this creamy butternut squash soup is fully vegan and absolutely delicious. it packs in a ton of veggies and tastes like fall in a bowl.
the inspiration
Every year when the holidays come around I like to put out a menu. So, this is part of a 6 recipe holiday menu. This is definitely designed with Thanksgiving in mind but you can use these recipes of course for any meal, anytime of year, and any occasion.
Appetizers are always tricky and sometimes a soup is just easy. Make a big pot of it, get something in warm in everyone’s bellies, and get the party started.
This creamy butternut squash soup is great because it has tomatoes, bell pepper, carrots, onion, garlic, and of course butternut squash. So, we are getting in lots of sneaky veggies. It also uses tofu to make it creamy for a little extra plant protein. It is a delicious soup and great as a first course or served with crusty bread.
the ingredients
- Butternut Squash: of course for a butternut squash soup we need butternut squash. We actually will not be using the whole thing so you will have some leftover for roasting or turing into purée.
- Carrots: the carrots of course add in extra sweetness, enhance the orange color, and add in flavor.
- Peppers: the peppers add in lots of great flavor and also make the color even more vibrant. You can use any size or color (aside from green) of pepper that you like. If you want to use a bell pepper or baby bell peppers both will work great.
- Tomatoes: the tomatoes add acidity and background flavor to the soup really round it all out.
- Onion: you cannot have a soup without onion. I like a Vidalia or sweet onion best. It compliments everything we have going on here.
- Garlic: you also have to have garlic. The garlic adds in flavor and it is a natural antibiotic so great for this time of year.
- Olive Oil: we will use the olive oil to sauté some of the vegetables at first.
- Tofu: you can use extra firm, firm, or even silken tofu for this recipe. I opted for extra firm tofu as I like that it makes a bit of a thicker texture. This will get blended up in the soup to make it creamy. Plus, it sneaks in some plant protein.
- Vegetable Broth: we will of course use some veggie broth for our soup. You can use a bouillon cube with water, Better than Bouillon, or you can use a homemade veggie broth. I like to make mine from saved veggie scraps.
- Non-Dairy Milk: you can use any non-dairy milk you like. Just make sure it is unsweetened and unflavored. This will help add creaminess to our creamy butternut squash soup.
- Seasonings & Salt: you will flavor your soup once it is all done. I felt a little garlic powder, ground cinnamon, and salt did the trick to give it an amazing flavor. You can add in anything you like to your preferences.
- Vegan Sour Cream: a drizzle of thinned out vegan sour cream on top of the creamy butternut squash soup looks absolutely delicious. It is a great garnish.
- Pepitas: I also love to add peptias on top for a fun crunch and a seasonal garnish.
how to make the creamy butternut squash soup
- Cut and prep all the veggies. I like to cut the butternut squash into cubes, slice the bell pepper carrots. I leave the garlic whole and cut the onion into large pieces.
- Sauté the tomatoes, bell pepper, carrots, onion, and garlic in a medium to large pan over medium high heat for 5 to 7 minutes until the vegetables are soft and fragrant.
- Add in the butternut squash, tofu, and broth.
- Bring to a boil over high heat. Then, reduce heat to medium high and cook for around 30 minutes or until harder vegetables like carrots are soft.
- Use an immersion blender to blend everything up. You can also transfer into a large blender that is capable of dealing with hot liquids.
- Pour in the non-dairy milk, and seasonings of choice. Mix around and taste.
why you’ll love this recipe
This soup is seriously so amazing. I was looking forward to eating all week. Since there is no heavy cream it doesn’t leave you feeling weighed down and heavy. It is light and packed with the veggies.
It is a great starter for a meal or it can of course be enjoyed all on its own. I also think the sweet flavor can be helpful with kids and getting them to eat more vegetables.
what else can i add to this recipe
If you want to add in some fun things to the recipe here are a few ideas. I will say though the recipe is truly delicious as is.
- Nutmeg: if you want to add in extra spice a little nutmeg will compliment this soup well.
- Grade A Maple Syrup: if you want the soup to be a little extra sweet a tablespoon of maple syrup would be great.
- Thyme: you can add in a touch of dried thyme for a bit of a different holiday flavor. You can also use other herbs like fresh sage leaves, oregano, or rosemary.
- Vegan Butter: while this is already a deliciously velvety soup, if you want to add in a little vegan butter it will make it even more decadent.
creamy butternut squash soup faq
Is this recipe allergy friendly?
It does use tofu. If you want to make it soy free you can use an equal amount of white beans in its place. The recipe is nut and gluten free.
How do I store leftovers?
In an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can also freeze this.
How do I heat this dish up?
You can heat it up on the stove or in the microwave.
Do I need to press the tofu?
No. We want the liquid from the tofu in the soup.
Can I use frozen vegetables for this?
Yes! Frozen vegetables would work fine here since we are blending it up.
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Creamy Vegan Butternut Squash Soup
Equipment
- Immersion Blender paid link
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 ½ cups bell pepper roughly chopped or sliced
- ¾ cup carrots sliced
- ⅔ cup Vidalia onion roughly chopped
- 1 cup tomatoes chopped if using a big one
- 1 ¾ cup butternut squash cubed
- 8 ounces tofu you can use extra firm, firm, super firm, or silken
- 1 ¾ cups non-dairy milk unflavored and unsweetened
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 4 cups water
- salt to taste
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon optional but encouraged
Instructions
- Cut and prep all the veggies. I like to cut the 1 ¾ cup butternut squash into cubes, slice the 1 ½ cups bell pepper and ¾ cup carrots. I leave the 3 cloves garlic whole and cut the ⅔ cup Vidalia onion into large pieces. I will leave the 1 cup tomatoes whole if using grape tomatoes, if using a large one chop it.
- Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to a medium or large pot. Sauté the tomatoes, bell pepper, carrots, onion, and garlic for 5 to 7 minutes over medium heat until the vegetables are soft and fragrant.
- Add in the butternut squash, 8 ounces tofu (I break it up with my hands into big pieces), 2 cups vegetable broth, and 4 cups water
- Bring to a boil over high heat. Then, reduce heat to medium high and cook for around 30 minutes or until harder vegetables like carrots are soft.
- Use an immersion blender to blend everything up. You can also transfer into a large blender that is capable of dealing with hot liquids.
- Pour in the 1 ¾ cups non-dairy milk, and seasonings of choice like salt and ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon. Mix around and taste.
- If desired you can garnish with pepitas and vegan sour cream. I like to mix 2 tablespoons of vegan sour cream with a teaspoon of water to drizzle overtop.
Notes
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- Nutrition facts are based on my gram measurements put into Cronometer. Yours may vary, they are to help you get an idea. Please do not repost recipes without my permission. Sharing a direct link is always highly encouraged and appreciated. For any questions you may have please refer to the FAQ above the recipe card.
- Note: this recipe can serve up to 6 as an appetizer
Nutrition
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Hey, I’m Francesca!
Thank you for checking out my recipe! I am happy to have you here and hope you explore more delicious vegan recipes.
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