Butternut Squash Leek Soup

overhead shot of butternut squash soup in bowl with spoon

Meaningful Eats

4 servings

This butternut squash leek soup recipe has sweet butternut squash simmered to perfection with savory leeks, broth and spices. This silky, flavorful soup makes a cozy and comforting addition to any meal.

This simple, no-fuss soup is a tried-and-true recipe that lets the butternut squash shine.

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Total Time 45

Author Erin Collins

Ingredients

1 butternut squash peeled, seeded, and cut into 2-inch chunks (about 7 cups)
2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
1 large leek (or 2 small leeks) white and green parts only, quartered lengthwise, sliced thin, and washed thoroughly
4 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock
1-2 cups water
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Instructions

Place the peeled, seeded, and cut butternut squash chunks in a large glass bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil or butter over medium heat. Add the leek and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
Reserve the liquid from the butternut squash stemming. Add the squash to the pan with the leek and cook until a brown fond forms (be careful not to burn it!) on the bottom of the pan, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the stock and and scrape the bottom to get all the brown bits off (that is all the flavor!). Add the thyme, bay leaves, cayenne and liquid from the butternut squash and bring to a simmer. Simmer until the leeks are fully tender, about 10 minutes.
Remove the bay leaves and thyme. Blend the soup in a high-speed blender or with an immersion blender. Add water, 1/2 cup at a time, to thin the soup to to the consistency you like.
Season to taste with salt and more cayenne pepper. Enjoy!

Notes

I highly recommend using a whole butternut squash you cut up fresh yourself rather than precut butternut squash. It really makes a huge difference! Cutting up butternut squash is easy! See the photos in the post for how to do it.

Browning/caramelizing the butternut squash before adding in the liquid is an important step to maximize the butternut squash flavor. Just be careful not to burn the caramelized bits. If this starts to happen you can add a little stock and scrap the bottom of the pot.

This soup freezes great! Cool the soup in the refrigerator before transferring it to a freezer container for longer storage. Frozen butternut squash soup can last for up to 6 months.

Nutrition