Miso Butternut Squash Soup Recipe
Oct 15, 2018 • Updated Nov 22, 2024
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As the weather cools down, there’s nothing quite like a warm, creamy bowl of soup to bring comfort and nourishment. This miso butternut squash soup is a delicious twist on a classic, blending the natural sweetness of roasted butternut squash with the umami depth of miso paste.
This soup is a great way to get some wholesome ingredients into your diet and is perfect for meal prep or a cozy night in- add your favourite toppings like crispy chickpeas or fried sage for a fun and flavourful vegan and gluten-free dinner.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Vegan Butternut Squash Soup Recipe
This creamy butternut soup is my go-to for this time of year, especially when I’m feeling under the weather, but it’s just as delicious, warming, and comforting when you’re healthy too! I love this savory twist on a classic butternut squash soup with miso paste.
This recipe is built on layers of flavor from a variety of vegetables, the main one being butternut squash (obviously), roasting the squash brings out its natural sweetness while fresh herbs and garlic build those flavours. It gets creaminess from a non-dairy milk of your choice, and probiotics from the miso paste that support healthy digestion.
If you love squash season, you’re going to want to add this soup recipe to your weeknight menu ASAP. And while you’re roasting squash, check out my easy roasted butternut squash dip recipe.
How to Roast Butternut Squash
My favourite way to roast butternut squash is to simply cut it in half, remove the seeds and place it face down on a baking sheet, and popping it in the oven. I leave the skin on and let it roast as is because the skin is easy to remove once the butternut squash flesh is tender after roasting. You can also brush your squash with some neutral oil and season with salt and pepper for added flavour.
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- Butternut Squash: Provides a naturally sweet and velvety base for the soup. Swap with pumpkin or sweet potatoes if needed.
- Miso Paste: This adds saltiness and umami. It’s also fermented, which is great for your gut! White miso paste is milder, but red can add more intensity – use whichever you prefer.
- Vegetable Stock: Use low-sodium store-bought stock or make your own! You can also use vegetable broth if that’s all you have on hand!
- Non-Dairy Milk: Use any non-dairy milk you like! Milk enhances the creaminess of your soup – full-fat coconut milk or oat milk makes it especially tasty.
- White Onion: You can also use yellow onion or shallots if that’s what you have on hand.
- Garlic cloves: Garlic adds a ton of deep, rich flavor. Use fresh or roasted garlic depending on the intensity you prefer.
- Thyme, Sage, and Rosemary: Fresh herbs are more vibrant, but dried herbs work well too.
Optional Toppings
- Extra virgin olive oil to drizzle on top
- Roasted hazelnuts
- Fried sage leaves
You can see a full ingredient list with exact amounts in the recipe card below.
How to Make Creamy Butternut Squash Soup
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 400F. Halve the squash, scoop out the seeds, and coat with a neutral oil, salt, and black pepper. Place cut-side down on a lined baking tray and roast for 30-40 minutes, until fork-tender. Allow to cool, then peel off the skin.
Step 2: Once your squash has cooled a bit, measure out 2-3 cups of roasted squash flesh for the soup.
Step 3: Heat a few teaspoons of neutral oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add sliced onion and sauté until softened and fragrant. Stir in minced garlic and your choice of thyme, sage, and rosemary, cooking for a few more minutes without browning.
Step 4: Add the roasted butternut squash to the pot and sauté briefly. Pour in the vegetable stock, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, loosely covered with a lid, for about 8 minutes.
Step 5: Remove from heat and transfer your mixture into a blender along with miso paste and non-dairy milk. Blend on high until completely smooth, about 1-2 minutes using a high-speed blender or immersion blender. Adjust the consistency with more stock if you prefer it looser/silkier and add more plant milk if your soup needs added creaminess.
Step 6: Taste and adjust with salt and pepper if needed.
Step 7: To serve, drizzle with optional extra virgin olive oil, and garnish with crushed roasted hazelnuts or fried sage leaves for crunch and aroma.
Secrets to Success
- Use a non-stick baking mat for easy cleanup and to avoid any sticking.
