Apple Butternut Squash Soup

A delicious, healthy soup perfect for chilly fall days. This easy apple butternut squash soup recipe is perfect for Thanksgiving dinner!

Fall is in the air and that can only mean one thing – soup season! This delicious Apple Butternut Squash Soup is perfect for chilly days, and full of all the best fall flavours.

Creamy butternut squash blended with Honeycrisp apple and spiced with ground nutmeg, ginger, and fresh sage will keep your kitchen smelling amazing and your bellies full!

It’s easy to make too. Just chop up the fresh produce, and cook them in a pot, then blend everything together until it’s smooth. Top with some croutons or bacon for extra flavour, and you’ll have a simple soup that everyone will love.

If you’re looking for a delicious, easy soup recipe to add to your rotation, this comforting butternut squash soup is a great option. With only minimal prep time, it’s perfect for busy weeknights or even as a holiday meal starter. Plus, the sweet and savoury flavors are sure to please everyone in your family.

So if you’re looking for a cozy soup to warm up with, be sure to try this one.

Why You Will LOVE This Soup

• It’s healthy and just bursting with fresh fruit, vegetables and herbs.
• Deliciously savoury with the perfect amount of sweetness
• Super easy to make
• Fall flavours – squash, apples, and warm spices!
• Thick and creamy butternut squash soup
• Satisfying without being too heavy
• Can be made vegan or vegetarian
• Naturally gluten-free

Why Add Apple To Butternut Squash Soup?

The sweetness of the apple balances out the natural sweetness of the butternut squash, and the acidity from the apple helps to brighten up the soup. The texture of the apple also helps to thicken the soup slightly. I think you will find that the addition of apple to your butternut squash soup really turns it into something special.

If you don’t have an apple on hand, you can leave it out of the recipe or swap in roasted cauliflower. The soup will still be delicious!

What to Serve with Apple Butternut Squash Soup

This soup is best served with a hearty bread, like a sourdough or whole wheat. It also goes well with an autumn salad, like this roasted butternut squash and apple salad.

This soup can also be served as a first course for a larger meal. Serve the soup in small cups or bowls for an appetizer on Thanksgiving, and follow with roasted turkey. Add some roasted Brussels sprouts or sweet potatoes on the side for a complete festive meal.

If you are looking for a vegetarian meal, this soup can be served with grilled tofu or tempeh.

For a gluten-free meal, serve the soup with quinoa or brown rice.

How to Garnish Apple Butternut Squash Soup

You can garnish this soup in a variety of ways! We recommend creme fraiche for a hint of tartness as well as a bit more creaminess along with some extra sage leaves.

Of course, you should garnish to suit your own preferences. Try some of these garnishes instead!

• Pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
• Sour cream
• Heavy cream
• Nutmeg
• Freshly ground pepper
• Crispy chopped bacon
• Homemade croutons

You can also crisp up the sage for a bit of delicious texture. To make crispy sage, heat a little olive oil in a skillet, then add sage leaves in a single layer. Cook for only about 30 seconds, then remove to a plate lined with paper towels and sprinkle with salt to taste.

Another tasty option is to skip the garnish and serve with grilled cheese sandwiches or a buttered slice of crusty bread instead.

Variations on Apple Butternut Squash Soup

Vegetarian soup – Switch out the chicken broth for veggie broth.

Vegan soup – Omit the butter at the start of the recipe, switch the chicken broth for a vegetable broth, and switch the heavy cream for coconut cream.

Make it cheesy – Stir in 2 cups of shredded old cheddar cheese at the end of cooking until fully incorporated for a savoury twist.

Roasted butternut squash soup – Use roasted butternut squash instead of boiling it for a more complex flavoured soup.

How to Store Leftover Squash Soup

You can store any extra soup in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. Allow the soup to cool to room temperature before storing.

For longer term storage, allow the soup to cool to room temperature and then store in a sealed, freezer-safe container for up to three months.

To reheat the soup, run the container under hot water to loosen the soup and then reheat in the microwave or in a pot on the stovetop.

