This Butternut Squash Soup with Carrot and Ginger is what I make on repeat once soup season hits! As a dietitian, I love that one bowl is packed with fiber, vitamin A and antioxidants from all the colorful produce. It's as simple as roasting everything on a sheet pan and blending it up! Sweet squash, carrots and apple balance out the cozy kick from fresh ginger, so it tastes like fall in a bowl. 😊
Quick Look: Butternut Squash Soup with Carrot and Ginger
- 🧁 Serves: 4
- ⭐ Features: Fresh ✓ Healthy ✓ Creamy ✓
- ⌛️ Prep Time: 15 minutes
- 🍪 Cook Time: 45 minutes
- 🕑 Total Time: 60 minutes
- 👩🍳 Skill Level: Beginner
- 🏆 Why make THIS version? The incredible flavor for this soup comes from roasting the squash and carrots. And the best part is the rich nutrition it provides!
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Fall and winter soups are one of my favorite kinds of recipes to make, and I did multiple recipe tests until I had the approval from some of the pickiest eaters in my life for this one so I can't wait for you to make it in your kitchen too! If you're looking for more cozy ideas for the season, check out my collection of healthy fall recipes.
A delicious soup like this is an easy way to get in tons of nutrition during the colder months and is an easy way to get in vitamins and minerals that support your immune system. Plus, there's not much that beats cuddling up with a hot bowl of butternut squash soup! Bonus points for the velvety texture that comes from blending everything until it's smooth and creamy.
Serve this soup with a big spoonful of Greek yogurt, a handful of pumpkin seeds, and a slice of crusty bread or sourdough croutons. Feel free to add a can of white beans or cooked chicken for protein! Or serve it soup-and-salad style with a Fall Kale Harvest Salad made with roasted sweet potatoes, apples, quinoa, chickpeas, and pumpkin seeds.
If you love creamy roasted vegetable soups, try my Golden Soup with turmeric or Gouda Tomato Soup.
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Key Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
This easy Butternut Squash Soup with Carrot and Ginger is made with fresh ingredients. Below are some ingredient notes. Check the printable recipe card for measurements.
- Butternut Squash - butternut squash is the main ingredient in this soup. It's one of the sweetest winter squash varieties and great for soup. This recipe calls for a whole butternut squash. I usually peel and cut it myself, but if you want to save some time you can use pre-cut butternut squash. If you have leftover squash, make this savory butternut squash dinner with ground turkey.
- Carrots - carrots add extra sweetness to this soup. They also provide beta-carotene, which your body converts into vitamin A and is an important nutrient for eye and skin health.
- Ginger Root - spicy ginger adds a little zip to this soup. Ginger has anti-inflammatory properties and contains antioxidants. If you love the combination of carrots and fresh ginger, try my red lentil carrot ginger soup for another cozy one-pot option.
- Apple - I suggest using a crisp, sweet apple variety like Honeycrisp or Gala because they hold up well to cooking. But of course you can use any apple variety you like!
- Yellow Onion - aromatic yellow onion complements the sweetness of the butternut squash. It also provides an anti-inflammatory antioxidant called quercetin.
- Garlic - for this recipe, you'll roast the whole garlic bulb with the veggies on the sheet pan and then squeeze the slightly brown, roasted garlic cloves into the blender.
- Fresh Thyme - fresh thyme adds fall flavor. You can add sage leaves or rosemary too if you'd like. If you want to use dried herbs, use 1 teaspoon of dried thyme.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil - roasting vegetables in olive oil helps them caramelize in the oven. It also adds oleic acid, a monounsaturated fat that is good for overall health including brain health, hormone health, and heart health.
- Vegetable Broth - I use a low-sodium vegetable broth or vegetable stock to better control the saltiness. You can use low-sodium chicken broth, stock, or bone broth instead if you want.
- Coconut Milk - to make this soup creamy, add unsweetened coconut milk or another thick milk. This replaces heavy cream found in many soup recipes.
- Cinnamon
- Kosher Salt & Black Pepper
Recipe Variations
The best part about this recipe is that you can customize it to your taste. Below are some ideas.
- Spicy - if you like a spicy soup, add red pepper flakes or a dash of cayenne pepper.
- Heartier - if you want to make this soup heartier, add diced sweet potato or red bell peppers. Try this Sweet Potato Carrot Soup if you like the idea of a sweet potato soup.
