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Hello! I’m Anjali. I’m a board certified health coach, author, wife, mom and food lover from the SF Bay area (now living in Seattle, WA!); with a passion for delicious food and a desire to make healthy eating easy, tasty and fun! Learn more about me here and stay for a while!

Anjali Shah

Butternut Squash Bisque

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Easy butternut squash bisque made with autumn spices is comforting, satisfying, and has a dynamic depth of flavor. Thanks to the creamy texture, it is a perfect soup for those cold days during the fall and winter months. It’s also naturally gluten-free, vegetarian, and can easily be made into a vegan butternut squash soup too!

Butternut squash bisque, served in a white bowl, garnished with pumpkin seeds and a drizzle of cream.

Butternut squash is the perfect addition to soup recipes! It has a soft texture and slightly sweet taste that pairs well with so many spices and veggies. In this recipe, you’ll blend together fragrant ingredients like garlic, onion, nutmeg, and squash for a creamier soup with the perfect balance of flavors. 

If you have been looking for the perfect fall soup, give this butternut squash bisque recipe a try! It is the dreamiest variation of pumpkin soup, with a minimal ingredients list and minimal prep time.

From start to finish, you’ll be sitting down with this healthy butternut squash soup in just 45 minutes.

It’s the perfect soup to share at your Thanksgiving meal, or enjoy all winter long, and will quickly become your newest favorite recipe!

👩🏽‍🍳 Why You’ll Love This Butternut Squash Bisque

  • Perfect Taste & Texture: This recipe for squash bisque has the perfect balance of squash flavor and creamy smooth texture. 
  • Filling: This is a hearty soup that will keep you feeling full and satisfied for hours, especially when paired with other tasty side dish recipes.
  • Meal Prep: Easily make a big batch of this delicious soup to last you through the week! You can also just make a double batch to have leftovers for the next day.
  • Easy To Customize: This creamy pumpkin soup can be adapted for just about any dietary needs! It’s already naturally gluten-free, so there’s no need to worry about swaps there, and can easily be made vegan too.

Latest Recipe Video!

🥘 Ingredients

This easy butternut squash bisque calls for simple ingredients that come together for the most flavorful soup. Here’s what you need:

Ingredients for easy butternut squash bisque recipe on a white background.
  • Olive Oil: Extra virgin olive oil is the best way to saute your veggies.
  • Onion & Garlic: Diced onion and garlic are classics for all your favorite soup recipes. You will love this addition for added flavor to this butternut squash recipe.
  • Butternut Squash: I prefer to use organic butternut squash for the healthiest option in this soup!
  • Carrots: Add an extra dose of health and creaminess with carrots! They blend up nicely and complement the taste of squash.
  • Vegetable Broth: Use vegetable stock or broth in this butternut squash puree soup.
  • Salt & Pepper: A half teaspoon salt and quarter teaspoon black pepper adds the perfect boost of flavor for this butternut squash soup recipe.
  • Nutmeg: Nutmeg is one of those subtle secret ingredients that packs a punch in this pumpkin butternut squash bisque.
  • Heavy Cream: To make this a creamy butternut squash soup, you’ll use heavy cream! A little goes a long way – so we’re able to make this soup really creamy without adding a ton of fat or calories. You can also make a butternut squash bisque without cream by swapping this for a plant based ingredient (see our substitution recommendations below).

🍲 Ingredient Substitutions

  • Oil: Use any oil you prefer for this butternut bisque recipe. Coconut oil or avocado oil are healthy options.
  • Veggies: Try other vegetables like shallots, sugar pumpkins, or sweet potatoes. Any combination will be delicious!
  • Broth: If you aren’t concerned with making this recipe vegetarian, you can use chicken broth or chicken stock.
  • Spice: You can try other spices like cinnamon or cardamom.
  • Cream: Make this butternut squash soup with half and half, any unsweetened nut milk or even cream cheese, instead of heavy cream. Coconut milk or coconut cream are can be a popular option for creamy vegan soup recipes.

🔪 How To Make Butternut Squash Bisque

Even if this is your first time making a squash or pumpkin soup recipe, you can feel confident in the kitchen. The immersion blender or food processor will be your best friend, making it super easy to puree the bisque. Here is how to make the best butternut squash bisque:

Saute Onion, Add Additional Vegetables: Heat the oil in a large pot, and saute onion until soft. Next add the garlic, diced butternut squash and carrots into the soup pot. Continue to sauté for another 2-3 minutes over medium heat.

Carrots, squash and onions cooking in a pot on the stove.

