This Roasted Red Pepper and Butternut Squash Soup is packed with sweet and smoky flavor, thanks to the roasted red peppers and butternut squash, along with a mix of carrots, celery, onions, garlic and leeks. Everything is roasted together to caramelize the squash and veggies and bring out all their natural sweetness. The soup is thick and creamy without any butter or cream, so it’s completely dairy-free and vegan. Coconut milk is blended with the veggies to create a smooth and velvety soup, but don’t worry, it doesn’t taste like coconut. The flavors of the roasted veggies shine through along with a little smoked paprika, cumin, fresh sage and red pepper flakes!
This soup is such a perfect option for entertaining during the holidays as you can make it a few days in advance and just reheat it before serving.
The most time consuming part of this recipe is preparing the butternut squash cubes, but I have you covered with these tips on peeling and cutting a butternut squash!
This recipe was first published in October 2017 and again in October 2019. It’s a soup that I revisit every year when it’s squash season, so I’m always perfecting it and trying to find ways to make it better. The updated version below includes adjustments to the ingredients to make it even more flavorful and completely vegan!
Table of contents
Ingredients and substitutions
Below is a brief overview of some of the ingredients and recommended substitutions. The recipe card at the end of this post includes the exact ingredients and quantities used.
- Red peppers – You’ll need two large red bell peppers, cut into quarters so they roast a little quicker. Feel free to use yellow or orange bell peppers. It will change the color of the soup a bit but it will still have the same sweet pepper flavor.
- Butternut squash – You’ll need 5 cups of squash cubes for the soup, which is roughly one small butternut squash. While I know it’s easier to roast squash halves (since you don’t need to peel or chop), roasting the cubes is quicker and the squash is more flavorful this way.
- Leeks – I love the mild flavor of leeks in this soup, especially after they’re roasted. As leeks are a little more time consuming to slice and clean, feel free to use more yellow onion instead.
- Sage – If you don’t have fresh sage, you can use 2-3 teaspoons of dried sage instead.
- Spices – All you need is some smoked paprika, cumin and a pinch of red pepper flakes. (Make sure you’re using smoked paprika and not regular paprika).
- Broth – This recipe calls for no salt added vegetable broth. You can also use a regular or reduced-sodium broth, but you may wish to cut back on the amount of salt you add to the recipe.
- Coconut milk – I used light coconut milk for this soup as it has a lighter coconut flavor, but you can use full fat for a thicker and creamier soup. Just note that you may taste a hint of coconut in the soup. You can also substitute with an unsweetened plant-based milk like almond milk or oat milk.
How to make butternut squash and red pepper soup
Below is a brief overview of the steps to make this recipe along with photos. For further details, please see the recipe card at the end of this post.
Storage and reheating
Store any leftover soup in an airtight glass container in the fridge and enjoy within 3-4 days. I actually think this soup tastes better on the second day! When ready to eat, just reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop. The soup will thicken a little in the fridge, so feel free to add more vegetable broth to thin it out.
Key recipe tips
- Use two sheet pans. When I first started making this soup, I roasted everything on one large sheet pan. This meant the pan was so crowded, the squash and veggies steamed and ended up mushy. If you can, spread everything out onto two large sheet pans so the squash cubes and veggies have space to roast on all sides. This results in the best caramelized flavor.
- Red pepper skin. I don’t normally peel the skin off the roasted red peppers but if you prefer them peeled, just make sure the red pepper skins are blistered so they peel off easily.
- Stand blender. I like to use a stand blender to blend the soup as it results in the creamiest soup texture. Depending on the size of your blender, you may need to do this in two batches. You can also add all the soup ingredients to a large pot and use a handheld immersion blender to purée the soup. (It won’t be quite as creamy but it’s still a great option).
- Soup texture.The soup is on the thick side, so feel free to add more vegetable broth to thin it out.
