Butternut Squash Soup (Gluten Free and Dairy Free)

Butternut squash soup with pumpkin seeds and minced chives in white bowl with spoon.

4.86 from 7 votes

Butternut Squash Soup (Gluten Free and Dairy Free)

This Vegan Butternut Squash Soup is gluten free and dairy free! It's made with creamy coconut milk and topped with pepitas or pumpkin seeds.

Prep Time15

Cook Time25

Total Time40

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free, Low Lactose, Vegan

Keyword: creamy vegan butternut squash soup, butternut squash soup without dairy, butternut squash soup coconut milk,

Servings:

Calories: 139kcal

Author: Christine Rooney

Equipment

Cast Iron Dutch Oven or heavy-bottomed soup pot
Immersion Blender

Ingredients

For The Soup:

6 cloves garlic
1 onion any color
1 medium-large butternut squash equals 6-7 heaping cups chopped
2 Tbsp. olive oil
3 cups low sodium vegetable broth
½ cup full fat coconut milk
1 tsp. kosher salt
½ tsp. pepper

For The Topping:

½ cup pepitas or pumpkin seeds - raw, unsalted
1-2 tsp. olive oil
½ tsp. smoked paprika can sub chili powder or smoky spice of choice
¼ tsp. kosher salt
2 Tbsp. minced fresh herbs such as chives, parsley, or cilantro for garnish optional

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Peel and Chop The Butternut Squash:

Remove the top and bottom of the squash with a sharp knife. This will give you a flat surface on both the top and bottom portion of the fruit and make it easier to peel and cut.
Cut the butternut squash in half. Place each half, flat side down, on the cutting board.
Carefully run the knife down the outer surface of each butternut squash half, or peel it with a vegetable peeler. Discard the skins in the compost or trash bin.
Cut each half of the squash in half again. Scoop out the seeds and membranes from the bottom portion of the squash with a large spoon, just as you would a pumpkin. Discard the seeds and membranes.
Cut each half of the squash into slices and then cut those slices into chunks. It's important that the squash chunks are relatively the same size to ensure that they cook evenly.

For The Soup:

Mince 6 cloves garlic and 1 onion (any color).
Place a cast iron Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed soup pot on the stove top and heat to medium-high. Add 2 Tbsp. of olive oil to the pot.
Once heated, add the minced garlic and onions. Sauté the garlic and onions for 4-5 minutes, stirring often.
Add the cubed squash along with 1 tsp. kosher salt and ½ tsp. pepper. Sauté the squash for 5-6 minutes, stirring often.
Add 3 cups of low sodium vegetable broth and ½ cup of full fat coconut milk to the pot. Stir until completely combined.
If you prefer a thicker texture, simply reduce the amount of vegetable broth by ½ cup and use 2 ½ cups of vegetable broth instead of 3 cups.
Bring the soup to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 10-12 minutes, or until the butternut squash is tender, but not mushy. It should be easily pierced with a knife or fork.
Once the soup is finished cooking, turn off the heat.
Place an immersion blender into the pot and puree the soup on the low setting. Make sure that the blender is immersed in the soup so that it doesn't splash all over the place. Be sure to do this carefully as the immersion blender can cause the hot soup to splatter.
It is also important not to scrape the bottom of your soup pot with the blade of the immersion blender as it can damage the pan.
Puree the soup until it is smooth and creamy, or has reached your desired consistency.
If using a potato masher, simply mash the butternut squash in the soup pot. The soup will be a bit chunkier if using this method.

For The Toppings:

Heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Place ½ cup of raw, unsalted pepitas or pumpkin seeds onto a roasting pan. Drizzle with 1-2 tsp. olive oil. Add ½ tsp. smoked paprika or chili powder and ¼ tsp. of kosher salt on the pepitas. Toss until completely coated.
Place the pan in the oven and roast for 5-6 minutes, or until fragrant and crispy. Remove the pan from the oven and set aside.
To Serve: Serve the soup with the roasted pepitas or pumpkin seeds and some fresh minced herbs such as chives, parsley, cilantro, green onions, or thyme (optional).

Video

Notes

The nutritional info includes the pumpkin seeds.

If you would like a thinner consistency feel free to add more vegetable broth or water to thin it out.

For a thicker consistency, use less vegetable broth.

Feel free to sub any nuts or seeds you like in place of the pepitas or pumpkin seeds. Roasted walnuts, almonds, or sunflower seeds are all great choices.

Feel free to use regular paprika in place of smoked paprika for a less smoky flavor.

Nutrition