There are few things that are more satisfying than a bowl of Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Sage Brown Butter (especially so on a chilly evening). This soup begins with roasted butternut squash, which gives us fantastic depth of flavor that's hard to beat. Pairing it with fall-inspired spices (like ground ginger and nutmeg) makes this soup ultra-warming and cozy. The sage brown butter drizzle at the end sends this soup completely over the top.
This soup and colder weather go hand-in-hand. Fall and winter are the best times of year to make this soup, since butternut squash is in season and they are exceptionally sweet and delicious. Other varieties of squash can be used (more on that below), but butternut is the preferred type.
This recipe is also perfect to serve alongside classic Thanksgiving dishes. Check out my recipes for Green Bean Casserole, Sausage Apple Sage Stuffing, or Orange Cranberry Sauce for some inspiration!
Another cold-weather favorite of mine is my recipe for Beef and Chorizo Chili. This uses Mexican Chorizo and a dried-chile puree that produces the perfect amount of heat and richness to create a seriously delicious bowl of chili!
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Ingredients
There are three components to this soup - the base soup (obviously!), and two garnishes: an ultra fragrant and nutty "Sage Brown Butter", and what I like to call "Faux Crème Fraîche". The garnishes are simple to make and can be put together while the soup is cooking. Win, win!
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
The ingredients used are relatively simple for this recipe. The two ingredients that really help elevate this dish are the ground ginger and red miso paste. They both play a background role, but the nutty, umami-packed saltiness from the red miso paste and the gentle, warming heat from the ginger really wakes this soup up in a beautiful way.
- Butternut Squash
- Unsalted Butter
- Shallot
- Fresh Thyme
- Bay Leaves
- Ground Ginger
- Ground Nutmeg
- Kosher Salt
- Black Pepper
- Chicken Stock
- Heavy Cream
- Red Miso Paste
- Rice Vinegar
Sage Brown Butter
This sage brown butter is incredibly delicious! Plain brown butter is already comforting and delicious, but you throw in some sage and cayenne pepper and it takes everythning up to a whole new level. It's simple, toasty-richness, and comfort overload! What more could you possibly want?
- Unsalted Butter
- Fresh Sage Leaves
- Kosher Salt
- Cayenne
Faux Crème Fraîche Drizzle
While making crème fraîche isn't all that difficult, sometimes you simply don't have the time to wait for it. For those unfamiliar, crème fraîche is a classic French cultured dairy-based condiment that is made with buttermilk and heavy cream. It's allowed to slightly sour at room temperature over the course of 12 to 24 hours. It's similar to sour cream, but is richer and slightly smoother. Check out this article from Serious Eats if you're interested in making crème fraîche yourself.
This simple mixture of sour cream and whole milk mimics the creaminess of crème fraîche without all the fuss. Simply mix the two ingredients until smooth and shiny, then drizzle over the soup to add a dash of luxuriousness.
- Sour Cream
- Whole Milk
How to Make Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
This recipe is as simple to make as it is delicious! This starts by cubing and roasting the squash for maximum flavor, combining with sauteed shallots, some fall-inspired seasonings, and fresh herbs, deglazing everything with chicken stock and heavy cream, and then is finished by blending until smooth! Detailed instructions are below:
Step 1: Toss the peeled and cubed squash in several tablespoons of oil, and season with kosher salt and pepper.
Step 2: Roast the squash at 425°F for 45 to 50 minutes, flipping every 15 to 20 minutes until well browned. Remove and allow to cool.
Step 3: Towards the end of the squash roasting, sauté the shallot in butter until soft. Add the ground ginger, ground nutmeg, kosher salt, black pepper, bay leaves, bundle of fresh thyme, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes
Step 4: Add the roasted squash to the pot, deglaze with the chicken stock and heavy cream. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 10 minutes.
Step 5: While the soup is simmering, prepare the sage brown butter by melting the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, and stirring frequently for 6 to 8 minutes until well browned but not burnt. Remove from the heat, and stir in two sprigs of fresh sage leaves, kosher salt, and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Keep warm until ready to serve.
Step 7: Also, while the soup is simmering and the brown butter is melting, prepare the faux crème fraîche by combining the sour cream and whole milk until smooth and shiny. Reserve until ready to serve.
Step 7: Remove the fresh thyme bundle and bay leaves from the soup. Blend the soup with an immersion blender, or work in batches and use a conventional blender if desired. Blend until smooth, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Step 8: Bring the soup back to a boil and then reduce the heat. Cook for an additional 15 to 20 minutes until thickened to your desired consistency. Remove from the heat and stir in the miso paste, rice vinegar, and season to taste with more salt and pepper as needed.
Step 9: To serve, ladle soup into a cup or bowl, drizzle with a few teaspoons of the faux crème fraîche and sage brown butter. Garnish with fresh thyme leaves and roasted pumpkin seeds. Serve warm.
