The Best Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

A bowl of orange soup garnished with swirls of cream, pumpkin seeds, fresh herbs, and crumbles of cheese.

The Best Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Made with sheet-pan roasted vegetables, warm spices, and coconut milk, this roasted butternut squash soup is velvety, smoky, and naturally gluten-free. Crispy pancetta, fried sage, pumpkin seeds, and a swirl of sour cream turn every bowl into a cozy fall dinner.

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Keyword creamy butternut squash soup, roasted butternut squash soup

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1

Servings

Calories 353kcal

Author Julia

Ingredients

For the Soup

1 teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
2 tablespoons fresh sage minced
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves minced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 medium butternut squash halved lengthwise and deseeded
1 medium red bell pepper halved and deseeded
10 ounces cherry tomatoes
1 large carrot peeled
1 medium yellow onion peeled and quartered
2 heads garlic tops cut off
3 tablespoons olive oil
8 ounces pancetta cubed
8 fresh sage leaves
3-4 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth, divided
15 ounces coconut milk 1 (14-15 ounce can of coconut milk)

For the Garnishes

Fresh thyme leaves
pumpkin seeds Toasted
Sour cream for swirls
feta cheese Crumbled

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a small bowl, combine the smoked paprika, cumin, coriander, minced sage, thyme, salt, and pepper.
Roast the vegetables. Arrange the butternut squash, red bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, carrot, onion, and garlic (cut side up) on the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle evenly with the spice mixture. Rub the spices and oil over the vegetables to coat well.
Roast for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until tender and caramelized. If the butternut squash needs more time, remove the cooked vegetables and return the squash to the oven until browned and softened.
Crisp the pancetta. While the vegetables roast, heat a 5-quart Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook until crispy, about 8 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, leaving the drippings in the pot, and set aside.
Add the sage leaves to the hot drippings and fry for 15 to 30 seconds, or until crispy and the sizzling sound subsides. Transfer to the plate with the pancetta. Turn off the heat.
Blend the soup. Once the roasted vegetables have cooled slightly, scoop out the butternut squash flesh and squeeze the roasted garlic cloves from their skins into a blender. Transfer all the vegetables to the blender with 1 cup of broth and blend until smooth (work in batches if needed).
Pour the purée into the Dutch oven with the remaining broth and coconut milk. Heat gently over low heat, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
Serve. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with pancetta, fried sage, fresh thyme, toasted pumpkin seeds, feta, and sour cream swirls.

Notes

I provide step-by-step photos below this recipe card if you need a visual guide.
Do I need to peel the butternut squash? No! I roast the squash in halves with the skin on. Once it's soft, the flesh scoops right out with a spoon, which is much easier than peeling a raw squash. See more tips on how to handle squash here.
Blend hot soup safely: Let the vegetables cool for 5 to 10 minutes first. Fill the blender no more than halfway, remove the center cap from the lid, and cover the opening with a folded kitchen towel. This lets steam escape safely. An immersion blender works too: add the vegetables and 1 cup of broth to the Dutch oven and blend right in the pot.
Soup Consistency: Start with 3 cups of broth total. Add the fourth cup only if you prefer a thinner soup.
Keep the garlic from burning: If the garlic starts to darken too much before the squash is done, take it off the pan early. You can also wrap the heads loosely in foil.
Don't skip the squeeze test on the garlic. The cloves should be soft enough to slide out of their skins. If they're still firm, give them another 10 minutes in the oven.
Gluten-free: This soup is naturally gluten-free. Check the labels on your pancetta and broth to be sure.
Dairy-free: The soup itself is dairy-free. Skip the feta and sour cream, or use dairy-free yogurt for the swirl.
Vegetarian: Use vegetable broth, skip the pancetta, and fry the sage leaves in 2 tablespoons of olive oil instead.
This is a savory version of butternut squash soup. If you need to add some sweetness, go right ahead! Regular white sugar, honey, brown sugar, agave, or maple syrup are all great choices. A little ginger helps add some sweetness as well. For other variations, see my Variation Section. For serving suggestions, see my Serving Ideas.
Special Tools: Rimmed Baking Sheet | Parchment Paper | 5-Quart Dutch Oven | Slotted Spoon | Blender (or Immersion Blender) | Measuring Cups | Measuring Spoons | Knife | Cutting Board

Storage, Reheating, Freezing, Make-Ahead

Make Ahead Instructions: Roast the vegetables up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate them. Blend and warm the soup when you're ready to serve. Or, the whole soup (without toppings) can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored in the refrigerator. Reheat gently over low heat, adding a splash of broth if it has thickened. Store the pancetta and fried sage separately and re-crisp the pancetta in a skillet before serving.
Storage: Refrigerate the soup (without garnishes) in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Store the pancetta and sage separately and re-crisp them in a dry skillet. The soup thickens as it chills, so add a splash of broth when you reheat it over medium-low heat.
Freezing: Cool completely and freeze the soup (without toppings) in airtight containers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat gently and whisk to bring the texture back together.

Nutrition