Boil, Then Simmer: Pour in the vegetable broth and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until the vegetable mixture is very soft, approximately 20 minutes. When the vegetables are fully cooked remove the pot from the heat.

Carrots, squash and onions and broth cooking in a pot on the stove.

Puree Soup: Using an immersion blender or a food processor, pureé soup until smooth.

Immersion blender blending butternut squash, carrots and veggies into a pureed soup.

Add Seasonings: Stir in the seasonings, nutmeg and cream.

Butternut bisque cooking in a pot on the stove.

Simmer Bisque & Serve: Heat the bisque over a low heat and bring to a gentle simmer for 3-4 minutes, stirring to prevent the bisque from burning. Do not boil as this will cause the bisque to split. Adjust seasoning to taste, adding extra salt or pepper if needed. Garnish and serve.

Butternut squash soup with heavy cream, cooking in a pot on the stove.

💭 Expert Tips

  • More Flavor: You can easily add more flavor to this squash bisque recipe by adding a bay leaf to the pot while the veggies simmer in the broth.
  • Cool Before Adding Cream: For the best butternut squash soup, do not add your cream to hot soup. Remove from heat and let it cool down a bit first. Adding dairy to any hot liquid will cause it to curdle.
  • Avoid Boiling: Do NOT boil the bisque after adding cream, as this will cause the bisque to split. You want to keep it on a low simmer.
  • Consistency: For the creamiest bisque, use heavy cream or coconut cream. If you use regular coconut milk or nut milks, the bisque won’t be as creamy and will be thinner. But if you like your soup thinner, then that is a good option!
  • Blend Only When Cooked Through: Before blending the squash with the hand blender to check to make sure the squash is cooked completely. Pierce it with a fork. If it pierces easily, and is soft, it is ready to blend. If you do not have an immersion blender or food processor, a high speed blender will work too!
  • Save Time: If you do not have a vegetable peeler or want to save time, you can use frozen squash and frozen carrots, or pre-cut squash and carrots – usually either in the fresh prepared foods section or frozen section!
  • Alternative Methods: This butternut squash puree soup can also be made in an instant pot, dutch oven, or slow cooker.

✔️ How To Cut A Butternut Squash

Cutting a butternut squash is tricky if you don’t have a good method. They are dense, round, and thick. But if you have a good strategy going into it and a sharp knife, you’ll have yourself a perfectly cut butternut squash with minimal effort!

  • Step 1: With a sharp knife cut off both the top and bottom of the butternut squash. 
  • Step 2: Using a vegetable peeler secure your squash in one hand, starting from the top peel down to the bottom all the way around. 
  • Step 3: Cut the squash in half lengthwise by standing it upright on your cutting board. It should be secure since the squash should have a flat bottom. 
  • Step 4: Using a spoon scrape out the seeds from the middle.
  • Step 5: Cut each half of the squash into another half making 4 quarters. Cut into 1 inch slices. 
  • Step 6: Stack the slices and cut again making 1 inch cubes.

📖 Variations 

  • Butternut Squash Apple Bisque: Add 1 apple to the mixture of veggies in the pot – saute and boil and follow the directions as written. Butternut squash bisque with apple is a fun way to add a little bit of sweetness and added flavor!
  • Coconut Butternut Bisque: Make this butternut squash bisque with coconut milk for a creamy soup with great flavor! Use coconut milk as a 1:1 replacement for the heavy cream. Use full fat coconut milk for the best consistency, and use light coconut milk or boxed coconut milk for a thinner soup. 
  • Cheesy Butternut Squash Soup: If you love broccoli cheese soup, try this soup out with that cheesy flavor too! You can add parmesan cheese or cheddar cheese as a garnish to the soup, and blend it into the soup as well.
  • Make It Spicy: To spice up this winter squash bisque try adding some cayenne pepper or dried red pepper flakes. For a different flavor, add in some curry powder!
  • Make It Sweeter: To add a touch of natural sweetness, try roasted butternut squash bisque. Roast the butternut squash in the oven until tender, before adding to the bisque. You can also add a touch of maple syrup or brown sugar.