- Spice level. Smoked paprika and cumin aren’t that spicy, but red pepper flakes are. The recipe just calls for a little bit, so feel free to adjust the amount to suit your preferred spice level.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, but the soup texture may change once thawed due to the coconut milk. If you can, wait to blend in the coconut milk (or your choice of milk) once the soup is defrosted.
While you can’t taste any coconut flavor in this soup, if you prefer to substitute, unsweetened nut milks like almond or cashew milk work well. For a nut-free option, oat milk is a great choice. If you don’t need this soup to be vegan, feel free to use dairy milk or cream.
Yes, feel free to substitute with buttercup, honeynut or acorn squash. Pie pumpkin will also work.
More creamy soup recipes
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear what you think in the comments below!
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Roasted Red Pepper and Butternut Squash Soup (Dairy-Free, Vegan)
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 6 bowls
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Roast and Blend
- Cuisine: American, Canadian
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Sweet and smoky with roasted red peppers and butternut squash, this soup is packed with flavorful herbs and spices and made thick and creamy with coconut milk so it’s dairy-free and vegan.
Ingredients
- 1 small butternut squash, chopped into 1.5 inch cubes (about 5 cups)
- 2 large red bell peppers, seeded and quartered
- 2 carrots, cut into 1/4 inch slices (about 1 cup)
- 2 stalks celery, chopped (about 1 cup)
- 1 leek (root and top green leaves removed), sliced and cleaned
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 6–8 large fresh sage leaves, chopped
- 6 cloves garlic
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 3 cups no salted added vegetable broth, (plus more if needed)
- 1 can (400 ml) light coconut milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450F.
- Using two large sheet pans, arrange the squash, peppers, carrots, celery, leeks, onion, sage and garlic in a single layer. (Make sure the peppers are cut side down).
- Brush oil on top of the peppers and drizzle the rest of the oil on the squash and veggies.
- Mix together the smoked paprika, salt, cumin, black pepper and red pepper flakes and sprinkle over the squash and veggies. (I usually don’t put any on the peppers). Stir (or toss with your hands) to ensure everything is well coated.
- Roast for 30-35 minutes, or until the squash and veggies are soft and tender with caramelized edges. (Stir things around a few times to ensure even roasting).
- Remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes before adding to the jug of a stand blender.
- Add the vegetable broth and coconut milk and blend on high until smooth and creamy. (Depending on the size and power of your blender, you may need to do this in two batches).
- Transfer the soup to a medium-sized pot or dutch oven and simmer over medium heat until heated through.
- Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the fridge and enjoy within 3-4 days.
Notes
- To ensure the squash and veggies have space to roast, use two sheet pans. If you crowd everything onto one pan, the squash and veggies will steam and the soup will lack that caramelized, roasted flavor.
- You can use a regular or reduced-sodium broth, but you may wish to reduce the amount of salt you add to the soup.
- Smoked paprika and cumin aren’t that spicy, but red pepper flakes are. The recipe just calls for a small amount, so feel free to adjust the amount to suit your preferred spice level.
- If you don’t have a stand mixer, transfer the roasted ingredients, broth and milk to a pot and use an immersion blender to blend until creamy.
- To thin out the soup, just add more broth. The soup also thickens in the fridge, so before reheating leftovers, you may wish to add some more broth.
“Vitamix”
This was delicious! Love all the vegetables and flavors! Is was very thick, however, (my vitamin could hardly blend it!) so I would suggest at least another cup or cup and a half of vegetable broth.
Delicious l! Can this be frozen?
Hi Kelly! Yes, you can freeze it but I would check out the section above in the blog post which includes tips for freezing it. So glad you liked the soup!
I’ve never put carrots or red peppers in butternut squash soup before, but it sounded good. I tried this recipe, omitting the ham, corn, and coconut milk, and I absolutely loved it! I would’ve loved it with coconut milk in it also, I’ve had that before, but I wanted something a little more savory this time. This delivered! Thank you so much!
Thank you Kim! I’m so happy you enjoyed the soup!
