The peppery zing and comforting earthy flavors in this Butternut Squash Turmeric Soup make it the perfect cold weather meal. Easy to make in one pot on the stove or in the Instant Pot, you can count on this warming soup for sick days, cold winter nights, or an easy dinner at home!
There is no greater dish to warm you up and nourish your body than soup. I always feature warm and healthy ingredients in my soup recipes, like this Healing Chicken Soup and Wild Rice Soup, to help you feel as amazing as possible. The same is true for this Butternut Squash Turmeric Soup!
Every spoonful is smooth, creamy, earthy, and so comforting. You won’t even believe how easy it is to make! All of the butternut squash soup ingredients cook together in one pot on the stove or you can make it even faster in the Instant Pot.
The short list of simple ingredients doesn’t make this soup any less nutritious or healing either. It’s made with fresh butternut squash, raw turmeric root, and warm spices to help you reap all of the benefits. You won’t be able to get enough!
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Is butternut squash soup healthy?
Yes! This wholesome, naturally vegan and gluten free soup is made with really simple ingredients that are all bursting with nutritional benefits.
We should always be adding bright and colorful fruits and vegetables to our diets and the bright orange flesh of butternut squash is the perfect addition. Not only does it taste nutty, sweet, and earthy, but it’s also loaded with fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, magnesium, and potassium.
I also used a knob of raw turmeric root to give the soup a stronger peppery, earthy zing. Raw turmeric looks like ginger root, but has a bright yellow flesh. It isn’t as processed as dried turmeric and contains curcumin, which is a natural anti-inflammatory that can aid in brain health.
Butternut squash soup ingredients
- Butternut squash – The star of the soup! Butternut squash is in season during fall but sometimes you can find frozen squash if you’d like to make this recipe year-round. If you end up with leftovers, use them up in this butternut squash risotto or sausage butternut squash skillet.
- Turmeric root – Raw turmeric has a stronger peppery and earthy flavor and isn’t as processed as the dried spice. This means you’re more likely to reap all of the nutritional benefits of the essential oils. If you would rather use dried turmeric, only use 1 teaspoon in the recipe.
- Onion and garlic – These will enhance the savoriness and give the soup a delicious baseline of flavor.
- Warm spices – Cinnamon and nutmeg will make each spoonful extra warm and comforting.
How to make butternut squash turmeric soup
This recipe is incredibly easy as all of the ingredients cook together in one pot on the stove! It’s ready to enjoy after just 4 simple steps:
Step 1: Add all of the ingredients into a large pot on the stove. Cook until the squash is fork tender.
Step 2: Transfer the solids into a blender and blend until smooth. An immersion blender works too!
Step 3: Pour the pureed soup back into the pot. This is when you can add coconut milk for a creamier texture or just leave it as-is.
Step 4: Serve in bowls with any toppings you like and enjoy!
Instant Pot instructions
Place all of the ingredients in the Instant Pot. Add the lid on top, then cook on High Pressure for 5 minutes. Naturally release the pressure, then use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth. Serve and enjoy!
Customize the flavor
- Roasted butternut squash – Roasting butternut squash in the oven will deepen and enhance the flavors in the soup. Add it right into the pot once the other vegetables are cooked, then blend away.
- Add more veggies – You can cook more root vegetables along with the squash, such as carrots and sweet potatoes. Even apples can add a refreshing sweetness.
- Toppings or no toppings? Definitely add toppings! These add a bit of texture, contrast, and more nutrition to your bowl. Chopped nuts, roasted chickpeas, roasted squash cubes, garlic croutons, microgreens, or apple or pear slices would all be delicious.
- Coconut milk vs. no coconut milk – Coconut milk or heavy cream can be used as a creamy finishing touch. It helps the cooked and pureed soup become velvety smooth and rich, but it’s up to you if you want to use it or not.
Can you freeze squash soup?
Yes, butternut squash soup can be frozen in airtight containers like these silicone freezer trays with lids or sealed freezer-safe bags for up to 3 months. I often make it in large batches so I always have a batch ready for later.
Hungry for more warming soup recipes?
Butternut Squash Turmeric Soup
Ingredients
- 1 large butternut squash
- 6 cups water or vegetable broth
- 1 tbsp vegetable base (if using water for liquid)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 small turmeric knob, washed and brushed
- 4 cloves garlic,
- 1 small white onion
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg* optional
Instructions
- Peel the butternut squash and cut into chunks
- In a large pot add all the ingredients. Cook for 20 minutes or until the butternut squash is fork tender.
- When done transfer the solids into a blender cup and only about 3/4 to 1 cup of broth to start. Blend until smooth. If needed add more of the broth. Reserve the remaining broth for another recipe (like rice, stews and soup!)
- Serve butternut squash turmeric soup hot with crunchy topping such as nuts and granola
INSTANT POT
- Add all ingredients to the instant pot. Cook on high pressure for 5 minutes then allow NPR. When done, use a immersion blender to make it creamy and smooth or transfer to a blender cup and blend until creamy and smooth.
Nutrition
Butternut Squash Turmeric Soup
Can you add Lavender to the soup? Where do you get Turmeric Knob? or how may tsps? if I can’t find a know? Rhonda
You can find turmeric knob (root) at Whole Foods or at your local health store, otherwise you can use 1/2 tbsp or turmeric powder, which you can find in most stores. I haven’t tried with lavender… not sure if the combination of flavors would work well, but that might just be a personal preference. Your best bet is to substitute for turmeric powder, which is easier to find.