🍽 Serving Suggestions

Enjoy this butternut squash bisque soup as your first course of a fall dinner! We love serving this soup with a variety of toppings including:

  • A drizzle of heavy cream or coconut cream makes a great topping for butternut squash soup
  • Fresh grated parmesan cheese or vegan parmesan
  • A dollop of yogurt, sour cream, or creme fraiche
  • Garnish with fresh herbs – like a little sprinkle of cilantro, chives, thyme, or even sage
  • Try nuts and seeds like pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds
  • Croutons, crackers, or paired with crusty bread or sourdough bread

For a simple yet filling lunch or dinner, enjoy this soup with a side salad like this beetroot and feta salad. If you are looking to serve this at a fall gathering, you can pair it with other fall recipes like:

🙌 Dietary Adaptations

This recipe for butternut squash bisque is gluten-free, vegetarian, and sugar-free. For a vegan butternut squash bisque, leave out the heavy cream or opt for a dairy-free alternative. Vegan options include vegan heavy cream, coconut cream, or coconut milk.

🫙 Storage Directions

This easy butternut squash soup recipe can be refrigerated or frozen and enjoyed later! Here is how to store and keep this butternut squash bisque:

  • To Store In The Fridge: Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
  • To Freeze: This soup freezes well! Store the butternut bisque in a freezer-safe container and place in the freezer for up to 1 month. Turn your soup into convenient grab-and-go meals by freezing it in individual servings. You can use quart-size freezer bags or freezer-safe glass containers to freeze soups. Keep in mind the soup will expand as it freezes so allow for space when freezing.
  • To Reheat: Allow soup to defrost ahead of time in the fridge, and then transfer to a pot to reheat on the stovetop. You can also microwave in a microwave safe bowl.

❓Recipe FAQs

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SOUP AND BISQUE?

Bisque is a type of soup that is thicker and creamier, typically made with cream. This French style of soup is commonly used with seafood (e.g. lobster bisque), but can also be a delicious way to enjoy vegetable soups. Many traditional butternut squash soup recipes call for heavy cream, just like this one does! You may also find that wine is called for in many bisque recipes, but we leave that out here to keep things simplified.

HOW HEALTHY IS BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP?

This butternut squash soup with heavy cream has a lot of healthy benefits! Butternut squash is high in vitamin C to support skin health and boost immunity. Eating this butternut squash soup will help you meet all your required daily values for vitamins and minerals! And while you might be unsure of the heavy cream, it actually is a great source of vitamin A, D, E, and K!

CAN YOU LEAVE BUTTERNUT SQUASH SKIN ON FOR SOUP?

No, you will need to peel butternut squash before adding it to this squash bisque soup. The first thing you’ll need to do is bake the butternut squash, as the raw squash would be more difficult to peel. Cut butternut squash the long way and place the two halves on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Once it is cooked through, peel and then cut the squash meat into small cubes.

WHY IS MY BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP GRITTY?

If your butternut squash bisque is gritty, it is likely that you did not cook the squash for long enough. It is important that the squash gets nice and soft, or else it will have a grainy texture after blending. You also want to make sure that you blend for long enough, whether you’re using a high-speed blender instead or a food processor.

Butternut squash bisque, served in a white bowl, garnished with pumpkin seeds and a drizzle of cream.

🥣 More Soup Recipes To Try!

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🎥 Watch How to Make It

https://youtu.be/Oho3eZXAfX8
Butternut squash bisque, served in a white bowl, garnished with pumpkin seeds and a drizzle of cream.
Print Recipe
5 from 21 votes

Butternut Squash Bisque

Easy butternut squash bisque made with autumn spices is comforting, satisfying, and has a dynamic depth of flavor. Thanks to the creamy texture, it is a perfect soup for those cold days during the fall and winter months. It's also naturally gluten-free, vegetarian, and can easily be made into a vegan butternut squash soup too!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Soup
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free, Vegetarian
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 192kcal
Author: Anjali Shah

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Heat the oil in a large pot, sauté the onion until soft.
  • Next add the garlic, diced butternut squash, and carrots.
  • Continue to sauté for another 2-3 minutes.
  • Pour in the vegetable broth and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until all vegetables are very soft, approximately 20 minutes.
  • When the vegetables are fully cooked remove the pot from the heat.
  • Using an immersion blender or a food processor, pureé the butternut bisque until smooth.
  • Stir in the seasonings, nutmeg and cream.
  • Heat the bisque over a low heat and bring to a gentle simmer for 3-4 minutes, stirring to prevent the bisque from burning. Do not boil as this will cause the bisque to split.
  • Adjust seasoning to taste and serve.

