Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Soup is a creamy, warming vegetable soup made with roasted or simply cooked squash, sweet potatoes, onion, garlic, coconut milk, and fragrant spices. Cumin, cinnamon, chili powder, and chili flakes give this easy soup a cozy balance of warmth and gentle heat. Ready in about 40 minutes, it makes 8 servings and works beautifully for a comforting lunch, simple weeknight dinner, or chilly autumn meal. Roasting the vegetables is optional but adds extra depth and golden, caramelized flavor.
Quick Recipe Snapshot
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Servings: 8
- Main Cooking Method: Stovetop, with optional roasting
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Creamy texture: Full-fat coconut milk adds richness to the blended vegetables.
- Warm, balanced flavor: Cumin, cinnamon, chili powder, and chili flakes add layers of spice.
- Roasting option: Roasting the vegetables adds extra depth and golden edges.
- Simple ingredients: The soup uses familiar vegetables and pantry-friendly seasonings.
- Easy to blend: An immersion blender or upright blender can be used to create a smooth soup.
Ingredients
- 1 small butternut squash (about 700-900g or 2-3 cups), peeled and chopped
- 2 sweet potatoes (about 275g or 2 cups), peeled and chopped
- 1 yellow onion, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 400 ml (1 ½ cups) tin full fat coconut milk, reserve to tablespoons for serving
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin, *see notes
- ½ tsp cinnamon, *see notes
- ¼ teaspoon chilli powder, *see notes
- 1 teaspoon chilli flakes, *see notes
- 750 ml (3 cups) vegetable or chicken stock or water, *see notes
- salt and pepper to taste
The butternut squash and sweet potatoes create the creamy base once blended. Full-fat coconut milk adds richness, while cumin, cinnamon, chili powder, and chili flakes provide the soup’s warm and lightly spicy character.
How to Make Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Soup
Optional Roasting
- Preheat the oven. Set your oven to 190ºC (375ºF).
- Prepare the vegetables. Peel and cut the butternut squash and sweet potatoes into large chunks, about 2 inches. Slice the onion into half-moons. Place all the vegetables and garlic cloves in a roasting tin and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with cumin, cinnamon, and chili powder and salt and pepper.
- Roast the vegetables. Roast in the oven for about 30 minutes, until tender and golden around the edges.
Cook the Soup
- Transfer the vegetables. If roasting, transfer the roasted vegetables to a medium saucepan. If not roasting, cut the vegetables as described and place them directly in the saucepan.
- Cook the vegetables. Pour in 4–6 cups (1–1.5 litres) of water or vegetable stock over the vegetables, ensuring they are fully covered. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cook until the vegetables are completely tender—you should be able to easily insert a knife into them.
- Blend the soup. Blend the soup until smooth.
- Add the coconut milk. Stir in the coconut milk and whisk to combine. Add chili flakes and adjust the seasoning by adding more spices, salt and pepper according to taste. If needed, adjust the consistency by adding more water or stock or broth.
- Serve. Swirl the reserved coconut milk on top and garnish with fresh chopped coriander.
Important Cooking Tips
- Cut the vegetables into large, similar-sized chunks. The recipe specifies pieces of about 2 inches for the optional roasting method.
- Roast until tender and golden. The roasted vegetables should be tender with golden edges before being transferred to the saucepan.
- Check tenderness before blending. The vegetables should be completely tender and easy to pierce with a knife.
- Adjust the spices to taste. The recipe notes that the spice quantities are guidelines, so the amounts can be adjusted according to how mild or spicy you prefer the soup.
- Adjust the liquid gradually. Start with the listed amount and add more water, stock, or broth if you prefer a thinner soup.
- Blend hot soup carefully. If using an upright blender, carefully transfer the hot vegetables and stock to the blender jug and blend with caution.
Storage & Make-Ahead
The recipe does not provide specific refrigerator storage times for the finished soup, so an exact storage duration is not given here.
For reheating, warm the soup gently in a saucepan and adjust the consistency with additional water, stock, or broth if needed.
The soup can also be made using the optional roasting method, which allows the vegetables to be prepared as part of the cooking process before blending.
Simple Variations
Roasted Vegetable Version
Roast the squash, sweet potatoes, onion, and garlic at 190ºC (375ºF) for about 30 minutes before continuing with the soup. This is the recommended option when you want additional depth of flavor.
Stovetop Version
Skip the roasting and place the prepared vegetables directly into the saucepan before cooking until completely tender.
