Easy 5 Ingredient Butternut Squash Soup

This is the kind of soup you make when the weather dips weirdly cold on a Tuesday and you want dinner to taste like a blanket. It’s silky, bright, and cozy with just five ingredients, and you don’t need any culinary medals to pull it off. We roast the squash and onion so they get caramel-y, simmer with broth, blend, and finish with something creamy. That’s it. Minimal dishes, maximum comfort.

My husband calls this “liquid sunshine,” which is cute but also accurate. The kids dip grilled cheese into it like it’s a sport, and I’ve learned to just set the pot on the table with a ladle because everyone always wants “just a little more.” It’s become a thing in our house: if the butternut goes in the cart, the whole week instantly feels calmer. There’s always one bowl left for lunch the next day, unless I lose self-control at midnight. Which… happens.

How to Make It

Okay, so you’re going to roast the squash with an onion because roasting is the shortcut to flavor-town. Don’t overthink the chopping—big chunks are fine. Toss with a little oil, salt, pepper, and slide it into a hot oven until the edges go golden and your kitchen smells like you know what you’re doing. Then it all goes into a pot with broth, a few soft cloves of garlic (roast those too so they go sweet, not harsh), and you simmer for a sec. Blend till silky. Stir in coconut milk or cream and suddenly you’ve got this dreamy, sunshine-colored soup that tastes like you made it on purpose. If you want to be extra, a pinch of nutmeg or cayenne at the end is lovely, but we’re keeping it five ingredients today so feel free to ignore me.

✔Ingredient Notes

– Butternut squash: Peel, seed, cube. Pre-cut is a lifesaver and totally fine. Roasting brings out the sweetness—if it tastes watery, it probably needed more roast time.
– Onion: Yellow onion is the move. It caramelizes and gives body. I’ve used a sad half-onion from the crisper and it still worked.
– Garlic: Roast the cloves in their skins right on the sheet pan so they go jammy. Raw garlic can take over—ask me how I know.
– Stock/broth: Veggie or chicken. Low-sodium, please, so you control the salt. If the soup tastes flat, it likely needs a pinch more salt or a simmer minute.
– Coconut milk or heavy cream: Full-fat is where the silk happens. Coconut milk keeps it dairy-free; cream makes it extra luxurious. Both are yes.

✔Recipe Steps

1. Heat oven to 425°F and line a sheet pan.
2. Peel and cube 1 large butternut squash (about 3–4 cups), slice 1 onion, and place on the pan with 4 unpeeled garlic cloves.
3. Drizzle with oil, season with salt and pepper, toss, and roast 30–40 minutes until squash is tender and edges are golden.
4. Squeeze garlic from skins and transfer everything to a pot; pour in 3–4 cups broth to just cover and simmer 5–10 minutes.
5. Blend until completely smooth (immersion blender or carefully in batches), then stir in 1 cup full-fat coconut milk or 1/2–3/4 cup heavy cream.
6. Taste and adjust salt and pepper; thin with a splash more broth if needed, then serve hot.

What to Serve It With

– Grilled cheese (classic) or a slab of buttered sourdough.
– Crispy roasted chickpeas or toasted pepitas for crunch.
– A simple greens salad with lemony dressing.
– Bacon crumbles or goat cheese if you’re feeling wild.

✔Tips & Mistakes

– Roast long enough: pale squash = bland soup. You want caramelized edges.
– Use low-sodium broth so you don’t salt-panic at the end.
– Blend fully. If it’s grainy, blend longer or add a splash more cream/coconut milk.
– Too thick? Add broth. Too thin? Simmer 5 minutes uncovered.
– A tiny pinch of nutmeg or cayenne at the end wakes it up (optional, not part of the five).

✔Storage Tips

Fridge: Cool, then stash in jars or airtight containers up to 4 days. It thickens a bit overnight—just loosen with a splash of broth or water when reheating.
Freezer: Freeze flat in bags or in single-serve containers up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge and reheat gently.
Cold soup moment: Honestly, it’s not terrible straight from the fridge. Like a savory smoothie. I’ve done it at 9 a.m. with toast. No shame.

✔Variations and Substitutions

– Cream vs coconut milk: Both work. Coconut milk makes it vegan/dairy-free; cream makes it ultra silky.
– Spice lane: Curry powder, ginger, or smoked paprika are fun, but add lightly so the squash still shines.
– Sweet nudge: 1 teaspoon maple syrup if your squash is a little bland.
– Add-ins: One chopped apple or a carrot can join the roast party for extra depth.
– No fresh squash: Frozen butternut cubes roast like a dream—don’t thaw, just add 5 extra minutes.
– Broth swap: Veggie for vegan, chicken for savory depth. Water in a pinch, but add extra salt carefully.

Frequently Asked Questions

Easy 5 Ingredient Butternut Squash Soup

Creamy, cozy, and naturally dairy-free, this 5-ingredient butternut squash soup blends sweet squash with silky coconut milk for a weeknight-friendly bowl ready in about 45 minutes.

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Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

Calories: 120kcal

Ingredients

 

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Main Ingredients

• ▢ 3 lb butternut squash peeled, seeded, and cubed
• ▢ 1 count yellow onion chopped
• ▢ 4 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
• ▢ 1 cup full-fat coconut milk
• ▢ 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions

Preparation Steps

• Prep the squash by peeling, seeding, and cutting into 1-inch cubes. Chop the onion.
• Warm the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until soft and translucent, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Add the cubed squash and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer.
• Simmer uncovered until the squash is very tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Blend the soup until completely smooth using an immersion blender (or carefully in batches in a countertop blender).
• Stir in the coconut milk and warm through. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. If needed, thin with a splash of broth or water. Serve hot.

Notes

Garnish with toasted pepitas, a drizzle of coconut milk, and freshly cracked black pepper. For a richer soup, use more coconut milk; for a lighter soup, swap part of the coconut milk with broth. Chicken broth may be used instead of vegetable broth.