Notes

  • Soups are easy to make in large batches. So, double up on ingredients, grab a larger pot or a slow cooker to make more!
  • If you’d like to skip the step of preparing the butternut squash, I recommend buying pre-cut squash. I can easily find pre-cut butternut squash in the refrigerated or frozen vegetable section at Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods.
  • Before blending the squash with the hand blender to check to make sure the butternut squash is cooked completely. Pierce it with a fork. If it pierces easily, and is soft, it is ready to blend. 
  • Using a hand mixer blend until smooth and creamy. If you do not have a hand blender you can transfer the soup to a high speed blender. If you do blend it in a blender, be sure to return the soup to the stove to heat all the way through. 
  • Store leftover bisque in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
  • Turn your soup into convenient grab-and-go meals by freezing it in individual servings. You can use quart-size freezer bags or freezer-safe glass containers to freeze soups.  Keep in mind the soup will expand as it freezes so allow for space when freezing.
  • To add extra sweetness, roast the butternut squash until tender before adding to the bisque.
  • The cream can be substituted with half and half, canned coconut cream or any nut milk. Keep in mind if using nut milks the bisque won’t be as creamy and the consistency will be slightly little thinner.
  • To spice up this bisque, try adding some curry powder or dried red pepper flakes.
  • Adjust seasoning to taste.
  • Do NOT boil the bisque after adding cream as this will cause the bisque to split.

Nutrition

Calories: 192kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 848mg | Potassium: 562mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g

40 responses to “Butternut Squash Bisque”

  1. Butternut squash is coming into season, and this recipe is first on my list when we can get our hands on some! So excited to make this!5 stars

  2. Wow, this Butternut Squash Bisque is a game-changer! The flavors are so rich and comforting, it’s like a warm hug in a bowl. Your choice of spices really elevates the dish, and the texture is just perfect. Honestly, this is the kind of recipe that makes me excited for the fall season.5 stars

  3. I LOVE the idea of using Parm and thyme in this soup – what an interesting and delicious spin! I’m trying this recipe for sure!5 stars

  4. Really enjoyed reading througb this post. Loved the spoon and all the action shots – definitely the recipe I should try this winter!5 stars

  5. I am so ready to enjoy this soup this winter – it is perfect to warm up after cold days, and I can only imagine how flavorful it is!5 stars

  6. What a seriously delicious looking soup! I love that you can freeze it also. This looks fresh and tasty, can’t wait to try it!5 stars

  7. I made this tonight for a dinner party. This has more spices than the butternut squash soup recipe that I normally make and I loved it! The cinnamon added a really interesting flavor that I wasn’t expecting. Thanks for another great recipe!5 stars

    • Oh awesome!! I’m so glad you liked the added spices – cinnamon and butternut squash is one of my favorite combinations 🙂 Hope you had a great weekend Anna!

  8. Thanks, Anjali! This is what I’m making for Thanksgiving communal dinner on Sunday! What kind of bread would you serve it with?
    -Sagar5 stars

    • Hey Sagar!! Oh yay! I’m so excited you’re going to make this for Thanksgiving 🙂 I think this would go great with any crusty bread – like french bread, or a whole wheat baked loaf, or a garlic loaf, or even a ciabatta would be good. Let me know what you end up serving it with – I can’t wait to hear how people like it!

  9. This was DELICIOUS!!!! I’m newly married and I had my in-laws over for dinner and this was an absolute hit! The hardest part of this recipe is peeling the butternut squash, lol. Thanks for the recipe, I’ll be making it AT LEAST once a month!!5 stars

    • Yay!!! I’m so glad to hear that Amanada! The fact that this recipe was a hit with your new hubby (congrats btw!) and your in-laws just made my day 🙂 Btw – if you get a SUPER sharp vegetable peeler, it makes it a lot easier to peel the butternut squash. Or, you can have your hubby help you peel it, which is what I did!

      • Haha, yes I should get him in the kitchen to help. I’m about to try out another one of your recipes this week. Thanks again and all the best from a little town outside Toronto, Canada.

      • Hehe – Yay! Glad to hear it – hope you enjoy the next one you try, and please do keep in touch! 🙂

    • The soup sounds gloriously good, and clearly very healthy. It also seems gluten free, although you did not explicitly state this. Mentioning that is really helpful for us gluten allergy sufferers out there 🙂5 stars

      • Thank you so much! And yes – I do believe it’s gluten free, but I was hesitant to make that claim since I’m not a gluten free expert (a lot of things have gluten “hidden” in them). But with your vote of confidence, I will say that this is gluten free. Thanks again – one of my good friends has celiac disease, so I’m definitely empathetic to your situation! 🙂

      • That sounds very practical – caution is totally necessary with “hidden” gluten alas!

      • I know! It surprised me when I found out some of the foods that have gluten in them like Beer (which makes sense since it comes from wheat), soy sauce and some roasted nuts!

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