Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Soup

Keep warm this Winter by making a batch of this Butternut squash and Sweet Potato Soup.  Roasting the vegetables brings out their natural sweetness and flavour.  You’ll want to make it again and again!

When the weather starts to turn colder, we all tend to turn to comfort food like simple, nourishing soups that are easy to prepare. 

This easy butternut squash and sweet potato soup recipe ticks all the boxes.

ingredient list

(keep scrolling to the bottom of this post to find printable recipe card with ingredient amounts and detailed instructions)

• Butternut squash, cut into small cubes. I don’t usually peel the squash. It’s fiddly, time consuming and there are a lot of nutrients in the skin, incuding fibre and Vitamin A.

• TOP TIP! If you want to save time, you can use the pre-prepared packets instead. You’ll find packets of peeled and chopped sweet potato and butternut squash in the chilled section of most large supermarkets.

• onions. I like the sweetness of a red onion, but you can absolutely use a brown onion instead.

• Fresh thyme. If you don’t have any, swap for one teaspoon dried thyme. If you have neither, don’t worry. Herbs do add extra flavour, but they aren’t essential.

• Olive oil (not extra virgin) for roasting the vegetables.

• fresh garlic adds depth and flavour. If you can’t eat or don’t care for garlic, feel free to omit it.

• vegetable stock. I prefer the flavour of a stock pot, but you can use a stock cube if you can’t find the pots. Of course, you could be super organised and have homemade stock in your fridge/freezer! I’m afraid that’s just not me these days – I don’t have the time.

• spices – I love to add a little ground cinnamon and freshly grated nutmeg to the vegetables before roasting them – it adds a lovely warmth. See my recipe notes below for alternative suggestions.

• salt and freshly ground black pepper – don’t forget to add plenty seasoning to the soup. It really does make all the difference. My favourite salt is Maldon.

how to make butternut squash and sweet potato soup

• Cut the butternut squash in half, remove the seeds and cut into 3-4 cm chunks. (If you prefer to peel the squash, please go ahead.) Peel and chop the sweet potatoes. Peel the onion and cut into fairly large chunks.

• Separate the garlic but don’t peel the cloves. Place the vegetables and the unpeeled garlic cloves in a large roasting tin.

• TOP TIP! Leaving the cloves of garlic unpeeled will prevent them from burning in the oven and becoming bitter.  Once the cloves are roasted and golden, the skins will easily slip off. 

• Drizzle with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil and add some fresh or dried thyme if using along with the ground cinnamon and nutmeg.

• Season the vegetables with a little salt and pepper and roast in the oven for around 45 minutes or until golden, soft and slightly charred around the edges.

blend the soup

• Using a freestanding or hand held blender, blend the roasted vegetables with hot stock (please watch you don’t get splattered!) to your desired consistency. If I’m using my hand held blender I transfer the roasted vegetables to a large saucepan and pour in the stock.

• You can leave it slightly chunky or make it super smooth.  I prefer butternut squash soup smooth and silky, but with a little bit of texture. 

• At this stage you’ll need to taste the soup to see if it needs more salt and pepper.

can I add cream? 

If you prefer a creamy soup, stir in 100ml of double cream and gently heat for about five minutes. You could also use Greek yoghurt or Creme Fraiche.

If you add cream don’t allow the soup to come to the boil or the cream could split, ruining the soup.

For a vegan alternative, use a plant based cream such as Oatly or Alpro.

Serving suggestions 

Soup and homemade bread is always a winner. If you’re in the mood for a little baking, my soft sandwich loaf recipe is the perfect accompaniment to a bowl of hot soup. 

do i have to roast the vegetables?

Roasting the vegetables before blending them into a soup brings out all their natural sweetness and makes for a really delicious and flavoursome soup.  I use the same method for another favourite soup of mine – sweet potato and red pepper soup.

If you are short on time you could skip this extra step, but I really believe roasting the vegetables is 100% worth doing. It really intensifies the flavour of the soup. But we all need to try and save energy right now so here’s how I cook the soup on the hob…..

hob/stove top instructions

To cook the soup on the hob, gently sauté the onions for about 10 minutes or until soft and translucent. Add crushed garlic and sauté for two minutes, then add the spices. 

Add the cubed butternut squash, sweet potato and stock. Bring to the boil, turn down the heat to low-medium and simmer until the vegetables are soft, about 15-20 minutes. Blend the soup to desired consistency and season to taste. 

Do you have to peel butternut squash for soup? 

