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With fresh butternut squash and apples, this butternut squash apple soup is the definition of fall soup that is made even better by a delicious pecan crumble.
Soup season is officially here and there are plenty of options - from turkey dumpling soup to southern homemade chili to loaded potato soup to broccoli cheddar soup to pumpkin and sweet potato soup.
I don't know about you, but I find it difficult to have soup when it is super hot out. So what better way to celebrate than with this delicious butternut squash soup.
Yes there are a decent amount of ingredients but it is quick to come together and packed with flavor. The cheddar cheese might seem a little out of left field but adds some creaminess to the soup. And don't ignore that cayenne pepper as that ¼ teaspoon gives the soup just enough kick to turn it up a notch.
But at the end of the day this butternut squash apple soup wouldn't be complete without the pecan crumble. The pecan crumble is honestly delicious on its own as a snack or you could just use some candied pecans. So go celebrate fall with this soup.
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Ingredient Notes
- Veggies - while butternut squash and apples are the stars here, you also get additional flavor from onion and garlic.
- Spices - the combination of cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and cayenne pepper adds warmth and a slight heat to the soup.
- Broth - when making soup I always use broth. Broth is made from the meaty parts of the bird and is lighter than its stock counterpart. Broth is something you sip where stock is something you cook with.
- Cheese - adds some richness and creaminess to the butternut squash apple soup.
- Pecans - by making a crumble with the pecans, you add some crunch and flavor to the soup.
Ingredient Swaps
As with any recipe, you can switch things up if needed. Some variations include:
- It is called butternut squash soup, but you can use pumpkin or even sweet potatoes.
- If you don't have sweet onions, white, yellow or red onions will work as well. They all high slightly different flavors.
- While I use broth, stock will work as well. It just has a richer flavor. And while I like chicken broth, vegetable broth can be used.
- I like whole milk for the creaminess, but dairy-free milk or even heavy cream can be substitute.
- I'm a fan of honey to sweeten the soup, but maple syrup works too.
Step-by-Step Photos
If making the crumble, add the ingredients to a bowl. Use a pastry cutter or 2 knives to work in the butter until it resembles coarse meal. Transfer to a baking sheet and bake at 350°F for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Cook the apples and onions in a large pot with butter over medium-heat for about 5 minutes. Then stir in the garlic, cooking for 30 seconds. Add the broth, butternut squash, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes or until the butternut squash is tender.
Turn off heat and puree with a handheld immersion blender until smooth. Stir in the milk, cheese, honey, spices and thyme. Bring to simmer and adjust for seasoning.
FAQs
I love the flavor of Honeycrisp apples, but you can use any type of apple you like. Another that works well are Granny Smith apples.
This soup naturally is thick but you can always thicken more if you want. If you have some cornstarch, just take 1 tablespoon cornstarch and whisk with 2 tablespoon water. Then add to the soup and stir until combined.
You’ll want to do this when the soup is still simmering as that helps activate the cornstarch to help thicken it. You can also control the thickness by how much you puree everything.
There is nothing wrong with having a big batch of soup to use whenever you need.
To store in the fridge, just let come to room temperature and place in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
To store in the freezer, place in airtight container in freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, let that overnight in the fridge.
Just place the soup in a saucepan over medium heat until steaming. No need for it to come to a boil. You can also warm up in a microwave.
Benefits of Butternut Squash
Like many vegetables, butternut squash comes with a ton of benefits, including:
- High in nutrients but low in calories
- Rich in vitamins and minerals
- Contains disease-fighting antioxidants
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- Use quality low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth. Remember a lot of the flavor will come from the broth.
- Use an immersion blender to puree the vegetables. It is much easier than adding to the blender in batches.
- Do not skip on adding the milk as it adds richness and mouthfeel you wouldn’t get otherwise. If you don’t want to use whole milk, you could try coconut milk.
- Don’t use pre-shredded cheese. It doesn’t taste as good and also has additional ingredients that you don’t need.
Other Soup Recipes
If you’ve tried this butternut squash apple soup or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.
Butternut Squash Apple Soup
Ingredients
Soup
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 medium sweet onion, chopped
- 1 Honeycrisp apple, cored, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks
- kosher salt + black pepper
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 cups butternut squash (about 1.5 lbs), peeled, seeded and cut into 1 inch chunks
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon thyme, diced
Pecan Crumble
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- ½ cup old-fashioned oats
- 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoon light brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature
Instructions
Soup
- In a large pot, melt the butter and add the onions and apple. Season with salt and pepper and cook for about 5-7 minutes or until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add broth, butternut squash, salt and pepper to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the butternut squash is tender, which should take about 15-20 minutes. Turn off the heat and puree with a handheld immersion blender until smooth. You can also add to blender in batches and puree.
- Add the milk, cheese, honey, cinnamon, ground cloves, nutmeg, cayenne pepper and thyme and stir. Bring to simmer and taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. If you need to thin the soup, just add some water. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with some pecan crumble.
Pecan Crumble
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Make the crumble by combining the chopped pecans, oats, flour sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a medium bowl. Use a pastry blender or 2 knives to work in the butter until topping resembles coarse meal.
- Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Notes
- Use quality low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth. Remember a lot of the flavor will come from the broth.
- Use an immersion blender to puree the vegetables. It is much easier than adding to the blender in batches.
- Do not skip on adding the milk as it adds richness and mouthfeel you wouldn't get otherwise. If you don't want to use whole milk, you could try coconut milk.
- Don't use pre-shredded cheese. It doesn’t taste as good and also has additional ingredients that you don’t need.
Chris says
Like the the addition of the cayenne.