Apple Butternut Squash Soup

Creamy Apple Butternut Squash Soup is packed with fall flavour from sweet apples, squash, and sage. Perfect for cosy dinners or Thanksgiving.

This Apple Butternut Squash Soup is creamy, comforting, and full of the best fall flavours. Sweet Honeycrisp apple pairs beautifully with tender butternut squash, fresh sage, nutmeg, and ginger for a soup that is savoury, slightly sweet, and wonderfully warming.

It’s a lovely choice for a cosy weeknight dinner, but it also works beautifully as a starter for Thanksgiving or another fall gathering. The vegetables simmer until tender, then everything is blended until silky smooth, with a splash of heavy cream adding just the right amount of richness.

Tips for the Best Apple Butternut Squash Soup

• Make it your own: A little crème fraîche, crispy sage, freshly ground pepper, croutons, or chopped bacon makes a delicious finishing touch.
• Cut the squash into similar-sized pieces: This helps everything cook evenly and ensures the vegetables are tender at the same time.
• Don’t rush the simmer: The squash, apple, and other vegetables should be completely fork-tender before blending for the smoothest texture.
• Taste before serving: Depending on the sweetness of your apple and squash, you may want to adjust the salt or spices slightly.
• Blend until completely smooth: An immersion blender makes this particularly convenient, but a high-speed blender works too. If using a standard blender, work in batches and be careful with the hot soup.
• Add the cream at the end: Stir the heavy cream in after cooking rather than boiling it with the soup.

About the Equipment Needed to Make Soup

• Large pot – I used a 3 ½ quart dutch oven. The ceramic base is great for sautéing the vegetables at the start of the soup. A large stockpot would work well too.
• Blender – Use a blender or immersion blender for a smooth apple butter. I have been using a Blendtec blender for over 10 years now, and it is used on a constant basis, but the immersion blender is so handy for blending soup.

Ingredients & Substitutions

• Heavy cream: Adds richness and creaminess. Canned coconut milk or coconut cream can be used for a dairy-free version.
• Olive oil and butter: Used to sauté the vegetables and add richness. For a dairy-free or vegan version, use additional olive oil instead of butter.
• Butternut squash: Fresh or frozen pre-chopped squash both work. Sweet potato can also be used as a substitute, although the flavour will be slightly different.
• Onion: Yellow onion is ideal, but white onion works well too.
• Carrot: Adds a subtle natural sweetness. You can increase the amount if you enjoy a sweeter vegetable flavour.
• Garlic: Fresh minced garlic gives the best flavour, but you can adjust the amount to taste.
• Honeycrisp apple: Honeycrisp gives the soup a lovely balance of sweetness and acidity. Granny Smith can be used for a more tart flavour.
• Fresh sage: The sage adds an earthy flavour that works especially well with the squash and apple. Dried sage can be used if needed, but start with a smaller amount.
• Nutmeg and ginger: These warm spices give the soup its cosy fall character. Add a pinch of cayenne if you like a little heat.
• Chicken broth: Use low-sodium chicken broth as written, or substitute vegetable broth for a vegetarian soup.

What to Serve with Apple Butternut Squash Soup

This soup makes a lovely light meal with a slice of crusty sourdough or whole wheat bread. For a heartier dinner, serve it alongside a sandwich, grilled cheese, or a fall-inspired salad.

It also makes an excellent first course for Thanksgiving or another holiday dinner. Serve smaller portions topped with crème fraîche and fresh sage before the main meal.

For more fall flavour, try serving it alongside my Roasted Butternut Squash & Apple Salad, which pairs beautifully with the sweet and savoury flavours in this soup.

Frequently Asked Questions

Storage and Reheating

• Refrigerate: Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4–5 days.
• Freeze: Let the soup cool completely, then freeze in airtight containers or freezer-safe bags for up to 3 months. Leave a little room for expansion.
• Reheat: Warm gently in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through. You can also reheat individual servings in the microwave in 30–60 second intervals, stirring between each.
• If the soup thickens: Add a splash of chicken broth or water while reheating until it reaches your preferred consistency.

More Butternut Squash Recipes to Try

If you love butternut squash, try these next:

Roasted Butternut Squash with Brown Sugar & Herbs is a simple fall side dish with beautifully caramelized squash and plenty of warm flavour.

Roasted Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad combines roasted squash with goat cheese, cranberries, and a homemade lime-soy dressing.

Broccoli Cheddar Soup is another creamy, comforting soup that’s perfect for chilly days.

Apple Butternut Squash Soup

Yield: 4 servings | Prep Time: 30 minutes | Cook Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil
• 1 tablespoon (14 g) salted butter
• 2 pounds (907 g) butternut squash, peeled, seeded and chopped
• 1 medium yellow onion (about 150 g), diced
• 1 large carrot (about 100 g), peeled and chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large Honeycrisp apple, peeled, cored and chopped
• 1 tablespoon (about 3 g) fresh sage, minced
• 1 teaspoon (5 g) salt
• ½ teaspoon (1 g) ground nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon (1 g) ground ginger
• 3 cups (710 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
• ½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream
• Crème fraîche and fresh sage, for serving (optional)

Directions

1. Sauté the vegetables.
   Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and butter.

1. Cook the onion and carrot.
   Add the diced onion and carrot. Sauté for about 3 minutes, until softened. (Image 1)
2. Add the squash.
   Stir in the chopped butternut squash. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 10–15 minutes, until the squash has softened.
3. Add the garlic.
   Uncover the pot and stir in the minced garlic. Increase the heat to medium and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant. (Image 2)
4. Add the apple and spices.
   Stir in the chopped apple, salt, fresh sage, nutmeg, and ginger. (Image 3)

1. Simmer.
   Pour in the chicken broth and bring the soup to a simmer. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook for 20–25 minutes, or until all of the vegetables and apple are completely fork-tender. (Image 4)
2. Add the cream.
   Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the heavy cream. (Image 5)
3. Blend until smooth.
   Use an immersion blender to blend the soup directly in the pot until smooth and creamy. If using a high-speed blender, blend carefully in batches. (Image 6)

1. 9. Garnish and serve.
   Ladle the soup into bowls and top with crème fraîche and fresh sage leaves, if desired. Serve warm. (Images 7 & 8)

Recipe Notes

For a vegetarian or vegan version: Use vegetable broth. For a vegan soup, replace the butter with olive oil and the heavy cream with coconut milk or coconut cream.