Ingredient Substitution Recommendations
Here is a quick guide on some ingredient substitutions for this recipe:
- Squash Variety - Other varieties of squash will work as well if you can't find butternut squash. Buttercup, acorn, sugar pumpkin, or honeycup varieties will work; however, they are not quite as sweet. Add a touch of honey or sugar to make up for the difference in sweetness.
- Type of Stock - Feel free to use vegetable stock in lieu of chicken stock to make this vegetarian-friendly.
- Spices - As always, you can tailor the spices to suit your tastes. Swapping the ginger and nutmeg for garam masala or cumin puts an interesting Indian-inspired twist on this recipe.
Equipment
Other than a large pot and a baking sheet, the only special piece of equipment you need is either a conventional blender or an immersion blender. Check out this Cordless Kitchen Aid Immersion Blender to make things easy.
Either type of blender will work to get smooth results; however, an immersion blender doesn't have the same amount of power as a traditional blender. As such, the soup won't be quite as silky smooth as if you use a top-of-the-line blender, like a Vitamix. I can tell you from experience that you'll still end up with really delicious soup!
Storing and Reheating
Store the soup, sage brown butter, and faux creme fraiche in separate containers. Everything will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. Any longer than that, transfer to the freezer.
To reheat, simply warm the soup and the sage brown butter in separate pots on the stove until warm, then garnish and serve.
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup Pairing Recommendations
Traditional Thanksgiving dishes and comfort food go great with this soup. I've handpicked a few other side dishes below that pair perfectly with this dish (especially for Thanksgiving or Christmas)!
All Things Soup
Looking for more soups? Check out a few of my favorites below and let me know what you think!
Did you make this recipe for Roasted Butternut Squash with Sage Brown Butter?
Let me know how yours turned out in the comments below, and don't forget to leave a rating!
Recipe
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Sage Brown Butter
Equipment
- Large Dutch Oven Or other large heavy-bottom pot
Ingredients
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
- 1 Butternut Squash - About 3 lbs. Peeled, Halved, Seeded, and Cubed
- 2 - 3 tablespoons Neutral Oil
- 2 tablespoons Unsalted Butter
- 1 Shallot Finely Minced
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 5 - 6 Sprigs Fresh Thyme Tie these together with kitchen twine to make removal easier
- ½ teaspoon Ground Ginger
- ¼ teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt Plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon Black Pepper Plus more to taste
- 1 ½ quarts Chicken Stock 6 cups
- 1 ½ cups Heavy Cream
- 1 tablespoon Red Miso Paste
- 1 ½ teaspoons Rice Vinegar
Sage Brown Butter
- 4 tablespoons Unsalted Butter
- 2-3 sprigs Fresh Sage Leaves
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1 pinch Cayenne
Faux Crème Fraîche
- ½ cup Sour Cream
- 2 - 3 tablespoons Whole Milk
Garnishes
- Faux Crème Fraîche From Above
- Sage Brown Butter From Above
- Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
- Fresh Thyme Leaves
Instructions
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Toss the peeled, halved, seeded, and cubed butternut squash in several tablespoons of oil and several pinches of kosher salt and black pepper. Transfer to a baking sheet and roast for 45 to 50 minutes, flipping every 15 to 20 minutes until deeply roasted and soft. Remove from oven and allow to cool while you prepare the rest of the soup.
- Melt 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter in a large pot or Dutch oven. Sauté the shallots with a small pinch of kosher salt for 2 to 3 minutes until translucent. Add the ground ginger, ground nutmeg, measured kosher salt, black pepper, and bundle of fresh thyme. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add the roasted butternut squash to the pot, then deglaze with the chicken stock and heavy cream, scraping any fond from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 10 minutes. While the soup is simmering, prepare the Sage Brown Butter and Faux Crème Fraîche-instructions below.
- Remove the thyme bundle and bay leaves from the soup and blend using an immersion blender (or work in batches with a conventional blender) until smooth, about 2 to 3 minutes. Return the soup to the pot or Dutch oven and bring back to a boil. Reduce the heat and cook for an additional 15 to 20 minutes or until thickened to your desired consistency. Longer simmering time will achieve a thicker consistency and vice versa.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the red miso paste and rice vinegar. Season to taste with more kosher salt and pepper as needed.
Sage Brown Butter Instructions
- While the soup is simmering, melt 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Continue to cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring frequently as the milk solids begin to brown but not burn.
- Remove from the heat and stir in 2 to 3 sprigs of fresh sage leaves, kosher salt, and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Keep warm until ready to serve.
Faux Crème Fraîche Instructions
- While the soup is simmering, combine the sour cream and 1 to 2 tablespoons of whole milk until glossy, and thinned slightly. (It should be pourable, but not runny). Cover and reserve until ready to serve.
Soup Assembly
- Ladle several spoonful's of soup into a bowl or cup, drizzle with several teaspoons of the sage brown butter and faux crème fraîche. Garnish with fresh thyme leaves and roasted pumpkin seeds. Serve warm.
Stanley says
This is a seriously decadent bowl of soup, and is perfect during cooler weather! The miso paste does a really fantastic job of balancing this dish out, and the brown butter sage drizzle is to die for!