This butternut squash sweet potato soup combines creamy butternut squash, tender sweet potatoes, apple, warm spices, and a splash of cream. It is a smooth stovetop soup made with simple fall ingredients, and it blends into a rich, comforting soup that is perfect for chilly days.
I like this soup because it feels warm and filling without being too heavy. If you enjoy smooth fall soups, you may also like my Creamy Pumpkin Soup with Canned Pumpkin. For a simple crunchy topping, my Perfect Recipe for How to Roast Pumpkin Seeds works well sprinkled over each bowl.
The butternut pumpkin and sweet potatoes cook together until tender, then everything is blended until smooth and creamy. The apple adds a little brightness, and the cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg give the soup a gentle fall flavor without making it taste like dessert.
Table of Contents
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Quick Look
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 6 to 8
Texture: Smooth, creamy, and velvety
Best Served: Warm with crusty bread, roasted pumpkin seeds, croutons, or a drizzle of cream
Why You’ll Love This Butternut Squash Sweet Potato Soup
This soup is smooth, creamy, and full of fall flavor.
It is made with butternut squash, also called butternut pumpkin, and sweet potatoes.
The apple adds a little natural sweetness and brightness.
It blends easily with an immersion blender.
You can use chicken broth, vegetable broth, or vegetable stock.
Heavy cream makes it rich and silky, but coconut milk can be used for a dairy-free option.
It is a good soup recipe for chilly fall dinners, November meals, or Thanksgiving week.
Equipment You Will Need
Large pot or Dutch oven
Sharp knife
Cutting board
Vegetable peeler
Measuring cups and spoons
Wooden spoon
Immersion blender
Regular blender, optional
Ladle
Ingredients for Butternut Squash Sweet Potato Soup
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 cups roughly chopped yellow onion
- 3 to 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 pounds butternut pumpkin, also called butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed
- 1½ pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 tart-sweet apple, such as Fuji or Honeycrisp, peeled, cored, and chopped
- 5 cups chicken broth, plus more as needed
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- â…› teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ to ¾ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon honey, optional
- 1 to 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar or lemon juice, added to taste
Note: Butternut squash is sometimes called butternut pumpkin in other countries, but this recipe is made with butternut squash and sweet potatoes.
How to Make Butternut Squash Sweet Potato Soup
Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat.
Add the chopped onion and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 30 to 60 seconds, stirring constantly, until fragrant.
Add the butternut pumpkin, sweet potatoes, apple, chicken broth, salt, and black pepper.
Increase the heat and bring the soup to a boil. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the squash, sweet potatoes, and apple are completely tender.
Remove the pot from the heat. Add the honey, if using.
Blend with an immersion blender until smooth and creamy.
Stir in the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and ½ cup of heavy cream
Add up to ¼ cup more heavy cream for a richer soup, if desired.
Do not bring the soup to a vigorous boil after adding the cream.
Stir in 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice. Taste and add up to 1 teaspoon more if the soup needs additional brightness.
Taste and add more salt, black pepper, or honey as needed. Add additional chicken broth if the soup is thicker than desired.
Serve warm with crusty bread. Garnish with a drizzle of cream, roasted pumpkin seeds, croutons, parsley, or freshly ground black pepper, if desired.
Tips for the Best Soup
Cut the butternut squash and sweet potatoes into similar-sized pieces so they cook evenly.
Cook the onion first to soften it and build flavor.
Make sure the squash and sweet potatoes are completely tender before blending.
Use an immersion blender for the easiest cleanup.
For an extra-smooth soup, blend it in a regular blender in batches. Be careful with hot soup and do not overfill the blender.
Add the cream at the end and warm gently.
If the soup tastes flat, add a little more salt.
If it tastes too earthy, add a small amount of honey.
If it is too thick, add more chicken broth, vegetable broth, or vegetable stock.
Dairy-Free Option with Coconut Milk
To make this butternut pumpkin sweet potato soup dairy-free, use olive oil instead of butter and full-fat coconut milk instead of heavy cream.
Coconut milk will make the soup creamy and slightly richer, but it will also add a mild coconut flavor. Use plain, unsweetened coconut milk.
Topping Ideas
This soup is good plain, but toppings make it feel more finished.
Try:
Croutons
Fresh parsley
Freshly ground black pepper
Drizzle of heavy cream
Small drizzle of coconut milk
Crumbled bacon
Sour cream
Plain Greek yogurt
What to Serve with Butternut Squash Sweet Potato Soup
Serve this soup with crusty bread, sourdough bread, dinner rolls, grilled cheese, roasted vegetables, or a simple green salad.
For a fall meal, this soup also works well before a pumpkin dessert like Easy Pumpkin Bars With Cream Cheese Frosting or Homemade Sourdough Pumpkin Roll.
