5-Ingredient Butternut Squash Soup Recipe

If you're looking for a high-octane, low-calorie, healthy, and comforting meal, then this butternut squash soup recipe is definitely for you. According to Healthline, a cup of this fall and wintertime favorite is just 82 calories. The orange-colored fruit (Yes, technically, butternut squash is not a vegetable!) brings a sweet and delicious nuttiness to the dish. It also offers vitamins A and C, thiamine (B1), niacin (B3), pyridoxine (B6), folate (B9), magnesium, manganese, fiber, and potassium. In fact, a one-cup serving of cooked butternut squash gives your body over 450% of the recommended daily intake (RDI) needed for vitamin A and more than 50% for vitamin C (via Healthline).

Best of all, the recipe only requires five ingredients — butternut squash, an onion, garlic, vegetable stock, and olive oil — and goes from prep to fully cooked in less than an hour. Recipe developer Catherine Brookes of Blue Sky Eating has made versions of this soup many times — sometime adding extra vegetables — but she's slimmed the ingredient list down for this easy-to-make, butternut-squash-centric soup. "It has so much flavor on its own it can stand by itself and still taste great," she notes, and if you're ready to give it a try in your own kitchen, we fully encourage that.

Although this dish requires just five ingredients — a butternut squash, (peeled and diced), a large onion, three cloves of crushed garlic, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and 1 liter of vegetable stock — you'll need to set aside a little bit of time for all that peeling, dicing, and crushing.

To dice an onion, you should first slice it in half, and then peel off its skin (via The Kitchn). Make several horizontal uniform cuts through one segment, being careful not to go all the way through the root area. Then, do the opposite direction. Presto — your onion is diced! To mince the garlic, you'll peel the clove, and then smash it using the flat side of a knife. Then, quickly chop it down to the size you want (via Food Network). With the squash, Brookes suggests putting the whole squash in the microwave for about five minutes to soften it, which makes it much easier to slice up.

Now, let's get cooking. Heat the 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large cooking pot, and fry the diced onion for about 5 minutes until softened. Be sure to stir frequently to avoid burning. 

Then, add the 3 cloves of crushed garlic, and cook for another minute. The longer you allow the garlic and onions to fry, the sweeter their flavor becomes, infusing your soup with a rich and subtle tang (via Kitchn). Lastly, put in the diced butternut squash, and cook for another few minutes. Pay attention during this portion and mix the ingredients gently, as needed.

When all the ingredients are softened, it's time to prepare the soup. Pour in 1 liter of vegetable stock, then give everything a good stir, and let it come to a boil. You can also think about adding some more zing to the soup if you like things spicier. Brookes suggests using some fresh chili, a little curry powder, or smoked paprika to give it a bit of fiery punch. 

Once it's bubbling, reduce heat to a simmer, and let the dish cook for 20 minutes. When the time is up, remove the pot from the heat, and let the mixture cool a little before the final step: blending it all together.

Using a jug (a classic blender with a lid) or stick (an immersion device with blades at the end of it) blender, blitz the soup until smooth. There are pros and cons to both devices. Brookes believes the jug/standing variety is probably the best way to blend without getting soup everywhere. She recommends using a ladle to transfer the soup from the pot to the blender rather than just trying to pour it. In comparison, the stick variety allows you to keep everything in one place, but it's easy to make a mess. Brookes suggests holding a cloth over the top of pot while blending to prevent errant drops from escaping.

Choosing a classic blender might require you to blend the soup in a few batches. Once blended, transfer the soup back to the pot, and give it a final stir.

Serve this cozy butternut squash soup alone or with the toppings of your choice, such as sour cream or yogurt and fresh herbs. You can also add any extra seasoning(s) to taste. Enhance the meal with some thick slices of bread, a crusty roll, or even a sandwich. "A grilled cheese sandwich could be good," Brookes advises.

You can serve this soup fresh, but it also keeps well in the fridge for a few days. Just reheat single servings in the microwave or on the stove as you go. It can also be frozen for up to three months and defrosted overnight in the fridge.