Autumn Squash Soup (Dairy Free, Vegan Option)

Name: Autumn Squash Soup
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 large sweet onion, chopped; Pinch of coarse salt; 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic (about 2 cloves); 2 12-ounce bag frozen squash; 1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree; 3 cups chicken or vegetable broth; 1 cup apple juice; 2 tablespoons brown sugar or honey; 1/2 teaspoon curry powder; 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon; 1 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt; 1/4 teaspoon black pepper; Roasted, salted pepitas (optional, for serving)

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Why I love this autumn squash soup recipe

Autumn squash soup is one of my favorite soups at Panera. It’s slightly sweet, rich and creamy. It’s the perfect fall soup, especially paired with a warm piece of crusty bread.

The only problem is that I don’t live at Panera, and, like so many of our fall favorites, it isn’t available year round. Obviously, this is a problem I decided to solve, and that’s why I’m sharing this amazing soup with you today.

I decided to make this soup in August though, so I was still dealing with the problem of sourcing squash before it was in season. After hitting up 2 grocery stores and Costco without finding any, I walked to the freezer section and grabbed a bag of frozen squash.

It ended up being a perfect choice, because it was already prepped and just needed to be tossed into the soup pot. Frozen squash was a regular in our baby food rotation, so I’m actually kind of mad I didn’t think of it sooner.

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overhead view of autumn squash soup in two small white bowls on a countertop next to a wood block with bread slices

Here’s what you’ll need to make it

Other than chopping the onion and measuring ingredients, there isn’t much prep involved in this soup, which automatically makes it my new favorite recipe.

But, the flavor of this soup takes the cake, too. It’s by far the best of the blended soups I’ve made in the past, and I’ve made my fair share, including this creamy pumpkin soup. Trust me, this is the best one, ever. The simplicity of making it only makes it better.

How to make butternut squash soup

Sauté the onions. Heat a large stockpot or Dutch oven to medium high and add some olive oil. Add the onions and garlic, and sauté them until the onions are soft and translucent.

Simmer the squash. Next, add the remaining ingredients. Cover the pot and bring it to a boil. Then reduce the heat to a simmer and let the squash cook until tender and heated through. This should take about 15 minutes.

Puree the soup. You can do this in a blender or food processor, but I prefer to just use an immersion blender because it makes cleanup a little easier. Just blend until smooth.

Garnish and serve. Top your squash soup with roasted, salted pepitas (pumpkin seeds) before serving. We love a warm baguette or some crackers with ours, but the soup is great on it’s own.

FAQS and tips for making vegan squash soup

What can I add to squash soup?

This squash soup recipe has a bit of apple cider in it for added sweetness, as well as a hint of cinnamon and curry powder for added flavor. You can also add a little bit of brown sugar or honey to your soup.

Can you freeze butternut squash soup?

Yes. This soup freezes really well! In fact, we like to make a double batch just to have some on hand whenever we’re in a pinch. Just put it in an airtight container and freeze for up to 6 months.

How do you thicken squash soup?

You shouldn’t need to thicken this soup because the blended squash and pumpkin make it nice and thick, but if you need to, I suggest using your favorite thickener (flour, cornstarch, arrowroot) dissolved in water. They will take about 5 – 10 minutes of cooking to thicken the soup.

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