Roasted Red Pepper and Butternut Squash Soup (Dairy-Free, Vegan)

This Roasted Red Pepper and Butternut Squash Soup is packed with sweet and smoky flavor, with 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.

Serve this one as an appetizer or light meal with some savory granola, air fryer chickpeas or homemade sourdough croutons on top.

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Why this is one of my favorite soup recipes

• Dairy-free and vegan: Blending in coconut milk creates a smooth, velvety soup texture without needing heavy cream or milk. (I also use coconut milk in my carrot and butternut squash soup and roasted sweet potato and carrot soup).
• Sweet and smoky: The sweet, caramelized flavor of the roasted vegetables shines through, but it's enhanced by a savory blend of smoked paprika, cumin, fresh sage and red pepper flakes.
• Holiday-friendly: This soup is such a perfect option for entertaining at Thanksgiving or Christmas. You can easily prepare it in advance and reheat it just before your guests arrive. I think it tastes even better on the second day!
• Simple to make: While cubing the butternut squash takes the most effort, I've got you covered with my tips for peeling and cutting a butternut squash!

Ingredient notes

• 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 sweet, mild flavor of leeks in soup. (I also use them in my green pea soup with frozen peas). As leeks are a little more time consuming to slice and clean, feel free to use more yellow onion if you prefer.
• 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 sweet 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 full fat may create 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

Step 1: Arrange the chopped squash, veggies, garlic and sage on two large sheet pans. (Make sure the red peppers are cut side down).

Step 2: Brush oil on the red peppers. Drizzle oil over the other ingredients and sprinkle on the salt, pepper and spices. Toss until well coated.

Step 3: Roast at 450F for 30-35 minutes or until tender and caramelized.

Step 4: Let cool slightly before adding the roasted squash and veggies to a stand blender.

Step 5: Add the broth and coconut milk and blend on high until smooth and creamy.

Step 6: Transfer to a pot and simmer over medium-heat until heated through.

Red pepper and butternut squash soup FAQs

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