Hi! Excited about trying this! Can I use kabocha squash instead of butternut?
Thanks Neila! I’ve never had kabocha squash, so I can’t say for certain if it’s a good substitute in this soup. If you give it a try, please let me know how it goes.
I really love this soup! I am making it for the second time right now. It is very prep intensive but worth it. Thank you for this recipe!
Hi Suzanne! I’m so glad you’re enjoying the recipe. Thank you for leaving a review!
This was delicious! So savory, exactly what I was wanting!
I’m so glad you liked it! Thanks for letting me know!
Too spicy – with the red pepper flakes – can’t it it. Recommend putting optional.
Hi Jacklynn. I’m sorry the soup was too spicy for you. Thanks for your feedback.
Wow! I just made this…and I must say it not only met, but exceeded my expectations. I love butternut squash and basically every vegetable and herb that went into the making of this decadent dish. I was making it for a friend who had surgery and she needed soft foods. So I thought this would work. I hope she and her husband loves this as much as I do. I made the vegan version of this, but I omitted adding the corn because I figured it would pose a difficulty for her. And instead of using coconut milk I used plain vegan half and half— I think this was an excellent choice. There were a few firsts for me with this soup: leeks and the plant based half and half. With that being said, I am rating this 5 stars! I love everything about this soup. I made enough for me and hubby and I ate it with these beautiful steak buns. They looked delicious at the store so I bought them. I totally appreciate you sharing this recipe with us. Thank u.
Hi Yvie! Thanks so much for taking the time to let me know you tried this recipe. I’m so happy you liked it. Using vegan half and half in place of coconut milk is a great idea. I hope your friend is doing well after her surgery. Take care!
My husband said this was the best soup I ever made. I would have to agree. I did it without ham and corn. Thanks for the recipe!
Thanks Zeljka! I’m so glad you and your husband enjoyed the soup!
Just made this soup. It’s amazing. I didn’t add corn or ham but will serve with toasted ham sandwich. I also pureed it in my vitamix to make it smoother. Yummm thanks for doing what you do.
Hi Tina. Thanks so much for your feedback. I’m so happy that you enjoyed the soup, and pairing it with a toasted ham sandwich sounds wonderful!
I always make a butternut squash soup, but never with roasted red pepper. I’m going to have to give this a try. Also, what a difference in photos!!
Thanks Matt! The roasted red pepper stands out in flavour. Totally worth a try!
Butternut squash soup is one of my favourites. It is so windy and fall-like here today that I want a giant bowl of this for lunch. Also, your photos are gorgeous, Leanne!
Thank you Kim! It’s windy here today too, but very mild. I could still go for a bowl of soup though 😉
I love the flavors in this Leanne!! Soups are my go-to during the cold weather season and this looks like it would warm me right up!! I love the toppings and it looks extra creamy! YUM!
Thanks so much Haylie! Love soup season!
This soup has such a wonderful combination of flavours, Leanne! I love the before and after photos too, it’s so good to look at these sometimes and be proud of how far we’ve come. Thanks so much for sharing, I’m definitely putting this on my “to make” list.
Thanks so much Katerina! Please let me know what you think if you make it!
Leanne, you’ve combined two of my favorite flavors in one cozy and delicious soup! Roasting the squash and peppers must give them wonderful flavor. This is the perfect soup to stay warm on a chilly day.
It’s definitely a tasty one to warm up to! Thanks Kelly!
I love roasted red pepper soup and roasted butternut squash! I imagine this soup combination is heavenly!! Your photos are also stunning and make me just want to dive into a bowl. Pinning this and see it in my family’s future.
Thanks so much Tasia! You’re too sweet 🙂
What a beautiful, delicious, amazing soup! Love the flavours, and you shot it beautifully (always a challenge with smooth/pureed soups!). I love squash soups, but I’m always trying to figure out new ways to mix them up a bit. The roasted pepper is a PERFECT touch!
Thanks Sean! The roasted red peppers work really well in this soup! Hope you get to make it!