Creamy Vegan Butternut Squash Soup

This vegan butternut squash soup is a rich, plant based, classic fall soup. Full of seasonal vegetables, warming spice, and topped with decadent cashew cream, you’ll love diving into this cozy dish on a chilly day.

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Fall is in full swing and for my family that means it's soup season!

And this butternut squash soup is the ultimate fall classic. It is rich, creamy, and indulgent. And yet it is also low in calorie, packed with nutrients, and naturally soy, gluten, and dairy free!

So what’s the secret? This silky bisque gets its decadence from homemade cashew cream. Just like my tomato soup, this cream adds a velvety texture that replicated heavy creamer without any added flavor.

The result? The best ever vegan butternut squash bisque.

And best of all? This super is super simple to make! It comes together in just about 20 minutes for effortless vegan cooking.

Ingredients & Substitutuions

This butternut squash soup is naturally vegan, gluten free, and soy free. You only need a few fresh ingredients to make this great tasting soup. And nearly all of the ingredients are ones you probably already have on hand.

Here is everything you need.

Ingredient Notes

• Oil -To reduce calories and fat, feel free to swap out the oil with a tablespoon of water.
• Onion - Use a white, yellow, or sweet onion - whatever you have on hand.
• Butternut Squash - For a creamy pumpkin soup, substitute fresh pumpkin at a 1:1 ratio.
• Spices - You will need a blend of paprika, nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
• Cashew Cream - This is a blend of raw cashews, water, fresh lemon juice, and salt. It adds a rich creaminess to your soup without any added flavor. For a nut free option, substitute the cashew cream with coconut milk. Just note that coconut milk will give the soup a subtle coconut flavor.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step Two - Prepare the Squash

Begin by preparing the squash. Do do this, first cut the squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and stringy membranes and cut off the ends.

Stand the squash up on a flat end. With a sharp knife, remove the skin by carefully cutting it away, trying to keep the knife as close to the flesh as possible. Once all the peel is removed, cut the squash into ½" cubes.

Step Three - Sauté the Veggies

In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes or until the onions are translucent. Next, add the minced garlic and sage and sauté for another minute until fragrant.

Finally, stir in the carrots, celery, butternut squash, and spices. Stir to fully coat the butternut squash.

Step Four - Cook and Blend

Pour in the vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes or until the squash is tender.

Pro Tip: Test this using a spoon to grab a piece of butternut squash and stab it with a fork. If it is easy to stab, it is ready to go.

Remove the soup from heat and stir in the cashew cream. Using an immersion blender to blend your soup until it is completely puréed.

If you don't have an immersion blender, you can do this in a food processor. If you are using a food processor, allow your soup to cool slightly before transferring it carefully to the food processor. Be sure not to over-fill your food processor. This is best done in batches.

Serving and Storing

Serving - Serve immediately with additional cashew cream, toasted pepitas, or freshly ground pepper. Pair this soup with toasted bread or buttermilk biscuits. You could also add homemade croutons and serve alongside your favorite sandwich or fall salad.

Storing - Allow leftover soup to cool to room temperature before ladling it into a large airtight container or several smaller containers. You can store it for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. You can also freeze the soup for up to 6 months. When you are ready to serve it, allow it to thaw in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours.

Reheating - To reheat, you can either place the soup in the microwave for a few minutes or pour it into a pot and reheat over medium-low heat until the soup has warmed through.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Fall Soup Recipes

• Creamy Carrot and Orange Soup
• One-Pot Chickpea Vegetable Noodle Soup
• Loaded Baked Potato Soup
• Maple Bourbon Instant Pot Chili

Make sure to check out all my vegan soup recipes for more inspiration.

Vegan Butternut Squash Soup

Vegan butternut squash soup is a rich, plant based classic fall soup. Full of warming spice and loaded with decadent cashew cream, you’ll love diving into this cozy dish on a chilly day.

5 from 3 votes

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Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 160kcal

Author: Sarah McMinn

Ingredients

Butternut Squash Soup

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, sliced thin
• 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
• 3-4 fresh sage leaves, minced
• 1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and chopped into 1" cubes
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 cups vegetable broth

Cashew Cream

• ½ cup raw cashews
• ¼ cup warm water
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• ¼ teaspoon salt

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Begin by making the cashew cream. In a high-powered blender, such as a Vitamix, combine all the ingredients for the cashew cream, placing the water at the bottom. Blend on high until completely smooth. Set aside.
• Next, prepare the butternut squash. Do do this, first cut the squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and stringy membranes and cut off the ends.Stand the squash up on a flat end. With a sharp knife, remove the skin by carefully cutting it away, trying to keep the knife as close to the flesh as possible. Once all the peel is removed, cut the squash into 1″ cubes.
• In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and sauté for 3-5 minutes, until onions are translucent. Add minced garlic and sage and sauté for another minute until fragrant. Stir in the carrots, celery, butternut squash, and spices. Stir to fully coat the butternut squash. Add vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
• Remove from heat. Stir in the cashew cream. With an immersion blender, blend your soup until it is completely puréed.

  If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can do this in a food processor. If you are using a food processor, allow your soup to cool slightly before transferring it carefully to the food processor. Be sure not to over-fill your food processor. This is best done in batches. Serve immediately with additional cashew cream, toasted pepitas, or freshly ground pepper.

Notes

Serving and Storing – Serve immediately with additional cashew cream, toasted pepitas, or freshly ground pepper. Allow leftover soup to cool to room temperature before ladling it into a large, airtight container. You can store it for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. You can also freeze the soup for up to 6 months. When you are ready to serve it, allow it to thaw in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours.

Reheating – To reheat, you can either place the soup in the microwave for a few minutes to warm it through. You could also pour it into a pot and reheat over medium-low heat until the soup has warmed through.

Variations

1. To reduce sodium, use a low-sodium vegetable broth. They taste almost identical but often contain a fraction of the amount of salt.
2. Feel free to swap out the oil with a tablespoon of water to reduce the calories and fat.
3. If you have a nut allergy, substitute the cashew cream with full-fat coconut milk. Just note that coconut milk will give the soup a subtle coconut flavor.

Instant Pot Instructions

To make this recipe in an instant pot, skip sautéing the aromatics and throw it all into the pot at once. Then set the pot to manual pressure for 8 minutes and do a quick release. Then follow the steps to add cashew cream and blend the soup using an immersion blender.

Nutrition

Calories: 160kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 642mg | Potassium: 545mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 13010IU | Vitamin C: 11.1mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 2.4mg