Water Instead of Stock
The recipe allows water, vegetable stock, or broth as the cooking liquid. Stock or broth will provide more flavor, while water works when that’s what you have available.
Serving Ideas
- Swirl the reserved coconut milk over each bowl before serving.
- Finish with fresh chopped coriander.
- Serve warm as a comforting lunch.
- Make it part of a simple weeknight dinner.
- Serve a bowl as part of an autumn meal.
FAQ
Do I have to roast the vegetables?
No. Roasting is optional. The recipe recommends it for added depth of flavor, but the vegetables can also be cooked directly in the saucepan.
How do I know when the vegetables are ready to blend?
The vegetables should be completely tender. You should be able to easily insert a knife into them.
Can I use water instead of vegetable stock?
Yes. The recipe allows water, vegetable stock, or broth. Stock or broth provides more flavor, but water can also be used.
How can I make the soup thinner?
Add more water, stock, or broth as needed until the soup reaches your preferred consistency.
What if the soup is too thin?
Place the blended soup in a saucepan and simmer until the liquid has reduced and the soup has thickened.
Nutrition
The provided nutrition information is listed per serving:
- Calories: 230 kcal
- Protein: 3g
- Carbohydrates: 26g
- Fat: 14g
- Fiber: 4g
Final Thoughts
Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Soup is a comforting bowl of blended vegetables enriched with full-fat coconut milk and warmly spiced with cumin, cinnamon, chili powder, and chili flakes. The optional roasting step adds another layer of flavor, while the stovetop method keeps preparation straightforward. Finish each bowl with coconut milk and fresh coriander for a simple, cozy soup worth returning to throughout the cooler months.
PrintEasy Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Soup – Creamy 40-Minute Recipe
This butternut squash and sweet potato soup is a quick and delicious meal ready in just 30 minutes. It’s creamy, flavourful, and easy to make—perfect for any meal. Roasting the vegetables is optional but recommended for added depth of flavour.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 small butternut squash (about 700-900g or 2–3 cups), peeled and chopped
- 2 sweet potatoes (about 275g or 2 cups), peeled and chopped
- 1 yellow onion, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 400 ml (1 ½ cups) tin full fat coconut milk, reserve 2 tablespoons for serving
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon chilli flakes
- 750 ml (3 cups) vegetable or chicken stock or water
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Optional Roasting: Preheat the oven to 190ºC (375ºF).
- Prepare the vegetables: Peel and cut the butternut squash and sweet potatoes into large chunks (about 2 inches). Slice the onion into half-moons. Place all the vegetables and garlic cloves in a roasting tin and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with cumin, cinnamon, and chili powder and salt and pepper.
- Roast the vegetables: Roast in the oven for about 30 minutes, until tender and golden around the edges.
- Cook the soup: If roasting, transfer the roasted vegetables to a medium saucepan. If not roasting, cut the vegetables as described and place them directly in the saucepan.
- Cook the vegetables: Pour in 4–6 cups (1–1.5 litres) of water or vegetable stock over the vegetables, ensuring they are fully covered. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cook until the vegetables are completely tender—you should be able to easily insert a knife into them.
- Blend the soup: Blend the soup until smooth.
- Add coconut milk: Stir in the coconut milk and whisk to combine. Add chili flakes and adjust the seasoning by adding more spices, salt and pepper according to taste. If needed, adjust the consistency by adding more water or stock or broth.
- Serve: Swirl the reserved coconut milk on top and garnish with fresh chopped coriander.
Notes
- Blending: If using an upright blender, carefully pour or ladle the hot vegetables and stock into the blender jug. Blend on high for about 2 minutes. Be cautious as the soup will be very hot. Once blended, pour the soup back into the saucepan, taste and adjust the seasoning. If using an immersion blender, blend the vegetables directly in the saucepan until smooth.
- Spices and seasonings: The amounts for the spices are guidelines only. Add more or less of each spice depending on your preference and how spicy or mild you like your soup. The same goes for salt and pepper. Taste as you cook and adjust as necessary.
- Cooking liquid: You can use stock, broth or water for the liquid in this soup. Broth and stock will give you more flavor, but water works too if that’s all you have. The amount required will depend on how thick you like your soup. Start with 750ml (3 cups) and add more as required. If you find your soup is not as thick as you would like, place the blended soup in a saucepan and simmer until the liquid has reduced and thickened.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 230
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 48 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Carbohydrates: 26 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 3 g
