Roasted Butternut Squash Soup Recipe

This easy roasted squash soup with garlic and rosemary is a creamy hug in a bowl.

This one is absolutely packed full of autumnal flavours. I love the soups that can be made with produce towards the end of the year, and this is one that I make time and time again.

Squash is quite a sweet vegetable, so it needs that heavy hit of garlic and rosemary to bring the savouriness. Cream makes it rich, and the topping (optional but highly recommended) of chilli oil and pancetta adds heat and saltiness. Delicious!

This soup is hearty enough to serve by itself, or you could have it with sliced Homemade White Sourdough Loaf or Rosemary Sourdough Focaccia.

If you love soup, why not try these 25+ of the Best Easy Soup Recipes out!

Roasted butternut squash soup with cream swirl and chilli oil in a white bowl

The Ingredients

Squash – this soup can also be made with pumpkin or butternut squash. You don’t need to worry about cutting them neatly or peeling them (always tricky with squash!). Just cut into big chunks with the skin still on before roasting.
Rosemary – fresh rosemary is absolutely best for this, so do use it if you can.
Garlic – we use a whole bulb of garlic here. It’s roasted with the squash, then the cloves are squeezed into the soup for maximum flavour.
Olive oil – for roasting. You could also use vegetable oil.
Vegetable stock – or water and a vegetable stock cube.
Double cream – we use 150ml in the soup, then extra for drizzling (though this bit is just to make it look pretty – so optional!)
Chilli oil – don’t skip it! You won’t believe the difference a drizzle of chilli oil on top of the soup makes.
Pancetta – adds crispiness and saltiness. If you want to make this soup vegetarian, simply sub for some crumbled feta for that salty kick.

Why Roasting Makes All the Difference

Roasting the squash brings out its natural sweetness and gives you that beautiful caramelised flavour you’d expect in a restaurant. With a whole bulb of garlic and a few sprigs of fresh rosemary, this soup builds flavour without fuss. The oven does the heavy lifting; you just blend and serve.

Easy roasted squash soup topped with crisp pancetta and chilli oil

Top Tips

Roasting the squash Give the squash time to roast and get a bit gnarly and brown on the edges – this is all good flavour. Don’t rush it.
Soup consistency When you blend the soup, it will be very thick but adding the cream will bring it to the perfect consistency. If it’s still a bit thick for your liking, you can add a little water to loosen it up.
Storage The soup can be chilled and kept in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer for three months. Reheat thoroughly before serving.

Toppings & Serving Ideas

A swirl of double cream, a drizzle of chilli oil and a few crisp pancetta bits turn this from simple soup into something a bit special. If you’re making it vegetarian, roasted pumpkin seeds or chilli flakes add great texture. Serve it piping hot with crusty sourdough or a wedge of focaccia.

FAQs

Can I skip the cream?

You can use single cream or omit it entirely and just stir in a splash of milk at the end for a lighter version.

What if I don’t have fresh rosemary?

Use dried rosemary or swap in a sprig of thyme – the flavour will still be good.

Is pancetta essential?

No – for vegetarian version use crumbled feta, roasted seeds or chopped nuts for crunch and saltiness.

Roasted Squash Soup Recipe

A simple roasted butternut squash soup recipe with garlic and rosemary, topped with chilli oil and crisp pancetta (vegetarian option with feta). Full flavour without fuss.

Harriet Young Start Cooking in Cook Mode

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 10

Serving Size People

Ingredients

1 kilograms butternut squash flesh cut into rough chunks
10 grams rosemary fresh
1 bulb garlic
3 tablespoons olive oil
1.2 litres vegetable stock
150 ml double cream plus extra for drizzling
100 grams pancetta
Chilli oil to serve

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C.
Put the chunks of squash on a large baking tray. Cut the garlic bulb in half through the middle and put that on the tray too. Place the rosemary around the tray. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and put in the oven for 40-50 minutes until turning golden at the edges.
Tip the roasted squash into a large saucepan. Squeeze the cloves of garlic out of the bulb into the saucepan. Discard the rosemary. Add the stock and bring to a simmer, then turn off the heat.
Use a blender to blend the soup until thick and smooth. Add the cream and stir through.
Put the diced pancetta into a frying pan and cook over a medium heat until golden.
To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and top with a drizzle of cream and chilli oil and a spoonful of crisp pancetta.

Notes

Storage & Leftovers

This soup keeps really well, which makes it perfect for batch cooking.
Once it’s cooled, pour it into airtight containers and pop it in the fridge — it’ll stay good for up to five days.
To reheat, warm it gently in a pan over a low heat, adding a splash of stock or water if it’s thickened a bit.
It also freezes beautifully. Freeze in portions for up to three months, then defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat until piping hot.

If you’ve added any toppings like pancetta or seeds, store those separately so they stay crisp. A drizzle of fresh chilli oil or a swirl of cream when you reheat makes it taste freshly made again.