Thick, creamy, and full of cozy fall flavor, this Butternut Squash Apple Soup brings together earthy carrots and celery, naturally sweet butternut squash, and just the right touch of tart apple for a perfectly balanced bowl.
My favorite Fall tradition is making butternut squash soup. Among other things, I’ve enjoyed making throughout the years is roasting pumpkin seeds, making baked apples, and my yearly batch of apple cider donuts. There is no shortage of ways to celebrate the flavors of the season!
A personal note
Making butternut squash soup has been a tradition in my kitchen for 23 years, ever since my daughter was a baby back in Brazil. It was her favorite homemade baby food, and over time, I fell in love with creating new variations for our family to enjoy.
Through the years I’ve developed a few variations like my butternut squash turmeric soup and this roasted butternut squash soup each one offering its own cozy, nourishing twist.
I hope this soup brings as much warmth to your home as it has to mine for over two decades 💛
Butternut Squash Soup with Apple Ingredients
The ingredients for this soup couldn’t be any more heartier, earthy and nourishing. This soup is basically feel-good-food in a bowl.
- Butternut squash: I peeled and chopped the squash into small chunks so they will cook faster. If you can find pre-cut chunks at the grocery store, go ahead and pick them up.
- Apples: I used large apples, sliced, to add natural sweetness to the soup. No need to peel.
- Vegetables: Chopped carrots and celery sticks create a flavorful base for this butternut squash soup.
- Aromatics: I sauteed the vegetables with diced shallots and fresh garlic cloves to add more depth of flavor to the base.
- Apple cider: Note this is apple cider, not apple cider vinegar. Make sure to use regular apple cider and not hard apple cider.
- Vegetable broth: I like to use a low-sodium broth so I can adjust the amount of salt accordingly. Some vegetable broths are very high in sodium, make sure to read the labels. Note vegetable stock is also a good option.
- Tomato paste: Tomato paste adds flavor and helps thicken the soup.
- Seasonings: I used a combination of bay leaves, a cinnamon stick, and fresh thyme. If you don’t have fresh thyme you can use dried.
How To Make Apple and Squash Soup
First: Heat with oil in a heavy pot, add shallot, garlic, carrots, and celery. Sauté until the veggies start to soften to lock in the flavors and create a delicious base for the soup.
Second: Add the apple cider and tomato paste, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir well to combine.
Third: Add the butternut squash, apples, cinnamon stick, fresh thyme, and bay leaves, then stir in the vegetable broth. Give everything a good stir. Cover and cook on medium heat for about 30-35 minutes. Most of the liquid will be reduced but you should still have some liquid left in the pot.
Fourth: Remove the cinnamon stick and bay leaves from the pot, transfer the soup to a blender, and blend until the soup is creamy. Adjust the liquid to your liking and add water/ broth/ apple cider as needed.
Fifth: Serve with your favorite toppings. I used yogurt, toasted coconut shavings, and fresh thyme.
FAQs
Yes, technically any type of squash will work but I especially like the flavor and texture you get from using butternut squash. If you hop on over to this other butternut squash soup recipe I actually go over the different options and what each squash variety tastes like and the texture.
Yes if you want to use your crock pot, first sauté the vegetables and then add the remaining ingredients and let the soup cook on low for 4-6 hours.
The peel is perfectly edible and since you will be blending the soup, you won’t even notice the skin is there. If you don’t peel the squash just make sure the skin is clean and free of produce stickers.
Tips and Tricks For Making Butternut Squash Soup WITH APPLES
👉🏻 If you don’t have apple cider on hand substitute with apple juice or add more broth. Note if you use broth your soup won’t be as sweet.
👉🏻 Use an immersion blender to puree the soup, right in the pot! Otherwise use your traditional blender.
👉🏻 Feel free to add more or less liquid depending on how thick you like your soup.
👉🏻 Make sure the squash cubes are all about the same size so they cook at the same pace.
👉🏻 The soup will get darker the next day, that’s due to oxidation of the apples, just like they normally do when exposed to air.
What To Serve With Butternut Squash Soup
Though this thick and hearty soup eats like a meal, here are a few things I think it would go well with:
For dipping: This Air Fryer Garlic Bread, this Honey Oat Bread, or this Quick Sandwich Bread would all work well to soak up the delicious flavors of the soup.
On the side: Pair the soup with this Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad, Brussel Sprout Kale Green Salad, or this Quinoa Chickpea Salad.
As a main: A one-pan meal would be great to eat with this squash soup, like this Sheet Pan Shrimp and Veggies, Sheet Pan Chicken and Veggies, or this Rustic Style Sheet Pan Pizza.
Storage
Fridge: Uneaten butternut squash soup with apples can be stored in an airtight container or mason jar in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The soup will thicken as it sits so add water or broth to thin it out before reheating.
Freezer: Store leftovers in the freezer for up to 3 months. For quick and easy meals, portion the soup into individual servings. Thaw in the fridge overnight. Reheat over the stove or in the microwave.
Make ahead: This warm and comforting soup can be made up to 4 days ahead of time so go ahead and make it during meal prep and reheat it during the week.
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below 👇🏻 Thank you!
Butternut Squash Soup Recipe with Apples
Ingredients
- 1 butternut squash (4 cups), chunks
- 2 large apples (3 cups), sliced
- 2 carrots (1 cup), chopped
- 2 celery sticks (1/2 cup), chopped
- 2 shallot diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 cup apple cider
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- salt and pepper to taste
- fresh thyme
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Heat oil in a cast iron pot. Add in shallot, garlic, carrots and celery and sauté until veggies start to soften. This will lock in the flavors and create a delicious base for the soup.
- Stir in the apple cider (see notes and substitutions). Add tomato paste and season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir well to combine.
- Next add in the butternut squash, apples, cinnamon stick, fresh thyme and bay leaves.
- Stir in the vegetable broth, give the ingredients a good stir. Cover and cook on medium heat for about 30-35 minutes. Note that most of the liquid will be reduced but some liquid should be left.
- Remove the cinnamon stick and bay leaves from the soup. Transfer the soup ingredients to a blender and process on high speed for 1-2 minutes until soup is creamy. Note that you may need to adjust the liquid to your liking. Add water/ broth/ apple cider as needed.
- Serve the soup in bowls with your favorite toppings. I used yogurt, toasted coconut shavings and fresh thyme
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
