Spicy Butternut Squash Soup Recipe with Apple

When butternut squash hits the market, it means this butternut squash soup recipe is on repeat at my house.

I like this homemade version so much better than the store and restaurant versions. To begin with, I control the salt.

It's lighter on carbs too, full of fiber, and naturally sweetened with apples so there's no added sugar.

If you’ve got puree on hand, it’s ready in about 30 minutes. And I’ll show you an easy way to cook butternut squash whole.

P.S. This happens to be a vegan butternut squash soup recipe so EVERYONE can enjoy it!

Ingredients:

Here's what you'll need to make spicy butternut squash soup with apples:

• Butternut squash - Buy a gourd and follow our instructions for cooking it. Or, use fresh or frozen butternut squash cubes.
• Apple is the sweetener in this recipe, so select a sweet one. Gala, honey crisp, golden delicious, Ambrosia™, and Pink Lady® are all excellent choices.
• Onion and garlic cloves add savory flavor.
• Vegetable broth - We used a low-sodium veggie broth. Chicken broth can be used instead.
• Cinnamon and nutmeg are the main seasonings because they pair perfectly with butternut squash.
• Cayenne pepper makes this a spicy soup. And a little of this spice goes a long way. You don't have to add any. Or, you can double the amount for lots of heat!
• Black pepper and salt - Adjust the salt to taste based on the salt content in the broth.

Add a smidge of brown sugar or maple syrup if it's not sweet enough. I've never had to do this! And that's one of the reasons this is my favorite butternut squash soup recipe.

Please refer to the recipe card below for the full ingredient list and detailed instructions.

How to Puree Butternut Squash

The most effortless way to get puree for this soup is to cook whole squash in a slow cooker!

Place the entire (washed) gourd into a crock-pot. Don't peel it. Don't cut it. Don't add water. Simply put the lid on and cook the squash on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 5-6 hours. The squash is done when it's tender to touch with a fork.

Remove the seeds and scrape the flesh out of the gourd with a spoon, and it's ready to use in this soup.

Freeze any leftover squash to enjoy in recipes, like butternut squash muffins or butternut squash quesadillas.

Use the same easy process to cook spaghetti squash whole!

How to make Spicy Butternut Squash Soup

Use these pictures as a guide when making this recipe:

1. Use one of the methods above to cook butternut squash and remove the seeds. Once the squash cools, scrape the flesh into a bowl and measure the amount needed.
2. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat. Add diced apple and onion and saute for about 5 minutes or until the onion and apple soften. Add minced garlic and spices and continue sauteeing for about 1 minute more.
3. Add broth and squash puree to the pot. Bring the mixture to a near-boil, then let it simmer on low heat for approximately 10 minutes.
4. Remove from heat and puree with an immersion stick blender or in batches in a food processor until it reaches the desired consistency.

The yield is about 5 cups.

Storage

Double the batch of this butternut squash soup recipe. It freezes beautifully.

• Refrigerator: Store soup in an airtight container for about 3 days and reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.
• Freezer: Butternut squash soup with apple freezes beautifully. Place soup in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag, leaving about ½ inch at the top for expansion. We use individual portion containers so the soup will thaw quickly.
• Defrost: Place it in the refrigerator overnight and warm it on the stovetop or the microwave.
• Reheat from frozen: Cover the container and microwave on high for 1-2 minutes, stir, and continue cooking at 30-second intervals until hot. The exact timing depends upon the size of the container used.