- Creamier - if you're looking for an extra creamy texture for this butternut squash carrot ginger soup, add a can of white beans when you blend it. For another soup with white beans, try my Cauliflower White Bean Soup.
- Sweeter - the squash, apples, and carrots add natural sweetness. But if you want to sweeten it even more, add a tablespoon of maple syrup or brown sugar. Serve with a cinnamon stick on top!
How to Make Butternut Squash Soup with Carrot and Ginger
Below are the instructions for how to make this recipe with photos I hope are helpful!
Step 1 - Preheat oven to 400℉ (200°C). Line a baking sheet or sheet pan with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray. Peel the butternut squash, cut it in half lengthwise, and scoop out the squash seeds. Then dice the squash flesh into 1-2 inch sized pieces. Roughly chop the apple, carrots, and onion. Peel the ginger and strip the thyme leaves from the stem. Slice about ¼ inch off the top of the garlic bulb to expose the cloves.
Step 2 - Place the butternut squash, carrots, apple, onion, bulb of garlic, and ginger on the prepared baking sheet, making sure the garlic bulb is cut side up. Coat everything in the olive oil, cinnamon, fresh thyme, kosher salt, and black pepper. Bake in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes. Oven times will vary. The squash is done when it's easily pierced with a fork.
Step 3 - When the vegetables are done roasting, remove them from the oven and let them cool about 10 minutes. Add everything from the sheet pan to a high speed blender. When adding the garlic cloves, gently squeeze them out of their skins, being careful not to get the skins in the blender. Add 3 cups of the vegetable broth and the coconut milk. Blend everything until smooth using a spatula to push down the sides as needed.
Step 4 - To heat the soup, pour it into a large stockpot and heat on medium heat until it starts to bubble. Then lower to medium-low or low heat for another minute or two. If it's too thick, add 1 more cup of vegetable broth or a little water. Give it a taste and add more salt as needed.
Hint: if you don't have a high-speed blender, you can add the soup ingredients including the roasted vegetables, broth, and coconut milk to a large pot and use an immersion blender to blend it.
Mallory's Dietitian Tip!
Butternut Squash Soup is a double win: it's delicious and so nutritious it can help you meet your daily nutrition needs. It contains vitamin A, potassium, fiber, magnesium, and vitamin C.
Expert Tips
- When choosing a butternut squash, look for one that feels heavy for its size.
- Time-saving tip: If you want to save some time, feel free to use pre-cut butternut squash.
- Vent the lid of your blender if your veggies are still steaming hot when you blend them.
- Give it a taste and add more salt as needed at the end since broths can vary in seasoning.
- If you prefer a thicker soup, you can use a bit less broth. Add more broth if you want a thinner soup.
- This soup gets even better as it sits for a day or two so it's perfect for meal prep!
- Roasting the vegetables brings out their natural sweetness and adds so much flavor. If you love simple roasted vegetables, try these easy roasted carrots and cauliflower as another flavorful side dish.
Butternut Squash Soup with Carrot and Ginger FAQs
While healthy means something different to everyone, this is a nutrient-rich option. Butternut squash, carrots, apple, onion, garlic, ginger, and fresh thyme all provide a variety of vitamins and minerals, dietary fiber for a healthy gut, and antioxidants that support brain health and overall health!
Yes, this is a gluten-free recipe. Make sure the broth you use doesn't contain gluten.
Yes. This is a vegan butternut squash soup recipe.
You can find butternut squash at the farmers market or the grocery store in the produce section during the fall and winter months.
-Refrigerator - store cooled leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
-Freezer - let the soup cool to room temperature and store leftovers in freezer-safe containers or freezer-safe bags in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
-Reheat on the stovetop, on low heat in a slow cooker, or in the microwave.
