Easy Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Soup

Ingredients

• 1 smallbutternut squash, peeled and chopped
• 2sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 1yellow onion, sliced
• 3 clovesgarlic, peeled
• 2 tablespoonsolive oil
• 400 mlcoconut milk
• 750 mlvegetable or chicken stock
• 1 teaspoonground cumin
• 1/2 teaspooncinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoonchilli powder
• 1 teaspoonchilli flakes
• to tastesalt and pepper

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare vegetables

   Peel and chop the butternut squash and sweet potatoes.

2. 2

   Soften aromatics

   Warm the olive oil in a large pot over a medium heat. Cook the onion until translucent, then add the garlic and cook until fragrant.

3. 3

   Simmer vegetables

   Stir in the chopped vegetables and pour in the stock. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 15–20 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.

4. 4

   Blend soup

   Blend the soup until smooth using a hand blender or a regular blender.

5. 5

   Add seasoning

   Return the soup to the pot and stir in the coconut milk and spices. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.

6. 6

   Serve warm

   Serve the soup warm, with a little reserved coconut milk on top if desired.

What is butternut squash and sweet potato soup?

This is a contemporary, blended vegetable soup rather than a dish tied to one particular culinary tradition. Butternut squash and sweet potato give it a naturally sweet base, while coconut milk makes the finished soup creamy without dairy.

Cumin, cinnamon and chilli bring warmth and a little heat to balance the sweetness. The quick stovetop method makes it practical for a weeknight meal.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 210 calories, 3g protein, 30g carbs, 10g fat.

The sweet potato and squash provide most of the carbohydrates, while olive oil and coconut milk contribute most of the fat. The vegetables and stock add some protein, but the recipe is not protein-heavy; serve a bowl with beans or another protein-rich accompaniment if you want a more balanced plate.

Choosing and preparing the vegetables

Even pieces: cut the squash and sweet potato into similarly sized chunks so they become tender at roughly the same time.

Stock choice: use vegetable stock to keep the soup vegan; chicken stock works if that is not a requirement. The stock provides the liquid for simmering, so add it as listed before blending.

Building the flavour

Onion and garlic: sauté the onion until translucent before adding the garlic. This gives them time to soften and release their aroma without rushing the first stage.

Spices: cumin, cinnamon, chilli powder and chilli flakes add savoury warmth and heat. Stir them in with the coconut milk after blending, as the method directs.

Getting a smooth texture

Tenderness cue: simmer the vegetables for 15–20 minutes, checking that a piece can be pierced easily before blending. If they are still firm, continue simmering until tender.

Blending: a hand blender lets you blend directly in the pot. If using a regular blender, work carefully with the hot soup and follow the blender’s instructions for hot liquids.

Timing and serving

The recipe gives a total time of 30 minutes, including preparation and cooking; the simmer itself takes 15–20 minutes. Chopping the vegetables into even pieces helps keep the cooking stage on track.

Serve it warm with crusty bread or a fresh salad for a fuller meal. A little reserved coconut milk can be spooned over each bowl as a garnish.

Optional roasting

Roasting the vegetables beforehand is suggested as an optional way to add depth, but it is not part of the listed method and will take extra time. For the stated quick stovetop version, follow the recipe and simmer the vegetables in the stock.

Recipe notes & tips

• Cut the squash and sweet potato into evenly sized pieces for more even cooking.
• Let the onion turn translucent before adding the garlic.
• Check that the vegetables are tender before blending for the smoothest result.
• Blend in batches if your regular blender is not designed for hot liquids.
• Choose vegetable stock if you want to keep the soup vegan.
• Reserve a little coconut milk before stirring it into the pot if you want to garnish the bowls.

Variations

• Roasted vegetables: roast the squash and sweet potato before adding them to the soup for a deeper flavour, allowing extra time.
• Milder heat: reduce or omit the chilli powder and chilli flakes to suit your preference.
• Extra chilli: add more chilli flakes at the table for a hotter bowl.
• Fresh finish: garnish with chopped herbs if you have them to hand.
• More texture: set aside a few cooked vegetable pieces before blending and stir them back into the soup.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Uneven chunks: pieces cook at different speeds, so cut the squash and sweet potato to a similar size.
• Garlic cooked too long: it can become bitter, so add it after the onion and cook only until fragrant.
• Blending too soon: firm vegetables will not blend smoothly, so simmer until they are tender first.
• Overfilling the blender: hot soup can spill, so blend in batches and follow the appliance’s instructions.
• Forgetting the stock choice: chicken stock is not vegan, so use vegetable stock for a vegan soup.

How to store

Cool leftover soup promptly and store it in a covered container in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze it for up to 3 months. Reheat gently in a saucepan, stirring until hot throughout; if frozen, thaw in the fridge before reheating.

Frequently asked questions