the pot and use an immersion blender to puree).
- Pour the Spicy Butternut Squash Soup mixture back into the pot and let simmer for 20-25 minutes until hot.
- Top with crumbled feta cheese, jalapeño slices, and/or fresh crackers. Serve warm and enjoy!
How to store, freeze, and reheat Spicy Butternut Squash Soup
Your Spicy Butternut Squash Soup can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Just keep any toppings off until you've reheated it.
Reheat Spicy Butternut Squash Soup in 30 second intervals in the microwave in a microwave-safe serving bowl. You can also reheat stove top if you prefer.
This soup also freezes great for up to 3 months. I suggest using either a glass pyrex with an airtight lid or storing in large freezer bags. Using freezer bags are nice because it takes up less space. You can transfer the Spicy Butternut Squash Soup right from blender to freezer bag if you plan to reheat stove top at a later date.
What to Serve with Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
The only thing better than a tasty soup is choosing what to serve with it! I love adding different flavors and textures to meals by serving them alongside other delicious options. For this butternut squash soup in particular, here are my favorites.
- Crackers may seem basic but there are so many options out there. You can try all different textures and flavors of crackers to keep things interesting.
- Toasted bread is an absolute must for any soup. Toast a slice with butter or oil then sprinkle it with salt and enjoy alongside the soup or by dipping! You could also melt cheese on the bread and take things to a whole new level.
- Roasted pepitas or cashews can make a great crunchy topping for this soup too. Simply roast them with some oil and salt until soft yet crisp then enjoy.
- Chicken or sausage would be a tasty way to add protein and texture to this roasted butternut squash soup. For a vegan version you could add roasted tofu or tempeh.
- Biscuits are a classic and for good reason. I mean is there anything better than fresh baked biscuits served alongside steaming soup?! Make them fresh, from the freezer, or pre-made, so long as you like the biscuit that's all that matters!
Customize your butternut squash soup
While this recipe keeps things pretty simple, feel free to add some flair to your soup. I've include some options below, but feel free to leave in the comments what direction you take with this recipe!
Spices
Spices can really go any direction you choose in this Spicy Butternut Squash Soup. Try spices like paprika or cumin for an extra kick. Everything but the bagel seasoning, garlic powder, or onion powder are a few other flavors that come to mind.
Umami Flavors
For more subtle adjustments in flavor, experiment with adding coconut aminos, nutritional yeast, or even a dash of dijon mustard to elevate this butternut squash soup with more umami flavors!
Heat
This Spicy Butternut Squash Soup does have some kick to it. You can tone that up or down according to preference. Want more heat? Add hot sauce, cayanne or an additional jalapeño. Less heat? Leave out the jalapeño all together.
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Spicy Butternut Squash Soup Recipe
Equipment
- High speed blender (or immersion blender)
- sheet pan
- Cutting Board
- Knife
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Sauce pot
- Rubber Spatula
Ingredients
Roasted Butternut Squash
- 1 medium butternut squash
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- salt and pepper, to taste
Soup
- 2 ½ cups of roasted butternut squash
- ¼ cup red onion
- ¼ tsp minced garlic
- 2 diced jalapeno
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup vegetable broth, add more for a thinner soup
- 1 tsp elote seasoning, or salt and pepper
- 3 tbsp half and half, or heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Peel butternut squash, slice in half length wise and remove seeds. Dice butternut squash into cubes. Toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil on a baking sheet.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, until squash is soft.
- While the squash is cooking, prepare dice red onion and jalapeño and mince garlic.
- Combine onion, jalapeño and garlic together in a sauce pot with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Sauté for 4-5 minutes on medium heat until ingredients are browned.
- Once the squash is finished cooling, take 1 ½ cups of the cubes and place into a blender / food processor.
- Add in sautéed veggies, vegetable broth, and everything but the eloté seasoning. Blend for 45 seconds to 1 minute until a pureed texture is achieved.
- Pour everything back into the saucepan and let simmer for 20-25 minutes until hot.
- Top with crumbled feta, jalapeño slices, and fresh cracker. Serve warm and enjoy!
Notes
I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. It's my passion to create dishes that can be shared with others. Tell me something you loved, something that you think it might need, or just say hi!
Looking for this in MyFitnessPal?
If you're using MyFitnessPal, search 'A Paige Of Positivity' and find Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
1 bowl: 30 grams Carbs | 14 grams Fat | 3 grams Protein
**Disclaimer: for most accurate macronutrients and caloric breakdown, it is recommended that you input each ingredient into your MyFitnessPal food diary.
We don't usually do soup at Thanksgiving because there's so many other good recipes to include, but after making this for the first time for my family, everyone was in agreement this is one of our favorite fall recipes and we 100% need it on our thanksgiving table.
I'm so amazed by the flavor that comes out in this soup. I like to top mine with sprinkles of fresh bacon bits and it's phenomenal!