If you like smooth fall soups, you may also enjoy my Creamy Pumpkin Soup with Canned Pumpkin.
How to Store Butternut Squash Sweet Potato Soup
Let the soup cool completely before storing.
Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
The soup will thicken as it cools, so add a little broth or water while reheating if needed.
Reheat gently in a pot over medium-low heat, stirring often.
Freezing Instructions
Allow the soup to cool completely before transferring it to a freezer-safe container.
Freeze for up to 3 months.
Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat gently on the stovetop.
Add broth or water as needed to restore the desired consistency.
For the best texture, you can freeze the soup before adding the cream. Stir in the cream after thawing and reheating.
Frequently Asked Questions About Butternut Squash Sweet Potato Soup
Can I make butternut squash sweet potato soup with vegetable broth?
Yes. Vegetable broth or vegetable stock can be used instead of chicken broth. This keeps the soup meatless and still gives it good flavor.
Can I use coconut milk instead of heavy cream?
Yes. Full-fat coconut milk can be used instead of heavy cream. It will make the soup creamy and dairy-free, but it will add a mild coconut flavor.
Can I make this soup without cream?
Yes. The butternut squash and sweet potatoes make the soup naturally creamy even without cream. You can leave the cream out or use a little extra broth to thin the soup.
Can I make this soup in the Instant Pot?
Yes, this soup can be adapted for the Instant Pot. Sauté the onion in butter first, then add the butternut pumpkin, sweet potatoes, apple, broth, salt, and pepper. Cook on high pressure until the vegetables are tender, then blend and stir in the cream and spices at the end.
What apple is best in butternut pumpkin soup?
A tart-sweet apple works best. Fuji, Honeycrisp, or Pink Lady are good choices because they add sweetness and a little brightness without making the soup too tart.
How do I make this soup thicker?
Simmer the soup uncovered for a few extra minutes after blending, or use a little less broth next time. The soup will also thicken as it cools.
How do I thin this soup?
Add more chicken broth, vegetable broth, vegetable stock, water, cream, or coconut milk until the soup reaches the consistency you like.
Can I make this soup ahead of time?
Yes. This soup stores well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat it gently on the stovetop and add a splash of broth or water if it has thickened.
Can I freeze butternut pumpkin sweet potato soup?
Yes. Freeze the cooled soup in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. For the smoothest texture, freeze it before adding cream, then stir in the cream after reheating.
Tried this recipe?
I would love to see it! Tag me on Instagram @idiesfarm and #idiesfarm so I can share your beautiful creation!
Butternut Squash Sweet Potato Soup
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 cups roughly chopped yellow onion
- 3 to 4 garlic cloves minced
- 2 pounds butternut squash peeled, seeded, and cubed
- 1½ pounds sweet potatoes peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 tart-sweet apple such as Fuji or Honeycrisp, peeled, cored, and chopped
- 5 cups chicken broth plus more as needed
- 1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- â…› teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ to ¾ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon honey optional
- 1 to 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar or lemon juice added to taste
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat.
- Add the chopped onion and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 30 to 60 seconds, stirring constantly, until fragrant.
- Add the butternut squash, sweet potatoes, apple, chicken broth, salt, and black pepper.
- Increase the heat and bring the soup to a boil. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the squash, sweet potatoes, and apple are completely tender.
- Remove the pot from the heat. Add the honey, if using.
- Blend with an immersion blender until smooth and creamy.
- Stir in the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and ½ cup of heavy cream
- Return the soup to low heat and warm gently. Add up to ¼ cup more heavy cream for a richer soup, if desired.
- Do not bring the soup to a vigorous boil after adding the cream.
- Stir in 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice. Taste and add up to 1 teaspoon more if the soup needs additional brightness.
- Taste and add more salt, black pepper, or honey as needed. Add additional chicken broth if the soup is thicker than desired.
- Serve warm with crusty bread. Garnish with a drizzle of cream, roasted pumpkin seeds, croutons, parsley, or freshly ground black pepper, if desired.
Notes
Tips for the Best Soup
Cut the butternut squash and sweet potatoes into similar-sized pieces so they cook evenly. Cook the onion first to soften it and build flavor. Make sure the squash and sweet potatoes are completely tender before blending. Use an immersion blender for the easiest cleanup. For an extra-smooth soup, blend it in a regular blender in batches. Be careful with hot soup and do not overfill the blender. Add the cream at the end and warm gently. If the soup tastes flat, add a little more salt. If it tastes too earthy, add a small amount of honey. If it is too thick, add more chicken broth, vegetable broth, or vegetable stock.
Welcome!
Hi! I’m Stephanie, also known as Idie. Follow me as I tap into the methods of the past and learn how to make my world a little smaller.
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