Vegan Butternut Squash Soup

Name: Vegan Butternut Squash Soup
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 1 lb butternut squash, peeled and chopped ((fresh or frozen)); 1 lb carrots, peeled and chopped; 1 apple, chopped ((use a sweet red apple such as gala or honeycrisp)); 1 pear, chopped; 3 cups vegetable broth; 1 can full fat coconut milk; 1 tbsp ground cinnamon; 1 tbsp vanilla extract; 1 tsp sea salt; 4 bay leaves

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This is the best vegan butternut squash soup recipe! It is rich and creamy and makes the perfect fall or winter comfort food. Easy to make with coconut milk, squash, pears and apples, this healthy soup is also dairy free, Whole30 and paleo.

A bowl of butternut squash soup garnished with fresh parsley and coconut milk.

Why you will love this recipe:

This dairy free butternut squash soup is so creamy and delicious.
This soup has the perfect flavour. You will love the unique taste which comes from the apples, pears and coconut milk.
It is so easy to make and uses easy to find ingredients.
This soup is made in one pot so the clean up is so simple and easy.
This healthy butternut squash soup is not only vegan but also gluten free, paleo, Whole30, vegetarian, SCD and GAPS.
It's made with no potatoes, no cream, no butter and no milk.
It freezes really well and makes great leftovers so it's a perfect meal prep option.
If you love soups you will also love vegan cream of mushroom soup!

Key ingredients and substitutions:

Butternut squash - fresh or frozen butternut squash can be used to make this creamy vegetarian butternut squash soup. There is no need to use roasted butternut squash for this recipe. Raw, uncooked squash is all you need.
Carrots - fresh carrots add both flavour, vitamins, and minerals to this healthy squash soup recipe.
Apples - apples add the perfect sweet flavour to this soup recipe without using any refined sugars.
Pears - pears are another fall fruit that add even more natural sweetness and flavour to this soup recipe.
Coconut milk - full fat coconut milk is the best type of coconut milk to make the creamiest butternut squash soup. It makes the soup so rich and creamy and gives the soup a nice sweet flavour. If you can't have coconut milk I would recommend using cashew milk, almond milk or oat milk instead.

Butternut squash health benefits:

Butternut squash is a healthy winter squash. It’s high in many vitamins and minerals, is low in calories, and is high in fiber. It's is especially high in vitamin A, vitamin C, and magnesium.

Butternut squash is also high in potassium which can help with blood pressure regulation, and the fiber in winter squash can help with blood sugar regulation. It also has a low glycemic index making it a great vegetable for those with diabetes.

How to make this recipe:

Step one:

First, chop all the fruits and vegetables.

Step two:

Then place all the ingredients into a large pot on the stove. Turn the burner onto medium heat and bring the ingredients to a boil.

Step three:

Once the ingredients are boiling, turn the heat down to low and let them simmer for approximately 30 minutes, until the fruit and vegetables are tender.

Step four:

Now turn off the burner and allow the ingredients to cool for a few minutes. Then use your immersion blender and blend the soup until it’s smooth. Then serve and enjoy!

Step by step directions for how to make vegan butternut squash soup on the stovetop.

Tips and variations:

If you like a thinner soup add an extra 1-2 cups of water or vegetable broth.
Use a sweet, red apple for this recipe such as a Gala apple, Pink Lady apple, Honeycrisp apple, Ambrosia apple etc.
Instead of using 1 apple and 1 pear, feel free to use 2 apples or 2 pears to sweeten this squash soup.
Add a little black pepper for a little extra heat.
If you don't have an immersion blender you can blend this soup in a high speed blender instead.

How to serve:

Top the soup with some fresh herbs like parsley, thyme or cilantro.
Add some sliced avocado or top the soup with crushed crackers.
Serve this soup with your favourite sandwich or side salad.
Turn it into a full meal by adding a protein such as cooked tofu or beans.

How to store:

Store any leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days.

This soup also freezes really well.

A large bowl of butternut squash soup topped with fresh cilantro and chili flakes.

Frequently asked questions:

Can you make butternut squash soup without potato?

You can easily make butternut squash soup without potato. Instead of potato you can use other ingredients such as carrots, apples, or pears to give butternut squash a delicious, rich flavour.

What kind of coconut milk is used for butternut squash soup?

Butternut squash soup is best made with full fat coconut milk. Low fat coconut milk has more water in it which doesn’t lead to the same rich and creamy texture and flavour that full fat coconut milk does.

How many calories are in vegan butternut squash soup?

The calories in soup will depend on the specific soup recipe and serving size, but one serving of this butternut squash soup recipe has only 239 calories making it a great low calorie soup recipe.

Do you peel the apple and pear?

You don't need to peel either the apple or pear before adding them to this soup. Once you blend the soup you won't notice, and the skin is full of vitamins and minerals so leaving them on makes this soup even healthier.

Other soup recipes you will love:

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