More Vegetable Soup Recipes
Looking for other dietitian recipes like this? Try these:
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! I would love to hear from you! If you made this recipe, please leave me a review below or tag me in a photo or story on Instagram. Your reviews help support me and make it possible for me to continue to create the recipes you know and love. 🙂 IG: @mallorythedietitian
📖 Recipe
Butternut Squash Soup with Carrot and Ginger
Equipment
- 1 dutch oven or large pot
- 1 blender or emulsion blender
- 1 sheet pan (half sheet sized)
Ingredients
- 1 butternut squash (4 cups diced)
- 3 large carrots
- ½ a large apple
- ½ a medium yellow onion (or 1 small yellow onion)
- 1 bulb garlic
- 1 inch ginger root (or ⅓ teaspoon ginger powder)
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, leaves removed from stems (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
- 2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (more to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3-4 cups low sodium vegetable broth
- ½ cup unsweetened coconut milk (or milk of choice)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400℉ (200°C). Line a baking sheet or sheet pan with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray. Peel the butternut squash, cut it in half lengthwise, and scoop out the squash seeds. Then dice the squash flesh into 1-2 inch sized pieces. Roughly chop the apple, carrots, and onion. Peel the ginger and strip the thyme leaves from the stem. Slice about ¼ inch off the top of the garlic bulb to expose the cloves.
- Place the butternut squash, carrots, apple, onion, bulb of garlic, and ginger on the prepared baking sheet, making sure the garlic bulb is cut side up. Coat everything in the olive oil, cinnamon, fresh thyme, kosher salt, and black pepper. Bake in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes. Oven times will vary. The squash is done when it's easily pierced with a fork.
- When the vegetables are done roasting, remove them from the oven and let them cool about 10 minutes. Add everything from the sheet pan to a high speed blender. When adding the garlic cloves, gently squeeze them out of their skins, being careful not to get the skins in the blender. Add 3 cups of the vegetable broth and the coconut milk. Blend everything until smooth using a spatula to push down the sides as needed.
- To heat the soup, pour it into a large stockpot and heat on medium heat until it starts to bubble. Then lower to medium-low or low heat for another minute or two. If it's too thick, add 1 more cup of vegetable broth or a little water. Give it a taste and add more salt as needed.
- Hint: if you don't have a high-speed blender, you can add the soup ingredients including the roasted vegetables, broth, and coconut milk to a large pot and use an immersion blender to blend it.
Video
Notes
- When choosing a butternut squash, look for one that feels heavy for its size.
- Time-saving tip: If you want to save some time, feel free to use pre-cut butternut squash.
- Vent the lid of your blender if your veggies are still steaming hot when you blend them.
- Give it a taste and add more salt as needed at the end since broths can vary in seasoning.
- If you prefer a thicker soup, you can use a bit less broth. Add more broth if you want a thinner soup.
- This soup gets even better as it sits for a day or two so it's perfect for meal prep!
- Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-4 days or in the freezer in freezer-safe bags or containers for up to 3 months.
Rachel G
So delicious!! I forgot to add the apple, but it was amazing even without it. Definitely adding this to the cold weather dinner rotations 🙂
Mallory
Hi Rachel,
Thank you SO much for taking time to leave a comment! It truly means so much to me and I'm SO happy you enjoyed the soup!!! It's an honor to be added to your dinner rotation.🙂 I hope you have a great day. -Mallory
Roberta Mullen
I'm not great in the kitchen but I nailed it! Even my picky partner enjoyed it, thank you.
Mallory
Hi Roberta, thank you SO much for taking time to leave a review. I'm so happy that you and your partner enjoyed the recipe - it means so much to me! ❤️ Thank you again! -Mallory
Tamara
I made this delicious butternut squash soup for dinner last night. I made a few adjustments per the ingredients I had on hand. I did not add the apple so I added one more carrot, I used chicken stock instead of vegetable, and I didn't add all the suggested liquid as I like a thicker soup. I topped it with ground pepper and grated parmigiano reggiano. This is now my favorite butternut squash soup recipe. Can't wait to try more recipes from Mallory!
Mallory
Hi Tamara, Thank you SO much for taking time to leave a review. I'm SO happy that you enjoyed the recipe - it means so much to me! Those sound like great adjustments! ❤️ Thank you again! -Mallory
Elizabeth
Loved it! My husband had a renal transplant and we are looking for healthier meal options! Thanks for your insight!
Mallory
Hi Elizabeth,
Thank you SO much for taking time to leave a review. I'm so happy that you enjoyed the recipe and it means so much to me that I can be a resource for healthier meal options! I hope your husband is recovering well after his transplant. ❤️ Thank you again! -Mallory
Sarah
I made this soup tonight and it turned out sooooo good!!! I am trying to do more meatless meals and this one hit the spot. Thanks for sharing the recipe, keep 'em coming! 🙂
Mallory
Thank you so much for taking time to leave this review, Sarah! 🙂 I am so so happy to know that you loved the soup! Please come back for more recipes...I'll be posting them every week!