Creamy Butternut Squash Tomato Soup

This deliciously creamy butternut squash tomato soup is rich and so flavorful! It is made of fresh tomatoes, butternut squash, and roasted garlic. It is so simple & easy to make but the best, creamy soup you'll ever have!

First soup recipe of the season everyone (woot woot)! This time of year where the weather is beginning to cool down and we are wearing cozy comfy sweaters, all I want is soup! Literally breakfast... lunch... dinner... give me all the delicious soups! This butternut tomato squash is one of my new favorite soup recipes!

This creamy soup was like if butternut squash soup and tomato soup had a baby. It is so so luscious and full of cozy flavors. It has a bit of maple syrup in it for sweetness and spices for warmth! And the tomatoes and garlic balance out those flavors, offering some acidity and saltiness.

Nothing is better than a big pot of soup on the stovetop in the fall and winter! This soup is it! Get a loaf of crusty bread, make this soup, and have yourself a whole cozy day!

ingredients

Tomatoes: This delicious soup uses both small and large variety of tomatoes. You will need 2 lbs of a large variety and 1 lb of a small variety. Some of my favorite large tomatoes to use are on-the-vine tomatoes, san marzano tomatoes, and roma tomatoes. Some of my favorite small tomatoes are cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, and campari tomatoes. Try out different kinds and see which flavor profile you like best!

Onion: You will need 1 medium yellow onion for this soup recipe.

Garlic: 1 whole head of garlic is used in this soup! Yes, you heard me right. You know if you have made one of my recipes, we are transparent about how much garlic we use. No shame in the game! Especially in soup, the more garlic the better. This head of garlic will be roasted so the flavor will be more mild and caramelized.

Olive oil: We use olive oil in this recipe to toss the roasted vegetables. I like to use a good quality olive oil for recipes that are very minimal like this one. My favorite olive oil is Carapelli olive oil.

Seasonings: To season this soup, we use salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Basic but necessary! Adds heat and the salt intensifies the flavors in the vegetables.

Stock: You will need 1 cup of your favorite stock for this recipe. I like to use chicken stock but you can also use vegetable broth. If possible, use chicken stock or bone broth, instead of chicken broth. Stock comes from bones whereas brothcomes from meat. Stock and bone broth is so much more flavorful and nutritious. It creates a full bodied healthy soup. You can also use homemade broth!

Spices: Cinnamon and nutmeg are added in this soup to compliment the roasted butternut squash. It adds a warming flavor.

Butternut squash: Can't have butternut squash soup without butternut squash! You will need a 2 ½ pound squash. This is a pretty average size butternut squash and most likely the size of the ones you'll find at the grocery store.

Cream: To make this soup extra creamy, we add ½ cup of heavy cream to this soup. It is super smooth without the cream, but I love the silkiness the soup gains when adding the heavy cream. Make sure your cream is at room temperature or it could separate when touching hot soup.

Maple syrup: After testing this recipe so many times, this is the secret ingredient that made this soup just perfect! 1 teaspoon of maple syrup adds just a touch of sweetness and makes this soup oh so cozy! Don't skip this ingredient... t's a game changer!

variations & substitutions

To make this soup vegetarian, substitute the cream and stock. Instead of chicken stock, you can use vegetable stock and instead of cream, you can use coconut milk. The soup will still be so creamy and delicious with these substitutions.

Skip the cream altogether. I love adding the cream to this soup because it makes it extra silky, but you don't have to add it! This soup is creamy even without the cream.

tips & tricks

Use a good quality blender to puree the soup. I like to use a hand blender so I don't have to pour the veggie mix into a stand blender. However, you can also use a stand blender like a Vitamix to make this soup super smooth! My favorite stick blender is this one.

Simmer, simmer, simmer! After the vegetables are roasted and everything is simmering in the pot, that is when the magic happens! The stock gets flavored with the vegetable juices, the roasted garlic cloves fill with flavor, and the seasonings all meld together. If you have time to spare, simmer this soup for an hour on low heat, this will make the soup extra flavorful and delicious!

Double the recipe & freeze. You'll thank me later because freezing soup during the fall and winter season is a game changer! If freezing, be sure to not add the cream so the soup doesn't separate in the freezer. Let the soup cool and then pour into an extra large freezer bag. Lay flat and store in your freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, defrost in the fridge for 1-2 days and reheat per usual.

step by step instructions

1. Prep. Preheat the oven to 400F. Make sure your tomatoes and butternut squash is chopped and ready to go. The easiest way to cut a butternut squash is by cutting in half, removing the inner seeds, then peel the squash halves and chop. Cut the top off the head of garlic. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Tomato time! On one prepared baking sheet, add the quartered large tomatoes, whole cherry tomatoes, quartered yellow onion, head of garlic trimmed at the top, ¼ cup of olive oil, ½ teaspoon of salt, ¼ teaspoon of black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Toss coating every tomato in the seasonings and olive oil.

3. Butternut squash baby! On the other lined sheet pan, add the cubed butternut squash, remaining olive oil, ½ teaspoon of salt, ¼ teaspoon of black pepper, maple syrup, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Toss to coat all the butternut squash.

4. Bake. Roast all the vegetables on both sheet pans for 30-35 minutes until the tomatoes are fragrant and the squash is tender.

5. Transfer. Transfer all of the roasted vegetables in a large pot or dutch oven. Squeeze the head of garlic removing just the garlic cloves into the soup. Discard the garlic head skin. Then add the heavy cream and chicken stock.

6. Simmer. Place the pot on the stovetop and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Then reduce to low heat, cover, and continue to simmer for 5-10 minutes to allow all of the flavors to meld.

7. Puree soup. Remove the soup from the heat. Using an immersion blender or carefully pouring the mixture into a high speed blender, blend the vegetable mixture until smooth and luscious.

8. Grand finale! Enjoy the soup as is, or top with pumpkin seeds, croutons, and an extra drizzle of cream!

serving suggestions

Serve this butternut squash tomato soup warm with all the toppings! I like to use pumpkin seeds, croutons, extra drizzle of cream and olive oil. You can also add chopped tomatoes, little bits of crispy bacon, parmesan cheese, or fresh herbs.

Serve this soup alongside your favorite sandwich like this peach grilled cheese sandwich or chicken pesto sliders.

storage & reheating

Let the soup cool for at least an hour before storing. Then place in an air tight container and store in the fridge for up to 5 days.

You can reheat this soup in the microwave or stove top. To reheat in the microwave, place in a heat safe bowl, cover with a microwave shield, and microwave for 1-2 minutes. To reheat on the stove top, pour the soup into a large saucepan and cook over medium-high heat until hot, stirring occasionally.

You can freeze this soup for up to 3 months. Simply let the soup cool and then pour into an extra large freezer bag. Lay flat and store in your freezer. When ready to eat, defrost in the fridge for 1-2 days and reheat per usual.

faq's

Why is my soup grainy?

• If you are noticing that your soup is grainy and not velvety smooth, this is most likely due to undercooked vegetables. Make sure to simmer the vegetables in the pot for at least 5 minutes and up to an hour. This step ensures the vegetables are fully cooked through. If the vegetables are undercooked, they will separate when blended creating a grainy or broken down soup.

What to add to soup to make it less thick?

• I love my soups thick and rich, but if you prefer a thinner soup, just add more chicken broth until your desired consistency. You can do this before blending so the added stock still gets all those yummy flavors.

How do you make soup silky?

• My favorite way to make soup super silky is actually done after it has finished cooking. Adding a drizzle of room temperature heavy and good quality olive oil on top, gives it that extra luscious texture with every spoonful!

how to video

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