How many cups of squash is “1 large butternut squash”? Or, what is the weight of such a squash? There is a huge variation in butternut squashes in my area (Pacific Northwest) and size is just too subjective.
Hi Linda. My large butternut squash yield about 6 cups of squash cut into chunks. However, if yours come out a little more or less, it won’t affect the result. Hope this helps!
Can someone tell me what “vegetable base” is? Vegetable broth? Can I use store bought?
Hi Kathy! Yes, you can use vegetable broth. I use the vegetable base “paste” from the brand Better Then Bouillon which is organic and Vegan. Mix in water to create the vegetable broth. I also like this vegetable base for it’s convenient size.
Thank you! I ended up finding the Better than Bouillon at my local store. Making it tonight!
I found the brand but not the vegetable flavor. If using vegetable broth how much should I use w the proportion sizes listed here?
You can use either or but don’t need to use both. If you can’t find the vegetable base simple use vegetable broth, same amount of water recommended (6 cups).
I didn’t see any nutritional info for this recipe. Could you share that, please?
Hi Susie! I’ve added a nutritional label to the recipe (on the bottom). Thanks for stopping by 🙂
How much coconut milk do you recommend? And how much turmeric powder instead of the knob?
Hi Heidi – you can add 1 tsp of turmeric instead. As for the coconut milk, I wouldn’t add more then a 1/2 cup. Sometimes just 1/4 or 1/3 of is all you need, but depending on your preference you can add more, off course.
In one comment you mention 1 tsp of numeric and in another, you mention 1/2 tbsp numeric. Which is it? Also, using vegetable broth, how much would you add?
My spell check changed my comment from tumeric to numeric. Sorry
Hi MaryAnn, sorry about the tumeric confusion, either measurement won’t affect the recipe but 1/2 tbsp is the best amount for this recipe. However some people find the taste of tumeric repulsive, so use less if that’s the case for you. I love tumeric and because it is so good for inflammation, I tend to go heavier. As for the Vegetable broth use 6 cups instead of water. The reason why I used water it’s because my vegetable base is in solid (paste) form, so it get’s dissolved into the 6 cups of water. I use the brand in which I recommended via Amazon links in the body of the post, because it’s more compact for storage purposes and I find that I get more use out of it. Hope this helps but if you have more questions, don’t be afraid to ask! 🙂
Boil a roasted duck carcass with onion carrot and celery and use 6 cups of resulting duck stock instead of just water. Add bits of roasted duck meat if there is any left, picked off the duck before making the stock and add at the end. Squash dishes do NOT have to be vegan…add chopped fried bacon as well…bacon….yum.
I agree Rick, and you can most certainly add in the flavors of your choice. Duck stock sounds pretty amazing!!
I made a variation of this. Measurements weren’t exact. Came together in he vitamix in 5 mins. No turmeric, subbed ginger. I used way to much ginger! Woah spicy and palate cleansing! Anyway. Saved it by mixing in leftover coconut milk vegetable curry. Sweetened it up a bit. And mellowed out the ginger. Was yummy.
Oh nooo, lol. I LOVE ginger but yeah, too much is hard to eat! Glad you saved it and enjoyed and thanks for sharing your story! Makes me wanna have this soup WITH GINGER right now!! 🙂
The recipe I’m seeing linked is for shrimp salad sandwich? A glitch on my end maybe?
To look into this further I would need to know where are you clicking from? A facebook link, Instagram, other social media, newsletter? thanks in advance !
There is something wrong with the recipe. It’s not there.
I know. So sorry about this! My team is working to fix the issue and the recipe should be up soon.
One of my neighbors gave a couple of butternut squash from her garden. I had no idea what to make with the beside baking them. But I saw your gorgeous soups on my Google+ feed this morning. I need to go buy the turmeric, and give it a try. By the way, the toppings look beautiful!
Thank you so much Mely! I am so happy that this recipe caught your eyes. I think roasted butternut squash so so delicious and an easy go to recipes but butternut squash soup is next level. Hope you like it! 🙂
Best butternut squash soup I have ever had!
It’s def a special one 🙂
If I don’t have a blender can I use an electric mixer to get the soup liquidy?
Hi Trevor! Unfortunately the mixer won’t work as well, maybe will work some. If you have a immersion blender that you can use otherwise just mash the squash with a fork. Off course it won’t be as smooth but it will do the job the old fashioned way 🙂
MY HUSBAND IS A DIABETIC, IS IT POSSIBLE TO LIST THE CARBS…, CALORIES…
hi Sylvia. please can you give exact instructions as to how you created the additional topping, on the top of the soup recipe. amounts, roasting/ etc. haven’t tried to do this before, but it looks so beautiful! l have the ‘other granny’ coming for lunch this week, her first meal with me… l want it to look and taste wonderful! thank you so much. best wishes
Hi Shelagh! Thanks for choosing my recipe for your special visit. I used a granola mix for topping. I usually like granola with nuts, almonds, dried cranberries because it adds taste, texture and color to it. You can find different granola mixes at your local store. The only thing I added to it was the roasted salted pumpkin seeds. I hope you have a good visit 🙂
Did you roast the squash at all first?
I did not, but I am sure that would taste just as good
I don’t have a blender….will a food processor work?…🤔
Absolutely!