As we step into fall, this Butternut Squash and Red Pepper Soup is the perfect way to make the transition. If you still have warm weather, this soup can be served chilled and is incredibly refreshing. But if you've already crossed into colder weather and are craving a warm bowl, there is nothing better than a warm bowl of homemade soup!
This is a creamy soup (texture coming from the butternut squash) with a bit of a spice kick from the cumin and red pepper flakes. If you don't like too much spice, feel free to decrease those quantities. It's also dairy-free and can easily be vegan (use vegetable stock).
Since this soup can be served either chilled or warm, consider pairing it with some delicious Sourdough Discard Naan or Black Pepper Focaccia - perfect for dipping! Looking for something a little warmer? These Garlic Potato Wedges will hep make this the perfect comfort meal.
As always, I do include a few affiliate links in this post for products I truly use and love. This just means that if you make a purchase after clicking one of those links, I'll earn a little money (at no cost to you) to keep the kitchen up and running, which I promise to use to create more fun content like this! One of those affiliates is with Amazon, which requires a very clear disclosure: as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you have any questions about affiliates, please reach out!
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Ingredients
As with all the best soups, this Butternut Squash and Red Pepper Soup comes together with just a few key ingredients. Always remember: better ingredients make for a better final recipe!
- Butternut squash: you'll need about 4 cups of chopped butternut squash for this recipe.
- Tomatoes: I used cherry tomatoes, but you can use any kind of tomato for this recipe. Don't have any fresh tomatoes? Canned work just as well, too!
- Red peppers: you'll need 2 fresh red peppers.
- Onion: one large onion helps create the base for this soup.
- Garlic: you can be generous with the garlic here!
- Chicken or vegetable broth: 3 cups of soup stock should be enough, but feel free to add more if you like a thinner soup. You can use either chicken stock or vegetable stock. I love to use homemade chicken stock - it adds so much flavor!
- Fresh thyme: be generous with the thyme! If you don't have fresh herbs available, you can use 1 teaspoon of dried thyme to add a bit of flavor to the recipe.
- A few pantry ingredients including olive oil, red pepper flakes, cumin, and onion powder.
- Crusty bread, for serving.
See full recipe below for detailed instructions.
Instructions
This soup comes together in just a few easy steps!
Chop your butternut squash and red peppers. Toss with olive oil and spread on a baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
Heat olive oil, onion and garlic in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
Mix in your spices, then add the vegetables (tomatoes, red pepper and butternut squash). Top with fresh tyme, bring to a boil and simmer for 20-25 minutes.
Purée the soup in a blender or with an immersion blender, and serve with crusty bread.
Once you blend your soup, you can either serve it warm, or put it in the fridge and serve chilled once it has cooled.
Hint: Since you're blending this soup, a rough chop on the vegetables is just fine! No need to spend too much time chopping.
Substitutions
Soups are a great place to use up odds and ends in your kitchen. Have a few things in your fridge that would be good to use up? Throw them in! Feel free to play with it and always remember you can add more broth if your soup is looking too thick.
- Clean out the fridge - have a few shallots that you'd like to use? Substitute them for the onion. Have some zucchini, sweet potatoes, carrots, or other veggies that seem like they would work well? Throw them in! If you add more veggies, you can either reduce some of the other ingredients, or simply add more soup broth to make a larger batch.
- Sweet potatoes - not a fan of butternut squash? Use sweet potatoes instead!
- Yellow and orange peppers - instead of red peppers, you can use yellow or orange peppers for a more light and bright flavor.
- Pump up the spice - like your soup a little spicier? Add more red pepper flakes and paprika, or you can also add some cayenne pepper for a little kick.
Equipment
To make this Butternut Squash and Red Pepper Soup you will need a sturdy cutting board and knife and baking sheet (these Nordic Ware Half-Sheet Pans are great) for roasting the vegetables. You'll also need a large Dutch Oven or other large pot (I like to use a Le Creuset 5-Quart Dutch Oven or The Dutchess from Great Jones).
Finally, you'll need a blender (I like this Cuisinart Blender), or an immersion blender to blend the soup before serving.
Storage
Let the soup cool fully, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days.
You can also freeze soup! Once it's cooled, divide into airtight containers, jars, or even freezer-safe plastic bags, and freeze. To reheat, let the soup thaw in the fridge overnight, then reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.
Top tip
Everyone likes their soup consistency a little different, so feel free to add more soup stock (or water) to create a thinner soup, or leave some out for a thicker soup option!
FAQ
Yes, just make sure to use a vegan soup stock option (such as vegetable stock).
You can either transfer the soup to a blender and blend in batches, or you can use a hand-held immersion blender to blend the soup directly in the pot. Either way, make sure the soup is cooled before you start blending.
I like to serve mine with a piece of crusty bread, a bit of extra flaky sea salt and black pepper, and some additional fresh thyme.
Butternut Squash and Red Pepper Soup
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil divided
- 4 cups butternut squash peeled and diced
- 2 red peppers chopped
- 1 onion chopped
- 4 garlic cloves chopped
- 2 cups tomatoes chopped
- 3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss the chopped butternut squash and red peppers with 2 Tablespoons olive oil and spread on a large baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
- Heat 2 Tablespoons olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and sautée 3-4 minutes, until fragrant and soft. Add roasted vegetables, tomatoes, salt, pepper, thyme and spices. Top with chicken or vegetable broth and stir to combine.
- Add an additional 2-3 sprigs thyme to the pot (optional) and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes until all vegetables are tender.
- Remove from heat and let cool. Remove thyme sprigs, if using. Working in batches, blend the soup in a blender, or use a hand-held immersion blender to blend the soup in the pot. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if necessary.
- Serve warm or chilled with a slice of crusty bread.
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