Vegan Butternut Squash Soup

I love this butternut squash soup because of its sweet and smoky flavors, reminiscent of Southeast Asian curries. I added some extra garnishes to add freshness and a little heat to this comforting vegan-friendly soup.

This butternut squash soup was created in my kitchen one evening, with leftovers I had in the fridge. I was looking to make something low in calories and fat, and high in flavor and comfort. Instead of going the classic route of using dairy ingredients such as butter, milk, and cream, I opted to leave them out since I thought cooked butternut squash was already creamy enough on its own. And instead of just using salt as a seasoning, I also used a little miso paste to infuse the soup with some umami and earthiness.

The soup came out tasting so delicious that I had to add it to the blog! What I also like about it is that it doesn’t take any extra time to make a big pot of it. This means that I can eat it for a few days as an appetizer or part of meal, with a sandwich, or a salad.

Butternut Squash Soup Ingredients

• Extra virgin olive oil: Olive oil has a subtle floral taste I really love pairing with this butternut squash soup. But feel free to use other oils such as grapeseed or vegetable oil.
• Garlic: You will need two cloves of garlic, minced, to make this soup. The garlic adds a little sweetness and a lovely aroma.
• Onion: One chopped onion to add some sweetness and a slight pungent element.
• Celery: A couple of stalks to lighten up the soup and give it a refreshing taste.
• Butternut squash: The main ingredient of this soup! Look for a heavy butternut squash that is uniformly beige. Use your knuckles to tap it and if the sound is hollow, it means you have a ripe and delicious butternut squash in your hands.
• Vegetable stock: Vegetable stock or you can also use water and a little salt.
• Miso paste: I recommend using either white or awase miso paste. Red miso paste tends to have a very salty and bitter taste and it simply won’t marry as well as the other miso paste for this soup.
• Sriracha sauce: The sriracha sauce is used to flavor the diced squash that will be used as a topping. It adds a hot, spicy, and peppery element.
• Cilantro: Chopped cilantro is also used as a topping to lighten up this potage. However, if you don’t like cilantro you can completely omit it.

Ingredient Variations

For the first time attempting this recipe, I highly encourage you to try this recipe as is. However, next time you’re feeling like trying something new, there are always different ways to take that leap in the kitchen. Here are several popular ingredients that can be found in similar recipes:

• Fresh ginger adds a little heat and a refreshing element.
• Black pepper will kick up the heat and spice levels.
• Pumpkin seeds as a topping adds a nice crunch.
• Other fresh herbs such as fresh parsley or fresh sage add a French countryside flair to the soup.

To make the soup creamier you can add a little full fat coconut milk, or heavy cream, for non-vegans. For non-vegans, swapping vegetable broth for chicken broth also works.

How to Make Butternut Squash Soup

Scroll all the way down to the recipe card for the full recipe.

1. Gather all of your kitchen tools and ingredients.
2. Peel the butternut squash and carefully (don’t cut yourself!) slice it in half, lengthwise. Use a spoon to scrape off the seeds and chop the squash into bite size pieces.
3. Take four pieces of the chopped squash and dice them. Put them in a bowl and set aside.
4. In a large pot over medium high heat, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil along with the garlic, onion, and celery. Stir and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until onions are translucent.
5. Stir in the butternut squash, veggie broth, and miso paste, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low (bubbling simmer), cover with a lid, and cook for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the squash is tender.
6. Use a hand mixer to blend the soup until it’s smooth, or transfer the soup to a blender and blend until smooth.
7. Follow the instruction in the recipe card to make the spicy glazed sriracha squash cubes.
8. Top with cilantro and cubed sriracha squash and serve.

When is Squash in Season?

Squash, also called summer squash, might lead one to believe it can primarily be found in the summertime. However, it should be available all year around at your local grocery store. If you garden your own vegetables, they will be in their prime come summer time, hence its namesake.

As for when this soup should be eaten, you can really eat it any time of the year!

This is definitely one of my fall favorites because the weather is finally getting a little bit cooler. It’s also a great idea to keep this soup in mind for when you’re sick! The vitamins will leave you replenished and the spice should open your nasal passages. This will make a great addition to a night of grilled cheese sandwiches too. It’s hard not to love dipping crunchy bread into a creamy butternut squash soup that’s full of so much flavor!

Frequently Asked Questions

More delicious squash recipes:

• Butternut squash and tomato penne
• Eggplant and kabocha squash gratin
• Spaghetti squash alfredo
• Kabocha squash simmered in dashi
• Sweet potato and butternut squash puree

Did you like this soup? Are there changes you made that you would like to share? Share your tips and recommendations in the comments section below!

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