Spicy Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Soup
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This creamy butternut squash and sweet potato soup is ready in just 30 minutes. It's easy to make, flavourful, and creamy.
You'll also love my butternut squash curry, this creamy butternut squash pasta, and this butternut squash gnocchi. And you'll want to explore my other soup and stew recipes!
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⭐️ Why this recipe works
- Flavour Depth: Roasting the butternut squash and sweet potatoes enhances their natural sweetness and adds a caramelised depth to the soup.
- Creamy Texture: Using full-fat coconut milk creates a rich, creamy texture without dairy.
- Spice Balance: A blend of cumin, cinnamon, and chilli powder provides a warm, slightly spicy flavour that complements the sweetness of the vegetables.
🧾 Ingredients overview
- Butternut Squash: Adds natural sweetness and a creamy texture.
- Sweet Potatoes: Contributes a subtle sweetness and a smooth consistency.
- Yellow Onion: Provides a savoury base flavour.
- Garlic: Adds aromatic depth.
- Olive Oil: Enhances the roasting process and adds a touch of richness.
- Coconut Milk: Makes the soup creamy and dairy-free.
- Ground Cumin: Adds warmth and earthiness.
- Cinnamon: Introduces a hint of sweetness and warmth.
- Chilli Powder: Adds a mild heat.
- Chilli Flakes: Provides an additional layer of spice.
For precise measurements and additional ingredients, refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
👩🏻🍳 Here's how to make it
Spicy Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Soup recipe step-by-step
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 190ºC (375ºF).
- Prepare the vegetables: Cut the butternut squash and sweet potatoes into large chunks (about 2 inches). Slice the onion into half-moons. Place all the vegetables in a roasting tin and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with cumin, cinnamon, and chilli powder.
- Roast the vegetables: Roast in the oven for about 30 minutes, until tender and golden around the edges.
- Transfer to saucepan: If roasting, transfer the roasted vegetables to a saucepan. If not roasting, cut the vegetables as described and place them directly in the saucepan.
- Cook the vegetables: Cover the vegetables with water or vegetable stock. Bring to a boil over high heat. Ensure the vegetables are completely cooked by inserting a knife into them.
- Blend the soup: Blend the soup until smooth. (See notes in the recipe card for blending tips.)
- Add coconut milk: Stir in the coconut milk and whisk to combine. Add chilli flakes and adjust seasoning. If needed, adjust the consistency by adding more water or vegetable stock.
- Serve: Swirl the reserved coconut milk on top and garnish with fresh chopped coriander.
📖 Variations
- Vegetables: Substitute carrots or pumpkin for butternut squash.
- Spices: Use nutmeg instead of cinnamon for a different warm flavour.
- Milk: Substitute almond milk or cashew cream for coconut milk if preferred.
- Heat Level: Adjust the amount of chilli flakes to control the spiciness.
- Herbs: Add fresh thyme or rosemary during cooking for an herbal note.
💡 Chef's Guide: Expert Tips
Drawing on a decade of experience in Michelin-starred kitchens and Cordon Bleu training, I have compiled my top tips for recipe success.
- Roasting Adds Flavour: Roasting the vegetables before blending enhances their natural sweetness and adds a rich, caramelised flavour to the soup.
- Blending Tips: For a smooth texture, use an immersion blender directly in the pot or transfer in batches to a high-speed blender.
- Thicken Naturally: If you prefer a thicker soup, reduce the amount of liquid used or simmer for a longer period of time.
🍯 Storing and reheating leftovers
- Fridge: Store the cooled soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: For longer storage, place the soup in a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reheat: To reheat, place the soup in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally until warmed through. You can also reheat in the microwave, stirring halfway through.
❓Recipe FAQ's
Can I make this soup in a slow cooker?
Yes, you can cook all the ingredients in a slow cooker on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours, then blend.
What if I don't have vegetable broth?
You can use water, but adding a bouillon cube will enhance the flavour.
What are some garnish ideas for this soup?
Garnish with chopped fresh herbs, toasted seeds, a swirl of coconut milk, or a sprinkle of paprika for added spice.
How can I make the soup more filling?
Add some cooked quinoa, rice, or lentils to make the soup more substantial.
How do I know when the vegetables are properly roasted?
The vegetables should be tender and golden brown around the edges when properly roasted. You can check by piercing them with a fork.
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Easy Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Soup
This butternut squash and sweet potato soup is a quick and delicious meal ready in just 30 minutes. It's creamy, flavourful, and easy to make—perfect for any meal. Roasting the vegetables is optional but recommended for added depth of flavour.
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Servings: 8 Servings
Ingredients
- 1 small butternut squash (about 700-900g or 2-3 cups), peeled and chopped
- 2 sweet potatoes (about 275g or 2 cups), peeled and chopped
- 1 yellow onion, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 400 ml (1 ½ cups) tin full fat coconut milk, reserve to tablespoons for serving
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin, *see notes
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon, *see notes
- ¼ teaspoon chilli powder, *see notes
- 1 teaspoon chilli flakes, *see notes
- 750 ml (3 cups) vegetable or chicken stock or water, *see notes
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Optional Roasting:
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 190ºC (375ºF).