- Roasting the squash caramelizes its natural sugars, deepening its sweet and nutty flavour.
- White miso is mild and slightly sweet, perfect for this soup, but feel free to experiment with red miso for a stronger flavor and slight kick.
- For some extra warmth, add some ginger to your soup.
- If you’re short on time, roast your squash in an air fryer!
Serving Tips
Because this creamy soup has a uniform texture, adding some crunch on top is nice. Here are some ideas to serve with your hot miso butternut squash soup:
- Croutons
- Crispy chickpeas
- Crispy baked tofu
- Vegan sour cream or plain yogurt
- Microgreens
- Sesame seeds
- Dukkah
- Fried sage leaves
- Vegan bread
- A drizzle of sesame oil on top
Storage Tips
Fridge: Once the soup has cooled completely, transfer it to an airtight container. It’ll stay fresh in the fridge for up to 5 days. Before reheating, give it a good stir as it may thicken slightly while sitting.
Freezer: Pour soup into freezer-safe containers, leaving a bit of space at the top so that it can expand a bit. You can also use reusable silicone bags. It will stay good in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Reheating: Thaw the soup overnight in the fridge, then reheat it on the stove over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Add a splash of vegetable stock or non-dairy milk if it’s thicker than you like.
For a quick reheat, use the microwave stirring every minute or so, until heated through.
Recipe FAQs
This is a great recipe to freeze! Just let it cool completely before transferring it to freezer-safe containers. It’ll keep for up to 3 months.
Reheat on the stove over medium heat, stirring occasionally. If it’s too thick after thawing, add a splash of vegetable stock or non-dairy milk.
Yes! Most miso paste is naturally gluten-free, but it’s always good to check the label to be sure.
More Soup Season Recipes
If you make this recipe, be sure to let me know what you think with a star rating and comment below! Follow me on Instagram for more delicious recipes!
Easy Miso Butternut Squash Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 2-3 cups butternut squash after roasting
- 1/2 small white onion
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 2 sprigs of rosemary
- 3 sprigs of thyme
- 3-4 sage leaves
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1/2-1 cup plant milk of choice
- 3 tbsp miso paste
- salt and pepper to taste
- optional
- evoo to drizzle on top
- roasted hazelnuts to serve
- fried sage leave for garnish
Instructions
- Roast your butternut squash
- Preheat your oven to 400F. Halve your butternut squash, remove the seeds and season with neutral oil of choice and salt and pepper. Place your squash face down on a nonstick baking mat lined tray and bake in the oven at 400F for about 30-40 minutes. It should be fork tender. Let it cool and then remove the skins.
- Once your squash has cooled a little bit, scoop out about 2-3 cups of the roasted flesh for the recipe.
- Prepare your soup base
- Slice your onion and garlic and heat a few teaspoons of neutral oil in a pot. Once the oil is hot, add your onions first, sauté until tender and aromatic, then add your garlic along with your fresh herbs. Sauté for another few minutes, being careful not to brown.
- Next add your roasted butternut squash to the pot, sauté for 1-2 minutes and add your vegetable broth. Bring it to a boil, reduce to a simmer and let cook on low heat, loosely covered with a lid, for about 8 minutes.
- Blend your soup!
- Turn the heat off and transfer your mixture into a blender along with miso paste and your non-dairy milk. Blend on high until completely smooth, about 1-2 minutes. Alternatively, you can use a hand immersion blender. At this point, you can adjust the texture to your liking–add more vegetable stock if you prefer it looser/silkier and add more plant milk if your soup needs added creaminess.
- Taste and adjust with salt and pepper as needed.
- To serve, drizzle with optional evoo, garnish with crushed roasted hazelnuts or fried sage leaves for crunch and aroma.
Notes
- Use a non-stick baking mat for easy cleanup and to avoid any sticking.
- Roasting the squash caramelizes its natural sugars, deepening its sweet and nutty flavour.
- White miso is mild and slightly sweet, perfect for this soup, but feel free to experiment with red miso for a stronger flavor and slight kick.
- For some extra warmth, add some ginger to your soup.
- If you’re short on time, roast your squash in an air fryer!
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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