This one-pot butternut squash apple soup is a crowd favorite, perfect for cozy fall days and holiday dinners. With warming spices like cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg, it’s sweet, savory, and freezer-friendly.
My Warming Butternut Squash Apple Soup: The Cozy Fall Holiday Season in a Bowl
Every time I make this one pot butternut squash apple soup, it is a big hit. My friends and family are always asking for the recipe, so that they can make it at home, for Thanksgiving and for Christmas. It has the perfect balance of sweet and savory notes and is full of warming flavors like cinnamon, ginger allspice and nutmeg. Plus, it will make your kitchen smell absolutely delicious. It is made in one-pot, makes great leftovers, and is freezer friendly.
A Closer Look at the Ingredients
- Butternut squash: Butternut squash is my favorite fall vegetable. I like to use a fresh, medium sized squash for this recipe, but you can also use pre-cubed butternut for extra convenience.
- Apples: I like to use sweet red apples for the recipe, usually gala or fuji, which soften well when cooked.
- Spices: A medley of warming, ground spices – cinnamon, ginger, allspice, nutmeg – make this soup irresistibly cozy and flavorful. Allspice is a dried spice made from the unripe berries of the Pimenta dioica tree, native to the Caribbean and Central America. Despite its name, it’s a single spice, not a blend. Not to be confused with five-spice, which is a Chinese spice blend–they are not interchangeable. If you don’t have allspice, feel free to add a touch more cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.
- Aromatics: Onions and garlic create a flavorful, sweet base.
- Apple cider vinegar: The acidity of the apple cider vinegar balances out the sweetness of the butternut squash and apples. It also serves to deglaze the pan after sautéing the other ingredients. If you don’t have apple cider vinegar, you can substitute white wine vinegar (not regular white vinegar), lemon, or red wine vinegar.
- Vegetable broth: I like to use low or no sodium broth to better control the saltiness and flavor of the soup.
- Maple syrup: A touch of pure maple syrup helps the apples caramelize and adds depth and balance to the soup.
- Cream: Added at the end for a perfect texture. I like to use full fat cream for this soup, but you can substitute with low fat or a non-dairy alternative. Beware that low fat cream is more prone to curdling than heavy cream.
- Fresh sage: An optional topping for serving that elevates this soup.
Preparing this Butternut Squash Apple Soup (Plus Tips and Tricks)
Start by preparing all of your ingredients. Don’t drive yourself crazy about chopping perfectly because the soup will be blended at the end. Measure the cream and leave it out to get to room temperature, which will help avoid curdling.
All of the ingredients will cook in the same large Dutch oven or pot, covered. Start by cooking the onions in olive oil over medium heat until softened and translucent, for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cook them covered, to help them soften and break down more quickly by trapping steam and moisture. Then add the butternut squash, apples, spices, maple syrup, garlic, and a touch of salt and pepper. Cook covered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Deglaze the pot with apple cider vinegar, scraping up any burnt, caramelized bits from the bottom of the pan. You may choose to start with less and add more later on, after blending and tasting the soup.
Add the broth and let the ingredients simmer covered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove the pot from the heat and add the cream.
Use a classic blender or emulsion blender to purée the soup. A classic blender will yield a more smooth result, while an emulsion blender will leave more texture. Your choice!
Taste and adjust seasoning to taste.
Heat a small amount of butter in a skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add fresh sage leaves and fry for 30–60 seconds per side, until crisp and fragrant, then transfer to a paper towel to drain.
Serve the soup with the fried sage, and enjoy!
Warming, Fall Butternut Squash Apple Soup
Equipment
- 1 Large pot or dutch oven
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion (chopped)
- 1 medium sized butternut squash (peeled and chopped into ½-1 inch pieces)
- 2 small red apples (peeled and chopped into ½-1 inch or 2cm pieces)
- 2 medium sized garlic cloves (minced)
- 1 Tbsp maple syrup
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp ground allspice
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- 2-3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 cups no sodium or low sodium veggie broth (475 ml)
- ½ cup cream (full-fat, 120 ml)
- fresh sage for topping (optional)
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a big soup pot or dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat.
- Once hot, add chopped onion. Mix and cover for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until translucent.
- Add butternut squash, apples, spices, maple syrup, garlic, and a touch of salt and pepper. Mix and cook covered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the apple cider vinegar to deglaze, mixing with a wooden spatula and unsticking any bits stuck to the pan. You can start with 2 Tbsp and add more at the end, to taste. I tend to add 3 Tbsp.
- Add broth. Mix and simmer covered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove from heat and add cream.
- Add the mixture to a blender and blend until smooth. Or use an emulsion blender if you prefer a soup with more texture.
- Taste and adjust spices, vinegar, and maple syrup to taste. You can also add more broth if you prefer a thinner soup.
- Pan fry your sage in butter for 1 minute on each side, if using as a topping. Enjoy!
Did you make this recipe?
Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and tag @jessicahomekitchen on Instagram.
Is this the same recipe you made last Thanksgiving? That was so delicious. Actually couldn’t believe my picky son liked it too.
Yes, it’s the same soup! Thanks, I love it too!