Savory Butternut Squash and Carrot Soup (Vegetarian and Vegan)

Written by
Jolinda Hackett
Jolinda Hackett has written five books about plant-based cooking and has developed hundreds of vegan and vegetarian recipes.
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Jolinda Hackett
Updated 05/09/21
Three bowls of Savory butternut squash and carrot soup (vegetarian and vegan)

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 35 mins
Total: 45 mins
Servings: 5 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
193 Calories
13g Fat
14g Carbs
7g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 5
Amount per serving
Calories 193
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 13g 16%
Saturated Fat 3g 14%
Cholesterol 22mg 7%
Sodium 850mg 37%
Total Carbohydrate 14g 5%
Dietary Fiber 3g 12%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 7g
Vitamin C 11mg 55%
Calcium 85mg 7%
Iron 1mg 7%
Potassium 420mg 9%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This silky-smooth butternut squash and carrot soup is vegetarian and vegan, making it a great recipe for families and friends with varied diets. Fresh butternut squash (you can use frozen, but it won't be quite the same) is combined with carrots, vegetable broth, garlic, celery, and fresh chopped sage, as well as a bit of soy milk to make it nice and creamy.

This squash and carrot soup is ideal for a fall lunch or a light dinner. Serve topped with croutons or with warm multigrain bread, and a spinach salad or roasted Brussels sprouts to round out the meal.

If you need this soup to be gluten free, just be sure to use a homemade or gluten-free vegetable broth—all of the other ingredients are completely gluten free.

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Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • 1 onion (diced)

  • 4 cloves garlic (minced)

  • 4 carrots (sliced)

  • 3 ribs celery (diced)

  • 2 small or 1 large butternut squash (peeled and chopped)

  • 5 cups vegetable broth

  • 2 tablespoons fresh sage (chopped), plus more for garnish if desired

  • 1/2 cup soy milk, or oat milk

  • Sea salt, to taste, (or kosher salt)

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for butternut squash and carrot soup

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  2. In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat.

    Heat the oil in a pot

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  3. Sauté the diced onion and minced garlic in the olive oil until the onion turns soft, about 3 to 5 minutes.

    Sauté the diced onion and minced garlic in a pot with olive oil

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  4. Add the sliced carrots and celery and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes.

    Cook carrots and celery with the onion in the pot

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  5. Add the chopped butternut squash and stir just to coat the butternut squash with the oil. Pour in the vegetable broth and chopped fresh sage.

    Add the chopped butternut squash and vegetable broth to the vegetable mixture in the pot

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  6. Cover and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat to a slow simmer and allow the soup to cook for at least 25 minutes, or until the squash is soft.

    Butternut squash soup cooking in a pot

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  7. Puree the soup in a food processor or blender, or use an immersion blender.

    Butternut squash soup pureed with an immersion blender

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  8. Stir in the soy or oat milk. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

    Vegan butternut squash and carrot soup

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Use Caution When Blending Hot Ingredients

Steam expands quickly in a blender and can cause ingredients to splatter everywhere or cause burns. To prevent this, fill the blender only a third of the way up, vent the top, and cover with a folded kitchen towel while blending. Repeat with the remaining soup.

Tip

If you are apprehensive about peeling and cutting the butternut squash into cubes, you can roast it ahead of time. This will allow you to simply pull off the skin and easily cut up the squash. Roasting will also deepen its flavor, adding another layer to this soup. Just cut the butternut squash in half, scoop out the seeds using an ice cream scoop, and then roast in a 400 F oven until tender and starting to turn golden.

Variation

This soup will also work with kabocha squash, sweet potatoes, and other sweet-fleshed orange squashes or root vegetables.

How to Store and Freeze Butternut Squash and Carrot Soup

This soup will keep for four to five days in the refrigerator. Simply reheat over medium-low heat in a saucepan, or in the microwave for a minute or so. Add water or stock if necessary to thin it out.

You can also freeze the soup in serving-size containers (so you defrost only what you need), defrost in the fridge overnight, and then reheat on the stovetop or microwave. Frozen, the soup will keep up to three months.

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