Easy Butternut Squash Soup – Slimming World Friendly

Butternut squash is one of those vegetables I buy with good intentions and then occasionally look at a few days later wondering why I chose something quite so awkward to peel! I do love it, though, and this simple butternut squash soup is one of the easiest things I make with it.

There aren’t loads of ingredients or spices to buy. It’s simply butternut squash, onion, potato, vegetable stock and seasoning, all cooked together and blended until smooth.

It makes four portions, so it’s ideal for lunches, and you can use ready-prepared butternut squash if you really can’t be bothered fighting with a whole one. I absolutely do that sometimes.

Ingredients for butternut squash soup

For four portions you’ll need:

• 2 large butternut squashes, peeled, deseeded and cut into small chunks
• 1 large onion, peeled and roughly chopped
• 2 vegetable stock cubes
• 1 potato, around jacket potato size, peeled and cut into chunks
• 750ml boiling water
• 1 tsp Everyday seasoning

You can adjust the amount of water slightly depending on how thick you like your soup.

How to make easy butternut squash soup

Put the chopped butternut squash, onion, potato, stock cubes, seasoning and 750ml boiling water into a large saucepan.

Bring everything to the boil and then simmer for around 20–25 minutes, until all the vegetables are completely tender.

Once cooked, blend the soup until smooth.

I’m always wary of blending boiling-hot soup because I don’t particularly fancy decorating myself and the kitchen with it, so I prefer to let mine cool before using a hand blender and then heat the soup again when I’m ready to eat it.

Taste before serving and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

That’s it. No roasting trays and very little washing up, which is exactly what I want from an easy lunchtime soup.

Do you need to roast butternut squash for soup?

No. You can roast butternut squash before making soup, but you don’t have to.

In this recipe the squash cooks directly in the saucepan with the potato, onion and stock. It keeps the method simple and means you don’t need to have the oven on as well.

Roasting gives squash a different flavour, so there’s nothing wrong with doing it that way, but it’s not necessary for this particular recipe.

Why add potato to butternut squash soup?

The potato helps give the blended soup a thicker, smoother texture without needing to add cream.

There’s only one jacket-potato-sized potato alongside two large butternut squashes, so the squash is still very much the main flavour.

It’s also one reason I’d be cautious about changing the vegetable quantities too much. If you dramatically reduce the squash or add much more potato, you’ll change both the flavour and consistency.

Preparing a butternut squash without losing your patience

This is probably the least enjoyable part of making anything with butternut squash!

Cut it carefully on a stable chopping board using a sharp knife. Once opened, remove the seeds and stringy middle before peeling and chopping the flesh.

If you find whole butternut squash difficult to prepare, there is absolutely no prize for doing it the hard way.

Supermarkets sell prepared fresh and frozen butternut squash chunks, and I’ve used the frozen bags myself when I’m short of time or simply can’t be bothered peeling one.

If you’re using frozen squash, check the packet instructions and make sure the vegetables are completely tender before blending.

Is this a Slimming World butternut squash soup?

If you’re following Slimming World, this is a very simple recipe based around butternut squash, onion, potato, vegetable stock and seasoning.

I wouldn’t give it a fixed Syn value because plans change and branded ingredients such as stock cubes and seasoning can vary.

Check the exact products you’re using against the current Slimming World information rather than relying on an old Syn value from a recipe online.

If you’re looking for more lunches along the same lines, I’ve got lots more Slimming World soup recipes to choose from.

Is butternut squash soup filling?

I find this more substantial than some very thin vegetable soups because both the squash and potato give it plenty of body once blended.

Whether soup alone fills you up is another matter entirely!

There’s nothing wrong with having bread, toast or something else alongside it if that’s what makes it a satisfying lunch for you. I’d rather eat a meal that actually keeps me going than spend the afternoon thinking about what I can eat next.

Can I make butternut squash soup in a soup maker?

This recipe is simple enough to adapt for a soup maker, but there’s one important issue: capacity.

Two large butternut squashes plus a potato, onion and 750ml of water may be far too much for some machines.

Don’t squeeze everything in and hope for the best. Check the minimum and maximum fill markings for your particular soup maker.

If the complete recipe won’t fit, reduce all the ingredients proportionally rather than simply leaving out some of the liquid, otherwise you’ll end up with a completely different consistency.

You’ll also need to follow your manufacturer’s instructions regarding frozen vegetables if you’re using frozen butternut squash.

For recipes specifically designed around these machines, have a look through my soup maker recipes, and my benefits of a soup maker guide might help if you’re considering buying one.

What seasoning can I add to butternut squash soup?

The recipe uses 1 teaspoon of Everyday seasoning, which keeps things very simple.

If you’ve already made the basic recipe and fancy experimenting another time, chilli works particularly well with butternut squash.

Reader Irene told me she’d made this soup several times and started adding a small pinch of chilli flakes after her first batch. That’s exactly the sort of little tweak I like – make the recipe, see what you think, then adjust it to suit your own tastes.

You could add chilli flakes at the table too, particularly if you’re serving people with different preferences.

Can I use pumpkin instead?

Butternut squash and pumpkin aren’t identical, so I wouldn’t promise that swapping two large butternut squashes for an unspecified amount of pumpkin will give you exactly the same soup.

They can both be used in soup, though.

If you’re specifically looking for a pumpkin variation, you’d need to consider the weight and water content rather than simply swapping “two squash” for “one pumpkin”.

What can I serve with butternut squash soup?

Bread is the obvious answer, and I’m perfectly happy with that!

Crusty bread, sourdough, toast or a simple roll all work. You could also serve a smaller bowl of soup alongside a sandwich or salad.

There’s no need to dream up eight unusual alternatives to bread just because you’re having soup. If you like bread with it, have bread with it.

Can I make this soup ahead?

Yes, which is one of the reasons soup is so useful for lunches.

Make the four portions together and you’ve got something ready to reheat rather than starting from scratch every lunchtime.

Cool any soup you’re saving and refrigerate it promptly in a covered container.

Can you freeze butternut squash soup?

Yes. Divide it into suitable portions before freezing so you can defrost the amount you actually need.

The consistency may be a little thicker after storing, so add a small amount of water or vegetable stock when reheating if necessary.

Make sure reheated soup is steaming hot throughout before serving.

More butternut squash recipes

If you’ve bought a butternut squash and want more ideas than simply making soup, have a look at my butternut squash recipes and tips.

I’ve used it in all sorts of meals, including pasta dishes, roasted vegetable recipes and my red pepper and butternut squash soup.

For more soup ideas, browse my healthy soup recipes and healthy winter soup recipes, or head to my Slimming World soup recipes if that’s specifically what you’re looking for.

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