The Best Butternut Squash Apple Soup
I don’t think you can find a more delicious variation of butternut squash soup than this butternut squash apple soup.
Made with tart Granny Smith apples, sherry, tarragon, and just a bit of cream, this is elegant enough for a dinner party, but it’s also fast and easy and hits the spot on a cold winter night when you want something rich, creamy, and comforting.
Why This Recipe Works
This is one of my favorite creamy vegetable soup recipes, along with my Creamy Fennel and White Bean Soup and Roasted Acorn Squash Soup. Here's why you'll love it too:
The flavors are amazing! Many butternut squash soup recipes call for fall spices like sage and nutmeg, but once you taste the tarragon and sherry in this soup, you’ll never want it any other way!
This recipe is super easy to make with only 8 main ingredients. The cook time is about an hour, but it’s all hands-off.
It freezes beautifully, so make a big pot and freeze half for later.
It’s the most delicious way to get lots of beta-carotene and potassium to protect your eyes and help reduce your blood pressure.
Recipe Ingredients
Here are some key ingredients you’ll need to make butternut squash soup with apples. I’ve listed a few substitutions and variations in the section below.
Be sure to check out the recipe card below for the complete list of ingredients with measurements.
Fresh butternut squash. It’s less expensive to buy a whole squash, but you’ll save lots of time if you get it peeled and cubed.
Tart green apples. Granny Smith apples are widely available, but other tart apple varieties include Ginger Gold, Pippin, or Crispin.
Whole wheat bread. Yes, it’s a strange addition to soup, but it gives this soup a nice richness without being overly thick.
Dried tarragon. This herb is what makes this recipe unique.
Sherry. It adds a touch of sweet, nutty, and complex flavour.
Substitutions and Variations
If fresh butternut squash is out of season, substitute frozen, cubed butternut squash.
For a vegan option, use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock and skip the cream. It's still quite good without it.
You can use soft white bread instead of whole wheat.
I like to garnish this soup with fried leeks and pumpkin seeds (pepitas), but you could also use homemade croutons or crushed air fryer apple chips. Or skip the garnish.
Step-By-Step Instructions
This delicious butternut squash soup comes together in a few quick steps.
First, peel and cube your squash and dice the onion and apples. Cut the neck end off at the bulb, and using a vegetable peeler or a sharp knife, peel the outer skin. Then, cut the squash into cubes about 1-inch or smaller.
Second, saute the squash, onions, apple, and bread for about 8 minutes or until light golden.
Third, add the stock, tarragon, salt, and pepper. Bring the soup to a boil, cover, and reduce the heat to medium-low. Let the soup simmer until the squash is very tender.
Fourth, blend the soup until it’s smooth using an immersion blender.
Fifth, add the sherry and cream. Let the soup simmer for another 5-10 minutes.
Expert Tips
I always recommend using an immersion blender to blend soups because it’s easier and safer than a regular blender. However, if you prefer to use a regular blender, puree the soup in batches. Only fill your blender about halfway with the hot soup because hot liquids expand, and there’s a risk of the hot soup flying out of the top of the blender.
For the bread, stick to one that’s soft and will melt into the soup. Avoid seeded breads or those with a very tough crust.
What to Eat With Butternut Squash Apple Soup
This soup is delicious as a first course for a dinner party (serve a small portion, though, because it’s rich), but it’s also satisfyng enough for dinner paired with:
- Sweet potato cornbread
- Kale Apple Salad
- Citrus Fennel Salad
- Brussels sprouts slaw with cranberries and walnuts
Recipe FAQs
You can freeze this recipe for up to three months. Let it thaw in the refrigerator before heating on the stove. Reheat it gently over medium heat so the cream doesn’t curdle.
A Y-peeler works best for peeling butternut squash because it has a wider blade than a straight swivel peeler. If you have trouble cutting through the tough skin, microwave your squash for 1-2 minutes to soften the skin a bit. This will make it easier to peel.
As a starchy vegetable, butternut squash is higher in carbohydrates than non-starchy vegetables (like broccoli or tomatoes), but it’s not as high as you might think, making it a good choice for those with diabetes. One cup of plain butternut squash has about 63 calories, 16 g of carbs, 3 g of fibre and 1 g of protein
Other Related Creamy Vegetable Soup Recipes
If you like this recipe, don't miss these other creamy vegetable soup recipes.
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star rating on the recipe card below & a review in the comments section further down the page.
Recipe
Butternut Squash Soup With Apple
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 ½ lbs peeled butternut squash from a 2.5 pound whole squash
- 3 medium Granny Smith apples
- 1 large sweet onion about 1 large, sliced
- 3 slices whole wheat bread
- 6 cups low sodium chicken stock
- 1 teaspoon tarragon or more to taste
- 2 teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- ⅓ cup sherry
Instructions
- Cut the squash into 1-inch cubes. Dice the apple and onion. Cut the bread into 1-inch cubes.
- Heat the oil in a stockpot over medium-high heat.
- Saute squash, apples, onions, and bread with olive oil for about 8 minutes or until the vegetables tart to soften and turn golden.
- Add chicken stock, tarragon, salt, pepper, and bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer until squash and apples are tender - about 50 minutes.
- Remove the soup from the heat and puree it using an immersion blender.
- Add cream and sherry to soup and bring it back to a simmer for about 5 minutes.
- Taste, and add extra salt if necessary.
Notes
Nutrition
