Roasted Red Pepper and Butternut Squash Soup is sweet and smoky with roasted red peppers and butternut squash and hints of coconut and spice. It’s also dairy-free and can easily be made vegan and vegetarian. The post also includes plenty of recipe tips and substitutions.
This post was originally published in October 2017 and has been updated to include adjustments to the recipe, as well as new text and photos. (An original photo is included at the end of this post, so be sure to check out the before and after).
This soup is a favourite of mine. I first published it two years ago and I make it a few times every fall. The original recipe called for packages of pre-cut butternut squash (with carrots, onions and leeks) that were available at my local grocery store.
Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to find that pre-packaged soup mix this year. And since it wasn’t reader friendly of me to include an ingredient that’s hard to find, I set out to re-create this soup using basic ingredients that can be found at the grocery store or farmer’s market.
And the result? I love this soup even more!
Why you’ll love this red pepper squash soup too:
- It’s thick and hearty and can work as a main meal, side dish or appetizer.
- It would make a great addition to your Thanksgiving or Christmas menu.
- It’s also a great way to use up leftover ham from your holiday dinner.
- And even without the pre-packaged veggies, this soup is still pretty easy to make.
What you’ll need to make this red pepper and butternut squash soup:
- Butternut squash
- Red peppers
- Carrots
- Onion
- Leek
- Sage
- Garlic
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Smoked paprika
- Salt and pepper
- Crushed red pepper flakes
- Vegetable broth
- Coconut milk
- Corn (optional)
- Ham (optional)
How to make this butternut squash red pepper soup:
- Step 1: Cut up your butternut squash, peppers, carrots, onion and leek. To quicken the roasting time, cut your squash into 1/2-inch cubes and the carrots into 1/4-inch slices. Arrange the veggies, sage and garlic on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Drizzle on oil and sprinkle on smoked paprika, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine.
Note on cutting butternut squash and leeks: If you’re hesitant to tackle peeling and cutting a butternut squash, no worries. I cover it in this post for air fryer butternut squash. And if you’re not sure how to cut and clean leeks, this quick article and youtube video from Gimme Some Oven is super helpful.
- Step 2: Bake the veggies on 400F for 35-40 minutes, or until they are soft and tender. Let cool slightly on the baking sheet.
- Step 3: Add the roasted veggies to a large pot.
- Step 4: Stir in the vegetable broth and coconut milk.
- Step 5: Using a handheld immersion blender, purée the soup until thick and creamy. If you’d like to add corn and ham to the soup, skip to Step 7.
- Step 6: If you want to serve this soup without corn and ham, bring the soup to a low boil on the stovetop and let simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure it doesn’t burn on the pot. If the soup is a bit too thick for you, now is the time to thin it out with some more veggie broth. (Jump to Step 8).
- Step 7 (optional): Add corn and ham to the soup. Bring the soup to a low boil on the stovetop and let simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally so it doesn’t start to burn. If the soup is too thick, go ahead and add more broth to thin it out.
Note on corn and ham: You can use canned corn or you can roast two ears of fresh corn with your other veggies. The ham is optional but it’s a great way to use up leftovers. Just make sure the ham is pre-cooked. I usually go with lean and reduced sodium too.
- Step 8: Season to taste with more salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Serve and enjoy!
How to make this Butternut Squash Soup Vegan:
Other than the suggestion to add ham, this butternut squash soup is completely vegan. Just forego the ham and be sure to use vegetable broth and coconut milk (as opposed to cream or dairy milk).
How long will this butternut squash soup with coconut milk last?
Store any leftover soup in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator and enjoy within 3-4 days. (I actually think this soup tastes better on the second day). When ready to eat, just re-heat in the microwave or on the stovetop.
Can I freeze butternut squash soup?
I’ve had success freezing this soup, but here are a few suggestions:
- Wait for the soup to cool completely before transferring it to freezer safe containers or bags and freezing.
- Dairy and non-dairy alternatives sometimes separate when soup is de-frosted and re-heated. Coconut milk tends to hold up better, but if you can, wait to blend in your choice of milk once the soup is de-frosted.
- I would also leave out the corn and ham and just add it to the soup once it’s defrosted and re-heated.
- This soup should keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
What to serve with roasted red pepper and butternut squash soup:
- Savoury granola, which is my go-to soup topping lately (and included in the photos in this post).
- Everything bagel croutons are so good loaded on top of creamy soups.
- Air fryer chickpeas make a crispy, grain-free topping.
- A side salad, such as this winter citrus crunch salad, would round out your meal nicely.
