Savory Butternut Squash and Carrot Soup (Vegetarian and Vegan)

By
Jolinda Hackett
Jolinda Hackett
Jolinda Hackett has written five books about plant-based cooking and has developed hundreds of vegan and vegetarian recipes.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 12/2/22
Tested by
Diana Andrews
Headshot of Diana Andrews
Tested by Diana Andrews
Diana earned her B.A. in Fine Art at Queens College and her culinary certification from the Institute of Culinary Education. Diana has served as head recipe developer and editor for Emmy-nominated PBS series Moveable Feast, food editor and test kitchen manager at Fine Cooking Magazine, and recipe developer, and product tester at Food Network.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Three bowls of savory vegan butternut squash and carrot soup

The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 50 mins
Total: 65 mins
Servings: 4 to 6 servings
Yield: 8 cups
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
161 Calories
11g Fat
12g Carbs
6g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 161
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 11g 13%
Saturated Fat 2g 12%
Cholesterol 18mg 6%
Sodium 708mg 31%
Total Carbohydrate 12g 4%
Dietary Fiber 3g 10%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 6g
Vitamin C 9mg 46%
Calcium 71mg 5%
Iron 1mg 5%
Potassium 350mg 7%
*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.

"This wonderfully smooth and flavorful soup is packed with veggies that are puréed together to make a light but satisfying meal. The best part is that the soup is both vegetarian and vegan! I served the soup topped with croutons and with a side salad." —Diana Andrews

Savory vegan butternut squash and carrot soup garnished with croutons
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped

  • 4 cloves garlic, crushed

  • 4 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch pieced

  • 3 ribs celery, cut into 1-inch pieced

  • 2 small or 1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped

  • 5 cups vegetable broth

  • 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh sage, more for garnish, optional

  • 1/2 cup soy milk, or oat milk

  • Sea salt, or kosher salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for butternut squash and carrot soup gathered

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

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

    Oil heating in a pot

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

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

    Diced onion and minced garlic cooking in a pot with olive oil

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  4. Add the carrots and celery and cook for another 5 to 7 minutes.

    Carrots, celery, onions, and garlic cooking in a pot with a wooden spoon

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  5. Add the butternut squash and stir to coat the butternut squash with the oil. Add the vegetable broth and sage.

    Chopped butternut squash and vegetable broth added to vegetables in the pot

    The Spruce Eats / 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 35 minutes, or until the squash is soft.

    Butternut squash soup cooking in a pot

    The Spruce Eats / 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 in a pot

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

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

    Vegan butternut squash and carrot soup

    The Spruce Eats / 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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