About the Equipment Needed to Make Soup

• Large pot – I used a 3 ½ quart dutch oven. The ceramic base is great for sauteing 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 almost 10 years now, and it is used on a constant basis, but the immersion blender is so handy for making apple butter.

About the Ingredients for Apple Butternut Squash Soup

This easy butternut squash soup recipe is made with fresh but simple ingredients:

Olive oil and butter – The olive oil and butter are there to saute the onion and carrots as well as add to the richness of the flavours. Use all olive oil if this needs to be a vegan soup.

Butternut squash – You can use either pre-chopped butternut squash (frozen or fresh) or buy a whole fresh butternut squash and peel and chop it yourself. Chop the butternut squash to roughly 1-inch pieces. Frozen squash will take closer to 15 minutes to soften and fresh will take closer to 10 minutes. Sweet potato is a good substitute as far as flavour and texture.

Onion – Yellow onion will work best for this recipe, but you can also use white onion. One medium onion should give about 1 ½ – 2 cups diced onion.

Carrot – The carrot adds a subtle sweetness to the soup. You could easily double the amount of carrot for a little extra! One large carrot should give about ½ cup diced carrot.

Garlic – Feel free to measure the garlic with your heart. The amount listed tasted best when we were testing, but you can definitely adjust to your preference. 4 cloves of fresh garlic is equivalent to about two tablespoons minced garlic.

Apple – Honeycrisp apples works really well in this soup. It blends in with the butternut squash, carrots, and spices without dominating the taste. For a strong apple flavor, try doubling the amount of apple used. For a more tart apple profile, use Granny Smith apples instead of Honeycrisp. One large apple is about 2 ½ cups chopped apple.

Seasonings – Fresh sage, ground nutmeg, and ginger will have the kitchen smelling of winter spices. The combination is heavenly and the salt will help all the spices pop against the creamy soup. Feel free to add a pinch of cayenne pepper for a bit of a kick. You could also substitute a little curry powder for the nutmeg and ginger.

Broth – We used a chicken broth, but this soup would be delicious with vegetable broth as well.

Heavy cream – This really enhances the creaminess of the soup. For a vegan option, use canned coconut milk instead as it will preserve the creamy texture of the soup better than thinner dairy free milks.

Garnish – You can enjoy the soup as is, or top it with some creme fraiche and extra sage leaves. Feel free to grind some fresh black pepper over the soup as well.

Looking for More Butternut Squash Recipes?

Check out more of my favourite recipes made with butternut squash!

A beautiful salad that’s perfect for fall, this Roasted Butternut Squash & Apple Salad recipe features candied pecans and feta cheese.

Roasted butternut squash with brown sugar and herbs is a tasty side dish for any fall menu. You will love this perfectly caramelized squash!

Roasted Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad with goat cheese, cranberries and other drool worthy ingredients tossed in a delectable homemade lime-soy dressing!

Craving soup? Get your pot ready and make the most delicious, comforting broccoli cheddar soup ever. It’s easier than you think!

How to Make Apple Butternut Squash Soup

Yields: 4 Servings | Prep Time: 30 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon salted butter
• 2 pounds chopped butternut squash
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 large carrot, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large Honeycrisp apple, cored and chopped
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh sage
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• Creme Fraiche, for topping, optional
• Fresh sage leaves for garnish, optional

Directions:

Heat a large pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat, and add the olive oil and butter.

Add the onion and carrot and saute until soft, about 3 minutes.

Add in the cubed butternut squash, cover, and turn heat to low. Allow to cook until squash is softened, 10 -15 minutes.

Uncover the pot and add in garlic. Turn heat up to medium, stir to distribute the garlic throughout the squash, and cook for one minute, until fragrant.

Stir in the apple, salt, sage, nutmeg, and ginger.

Pour in broth and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, cover and turn heat to medium-low. Allow to cook for 20 to 25 minutes, until everything is fork tender.

Turn off heat and uncover. Stir in heavy cream.

Blend with an immersion blender or high-speed blender (you may have to work in batches if using a high-speed blender) until smooth and uniform in consistency.

Top with a swirl of creme fraiche and garnish with more sage leaves if desired, and serve warm.