You don’t have to – it’s entirely your choice.  The skin of butternut squash is perfectly edible and packed full of goodness. Once the squash is roasted the skin is quite soft, but if you want to peel it by all means go ahead. 

variations

This is a really adaptable soup recipe. To ring the changes, here’s some ideas to try –

• add a couple of fresh carrots – simply peel, chop and add them to the roasting tin

• Experiment by adding different herbs – a few sprigs of rosemary or sage instead of the thyme works really well

• add some ground turmeric, grated ginger and curry paste for a curried butternut squash soup

• butternut squash soup with coconut milk is really delicious

• If you like a spicy soup, add some chilli flakes to the vegetables before roasting

can i use chicken stock instead?

If you don’t need the soup to be vegan, then yes you can swap the vegetable stock for chicken.

storage instructions

Once the soup has completely cooled down, store in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to four days.

can i freeze butternut squash soup?

Absolutely, yes.  I often make a big batch and freeze it in small portions. Freeze in freezer friendly tupperware boxes or bags for up to three months. Defrost overnight in the fridge before reheating. Keep the heat nice and gentle to prevent the soup from splattering all over the hob.

If the soup seems a little too thick for your liking, you can add a little water or stock. You’ll also need to add some more seasoning.

is butternut squash and sweet potato soup good for you?

Without a doubt yes.  Butternut squash is a very good source of fibre and is also full of potassium.  Sweet potatoes are also full of fibre and packed full of Vitamins B and C and minerals including Iron and Calcium.  

more comforting soup recipes to try

If you like this recipe, you might also like my recipes for Broccoli and Stilton Soup,Spicy Sweet Potato and Lentil Soup and Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup. For even more soup recipes, check out my soup archive.

more butternut squash/pumpkin recipes

• roasted pumpkin macaroni cheese

• butternut squash, cranberry and pecan salad with goat’s cheese

• quick red Thai prawn curry with butternut squash and spinach

Did you make this recipe?

I would love to hear your thoughts – leave a comment below and please rate the recipe by clicking on the stars in the recipe card.

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Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Soup

Yield: Serves 6-8 people

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Keep warm this Winter by making a batch of this warming butternut squash and sweet potato soup! Roasting the vegetables brings out their natural sweetness and makes a delicious and flavourful soup.

Print

Ingredients

• 500G Sweet Potatoes, peeled and chopped into rough chunks (about 3-4 cm)
• 1 Butternut Squash, cut into chunks about the same size as the sweet potato (about 500G)
• 1 Large Red or brown Onion, peeled and quartered
• 1 or 2 cloves garlic, unpeeled
• A few Sprigs of Fresh Thyme leaves stripped (you can also use fresh rosemary or sage)
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1/2 Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
• 1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
• 1.5 - 2 Litres Vegetable (or chicken) Stock
• Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/180Fan/400F.
2. Place the sweet potatoes, butternut squash, red onion, a few sprigs of fresh thyme and the garlic cloves if using in a roasting tin. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle over the ground nutmeg, cinnamon and a good grinding of salt and freshly ground back pepper. Roast for about 45 minutes -1 hour or until the vegetables are soft, caramelised and slightly charred around the edges.
3. Allow to cool slightly, then slip the garlic cloves out of their skins, Transfer the roasted veg to a large saucepan and add half the vegetable stock. Using a hand blender, blitz the soup until smooth. Add the rest of the vegetable stock and blitz again. Obviously if you have a proper blender, you can use that instead!
4. Taste the soup to see if you want to add any salt and pepper, then heat the soup gently for 5-10 minutes. Serve with a swirl of double cream/croutons if you like.

Notes

If fresh herbs aren't available, you can swap them for one teaspoon of their dried counterpart .

Herbs add extra flavour to the soup, but it can be made without them if necessary.

You can roast the vegetables in advance if you like - they will keep in the fridge for up to two days.

For a spicy kick, add 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of dried chilli flakes.

To cook the soup on the hob, gently sauté the onions for about 10 minutes or until soft and translucent. Add crushed garlic and sauté for two minutes, then add the spices. 

Add the cubed butternut squash, sweet potato and stock. Bring to the boil, turn down the heat to low-medium and simmer until the vegetables are soft, about 15-20 minutes. Blend the soup to desired consistency and season to taste. 

The cooked soup will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. The soup will thicken up, so you'll probably need to add a little water or stock when re-heating.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 128Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 595mgCarbohydrates: 22gNet Carbohydrates: 0gFiber: 4gSugar: 7gSugar Alcohols: 0gProtein: 2g

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