This butternut squash and apple soup is such a warming bowl of fall flavors. It's wonderfully smooth, with a touch of sweetness balanced out by a gently savory note from sage and thyme. Easy, tasty and perfect any day.

bowl of butternut squash apple soup surrounded by colorful leaves and herbs below.

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One of the things I love about the changing seasons is getting back into meals we don't have as often at other times of year, and soups and stews are high on that list. We love things like short rib beef udon, broccoli and stilton soup and youvetsi (lamb/beef and orzo stew) but they just don't quite feel right when it's warm.

With a lot of root vegetables around now that it's getting cooler, it's the perfect excuse to make soup with them. Pretty much all of them can go in soup in some form or another, and butternut squash soup is a favorite with it's silky-smooth texture and gently sweet flavor. It's open to many variations, too, like this delicious one.

side partial view of bowl of butternut squash apple soup with herbs to side of bowl.

Ingredients in this squash and apple soup

This soup has a relatively simple set of ingredients that are all easy to find, and a few can be adapted to suit different diets:

Butternut squash - this is such a great squash for soups as it has a great flavor and becomes wonderfully silky smooth when you blend it. You could also use some other similar squash in here such as honeynut, kabocha, buttercup or red kuri.
Apple - this adds another autumnal flavor and pairs well with the squash. I'd recommend an apple that's more tart, as butternut is already relatively sweet. Varieties like Cortland, Envy, McIntosh and Empire have a good sweet-tart balance, or you could use Granny Smith for even more tart.
Onion - this adds an aromatic base to the soup, a sweet or white onion is best in terms of color but red can also work.
Stock/broth - you want a relatively light stock/broth for this so that it doesn't hide the main flavors. I recommend chicken or vegetable stock, as you have and depending if you are looking to keep it vegetarian.
Sage and thyme - you can, if you like, skip the herbs, but I thin they add a lovely aromatic and savory depth that works so well. It also balances out the sweetness in the squash and apple. I'd recommend fresh but dry herbs also work.
Butter (or oil) - you need a little fat to start cooking the vegetables in before you add the liquid. I generally prefer butter as it gives a little more flavor, but a neutral oil also works.

bowls with chunks of squash, apple, onion, measure of stock, small dish with chopped herbs and butter.

Steps to make this butternut squash apple soup

This soup comes together easily in just a few steps:

Soften the onion in the butter (or oil) - this brings out it's natural sweetness.
Peel and dice the squash and add to the pot/pan. Cook briefly (sweat them) so start them gently softening and to bring out the flavor.
Add the apple, herbs, a little salt and pepper then add a little flour. The flour helps absorb excess fat and will also gently thicken the soup.
Add the stock, bring to a simmer and cook until the apple and squash are tender. If anything, cook longer rather than less.
Either transfer to a blender or use a handheld blender to blend until smooth.

I like using a handheld (stick) blender as you can blend directly in the pot/pan, but if you don't have one, a larger blender also works, or you can blend in batches. If you are transferring, though, then take care to let the soup cool a few minutes first as very hot liquid can make a blender explode.

chunks of squash and apple in pot with stock.

Serving and storing this autumnal soup

This soup is lovely just as it is, or to make it a little more of a meal, some bread on the side works well to then mop up the tastiness, too. Alternatively, and especially if I'm packing it for lunch, I sometimes add some couscous in with it to make it a little heartier.

I love this as a warming lunch but it also works well as an appetizer, such as for Thanksgiving and more. If you want to garnish the soup, you could add a drizzle of cream, some croutons, or fry some sage in butter and add those. But really, the beautiful color os pretty enough.

This soup works well to store and reheat as well. You can store any leftovers in the fridge for a couple days in a sealed container, then reheat on the stove. The soup also freezes well for longer storage.

This butternut squash and apple soup is a lovely combination of smooth texture, bright color, a little sweet and a little savory. It's warming and comforting, while being light too. A deliciously good bowlful that's worth having on repeat.

overhead view of bowl of butternut squash apple soup with leaves to side of bowl.

Looking for more warming soups? Try these!

Pumpkin broccoli soup with cheddar (a lovely mix of vegetables with a smooth, richer cheese flavor mixed through)
Avgolemono soup (a lovely smooth chicken and lemon soup)
Ezogelin soup (Turkish lentil and bulgur soup, both hearty and flavorful)
Cullen skink (Scottish smoked haddock chowder)
I'm also loving the sound of this butternut squash soup with ginger from Epicurious.
Plus get more seasonal ideas in the fall recipes archives.

bowl of butternut squash apple soup from overhead.

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5 from 2 votes