- Prepare the vegetables: Peel and cut the butternut squash and sweet potatoes into large chunks (about 2 inches). Slice the onion into half-moons. Place all the vegetables and garlic cloves in a roasting tin and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with cumin, cinnamon, and chili powder and salt and pepper. *See notes
- Roast the vegetables: Roast in the oven for about 30 minutes, until tender and golden around the edges.
Cook the soup:
- If roasting, transfer the roasted vegetables to a medium saucepan. If not roasting, cut the vegetables as described and place them directly in the saucepan.
- Cook the vegetables: Pour in 4–6 cups (1–1.5 litres) of water or vegetable stock over the vegetables, ensuring they are fully covered. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cook until the vegetables are completely tender—you should be able to easily insert a knife into them.
- Blend the soup: Blend the soup until smooth. (See notes for blending tips.)
- Add coconut milk: Stir in the coconut milk and whisk to combine. Add chili flakes and adjust the seasoning by adding more spices, salt and pepper according to taste. If needed, adjust the consistency by adding more water or stock or broth.
- Serve: Swirl the reserved coconut milk on top and garnish with fresh chopped coriander.
Notes
- Blending: If using an upright blender, carefully pour or ladle the hot vegetables and stock into the blender jug. Blend on high for about 2 minutes. Be cautious as the soup will be very hot. Once blended, pour the soup back into the saucepan, taste and adjust the seasoning. If using an immersion blender, blend the vegetables directly in the saucepan until smooth.
- Spices and seasonings: The amounts for the spices are guidelines only. Add more or less of each spice depending on your preference and how spicy or mild you like your soup. The same goes for salt and pepper. Taste as you cook and adjust as necessary.
- Cooking liquid: You can use stock, broth or water for the liquid in this soup. Broth and stock will give you more flavor, but water works too if that's all you have.
The amount required will depend on how thick you like your soup. Start with 750ml (3 cups) and add more as required. If you find your soup is not as thick as you would like, place the blended soup in a saucepan and simmer until the liquid has reduced and thickened.
Nutrition
Calories: 230kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 48mg | Potassium: 666mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 18079IU | Vitamin C: 23mg | Calcium: 81mg | Iron: 3mg
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Meet the Chef!
Hi, I'm Debs, a Cordon Bleu-trained chef dedicated to helping you create unforgettable meals on a budget. Discover more about my journey and dive into a world of foolproof recipes designed for those who love to eat well without overspending.
My fast version: I had roasted butternut squash already in the fridge. I dumped it in a pot with leftover purple sweet potatoes. I added the fresh garlic, spices, stock and onion. Heated it up to boiling then blitzed in the Vitamix. Poured back into soup pot, added a can of coconut cream (all I had), and It truly is the best tasting butternut squash soup I’ve ever had. The sweetness of the purple sweet potato and heat from the spices is PERFECT! I can never find a recipe with the right balance to sweet and spice! Thank you! Yummy!
So happy you loved this recipe! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment. It's so appreciated! 🙂
The best soup. Added some bacon on top and it was fab!
This soup was so good. I kept it really thick and it was perfect.
Can I freeze leftover soup?
You sure can. The directions for freezing are listed under "storing and reheating leftovers". 🙂
This is the perfect fall soup recipe. Full of flavor and so easy to make. My whole family loved it! Will definitely be making this again.
So happy you love this recipe. Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment. 🙂
Brilliant recipe. It freezes really well for a quick and easy dinner.
I love how this recipe is so adaptable to adjusting the spices and seasonings to my taste. Great go-to soup recipe for fall.
So happy you were able to adapt this recipe to suit your taste and preferences. Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment. It's so appreciated. 🙂
Wow!! What a simple and amazing soup this is!!
Excellent soup! Made it tonight 2024/10/14 and all enjoyed it. Only changes were I added salt and used chicken stock because I had no veggie stock. It worked out.
Do you peel the squash before roasting?
Yes. Have updated the recipe to reflect that. 🙂
I added about 2 T curry to this recipe. AMAZING!!!!!!
So happy you love this recipe!
This was excellent!!
How much vegetable stock do you put in?
Start with about 500-750 ml. The stock should cover most of the roasted veggies. You can add more when you blend the soup if it's too thick for your liking. Thanks for pointing that out. It's not very clear in the recipe, so, I'll be updating it in the next few weeks. Hope that helps. 🙂
This is such an easy and delicious recipe. Loved it even more the next day.
How many does this recipe serve, please, and how much garlic do you recommend? I have cut the amounts by 50% as there are only two of us.
This recipe makes about a litre of soup. It depends on the size of your squash and sweet potatoes. I also amended the garlic. Three cloves is a good average. If you love garlic, then by all means, add in some extra. This recipe is so adaptable that cutting the amounts by 50% is absolutely great if you're cooking for a small family. Freeze any leftovers you may have for up to 3 months.