Additional tips and substitutions for making this roasted red pepper and butternut squash soup recipe:
- 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.
- This recipe calls for no salt added vegetable broth. You can also use a regular or reduced-sodium broth, but you may wish to reduce the amount of salt you add to the soup. You can also use chicken broth if you don’t need this soup to be vegan or vegetarian.
- I used a handheld immersion blender to purée the soup, but you can also use a traditional blender. Just add the roasted veggie mixture, broth and coconut milk to the blender in batches and purée until smooth.
- To thin out the soup, just add more veggie broth. The soup also thickens in the fridge, so before re-heating leftovers, you may wish to add some more broth.
- This soup has a hint of coconut from the coconut milk, so if that’s not your thing, you can substitute with an unsweetened nut milk (or dairy milk or cream if you don’t need this soup to be vegan).
- If you don’t have fresh sage, you can use two teaspoons of dried sage in place of the leaves.
- Make sure you’re using smoked paprika and not regular paprika. They taste very different, and smoked paprika is a necessary ingredient for the smoky flavour in this soup.
Pin this Roasted Red Pepper and Butternut Squash Soup to make for the holidays!
If you’re looking for more cozy soup recipes, you might also enjoy:
- Golden Beet Soup is completely vegan, and sweet and creamy with fresh ginger, garlic, sage and carrots.
- Dairy-Free Seafood Chowder is a popular recipe on Crumb Top Baking. It has a creamy cashew base and it’s loaded with shrimp, scallops and salmon.
- Dairy-Free Corn Chowder is also cashew-based with fresh corn, baby potatoes and a crunchy coconut bacon topping.
- Tomato Chickpea Soup is gluten-free and vegan, uses pantry staples and comes together quickly in the Instant Pot.
If you make this Roasted Red Pepper and Butternut Squash Soup, I would love to hear what you think in the comments below!
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Print
Roasted Red Pepper and Butternut Squash Soup (Dairy-Free)
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 60
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 6 bowls
- Category: Dinner; Lunch
- Method: Roast and Blend
- Cuisine: Dairy-Free
Description
Roasted Red Pepper and Butternut Squash Soup is sweet and smoky with roasted red peppers and butternut squash and hints of coconut and spice. It’s also dairy-free and can easily be made vegan and vegetarian.
Ingredients
- 4 cups chopped butternut squash, 1/2-inch cubes
- 2 cups sliced carrots, 1/4-inch coins
- 2 large red bell peppers, seeded and quartered
- 1 leek (root and top green leaves removed), chopped
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 6–8 large fresh sage leaves
- 6 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
- 2 1/2 cups no salted added vegetable broth
- 1 can (400 ml) light coconut milk
- 2 cups corn, canned or fresh and roasted (optional)
- 2 cups chopped pre-cooked lean ham (optional)
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 400F and line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Arrange the butternut squash, carrots, peppers, leek, onion, sage and garlic in a single layer on the pan. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle on paprika, salt, red pepper flakes and pepper. Stir (or toss with your hands) to ensure the veggies are well coated.
- Roast for 35-40 minutes, or until the veggies are soft and tender. Stir them a few times to ensure they don’t burn.
- Remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes before adding to a medium-sized pot or dutch oven with the vegetable broth and coconut milk.
- Using a handheld immersion blender, purée the mixture until thick and creamy. Add the corn and ham (optional). Bring the soup to a low boil and let simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure it doesn’t burn on the pot. Season to taste with more salt, pepper and/or red pepper flakes.
- Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoy within 3-4 days.
Notes
- You can use a regular or reduced-sodium broth, but you may wish to reduce the amount of salt you add to the soup. You can also use chicken broth if you don’t need this soup to be vegan or vegetarian.
- If you don’t have a handheld immersion blender, you can use a traditional blender to purée the soup. Just add the roasted veggie mixture, broth and coconut milk to the blender in batches and purée until smooth.
- To thin out the soup, just add more broth. The soup also thickens in the fridge, so before re-heating leftovers, you may wish to add some more broth.
- This soup has a hint of coconut from the coconut milk, so if that’s not your thing, you can substitute an unsweetened nut milk of your choice. You can also use dairy milk or cream if you don’t need this soup to be vegan.
- If you don’t have fresh sage, you can use two teaspoons of dried sage in place of the leaves.
- Make sure you’re using smoked paprika and not regular paprika. They taste very different, and smoked paprika is a necessary ingredient for the smoky flavour in this soup.
- If opting to add corn, you can use canned corn or you can roast two ears of fresh corn with your other veggies.
“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!