This easy Butternut Squash & Red Pepper soup is creamy, comforting and packed full of flavor. It's also gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian, and vegan.
As the weather starts to turn and the days become colder, my squash and red pepper soup is the perfect winter warmer dish. This comforting bowl of soup is packed full of veggies with a sweet and mellow taste that kids adore.
Simple soups like this one feature regularly in my family meal plans all year round. They're a great way for everyone in the family to up their veggie intake.
This red pepper and butternut squash soup is fast, easy and nutritious, making it the ideal lunch or light dinner dish any day of the week.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Easy Butternut Squash Soup Recipe
- Butternut Squash & Red Pepper Soup Ingredients
- How to Make Squash & Red Pepper Soup - Step-By-Step
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Variations & Substitutions for Butternut Soup
- Tips & Tricks For Making Red Pepper Soup
- Pin This Red Pepper Soup Recipe For Later
- What Do You Think?!
- More Easy Soup Recipe Ideas
- Printable Recipe
- Butternut Squash & Red Pepper Soup
- Reader Comments & Ratings
Why You'll Love This Easy Butternut Squash Soup Recipe
- This soup is packed full of veggies and a great way to re-set if you've been overindulging in richer foods.
- Feeding a crowd? Simply double or triple this recipe.
- This coconut milk vegan soup contains no dairy or gluten, and is suitable for anyone following a dairy free or gluten free diet (just ensure you use gluten free veggie broth).
- Make a double batch, enjoy some now and freeze the rest for a quick and easy meal on chilly nights.
- For other great vegan soups, try these soups that can be dairy free with just a couple of tweaks.
- Simple Yellow Split Pea Soup
- Sweet Potato & Coconut Soup
- White Bean Soup with Leek & Potato (swap the whole milk for dairy-free milk of choice)
- Thai Curry Squash & Lentil Soup (just ensure you use a vegan curry paste).
- If you use gluten free vegetable stock these soups are also great for gluten free diets.
Butternut Squash & Red Pepper Soup Ingredients
Find the full list and quantities in the recipe below.
Butternut Squash - I have used butternut squash as it is readily available in most stores. You can also substitute with pumpkin or another variety of squash.
Red Pepper - I use red peppers, but yellow or orange bell peppers would work here too. I wouldn't recommend green as they are a little bitter for this soup. For ease you can also substitute with jarred red peppers.
Coconut Milk - I use a can of full fat coconut milk as it adds great flavor and texture to the soup. However, you can use low fat coconut milk for a lighter option.
Broth - this soup is made with vegetable broth, but you could use chicken stock, provided not serving the soup to vegan or vegetarian diners. For a gluten free soup, ensure that you use gluten free broth or stock cubes.
How to Make Squash & Red Pepper Soup - Step-By-Step
Find the full printable recipe below.
Sauté the onions, peppers and carrots on a medium low heat for around 10 minutes until soft.
Add the butternut squash, minced garlic and vegetable broth, season well with sea salt and pepper and bring to the boil.
Simmer for around 30 minutes or until the veggies are all tender then remove the pan from the heat.
Reserve a few tablespoons of the coconut milk to garnish then add the rest of the can to the soup.
Carefully blend the soup, either in batches in a blender or with a stick immersion blender until completely smooth. This will take 1-2 minutes.
Bring the soup back up to a simmer in the pan. Taste and season again if necessary. Add a little more broth if the soup is thicker than you would like.
Once warmed trough, serve with a swirl of the reserved coconut milk and some sunflower seeds on top.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Many Does This Soup Serve?
This recipe will serve 4-6 people depending on size of serving. For a lunch option, it would serve 6, but for a dinner main course, or serving those with bigger appetites it would serve 4.
Does Butternut Squash need to be peeled?
You can eat the skin of butternut squash, if you are roasting it in the oven it becomes chewy and is full of nutrients, including fiber and vitamin A.
But for this soup I prefer to peel the squash first as it would be too tough in this creamy soup.
What is the easiest way to prepare a butternut squash?
Firstly, ensure that you have a really sharp knife and cut off the top and bottom of the squash, this will help to stabilize the squash.
Then place the flat base on a board and using a vegetable peeler or sharp knife, remove the skin from the squash, working in downward strokes.
Now using a sharp knife, carefully cut the squash in half, from top to bottom.
Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds from the center of the squash.
Finally, using a sharp knife cut the squash into even sized slices or cubes.
Variations & Substitutions for Butternut Soup
If you want to get ahead, use ready prepared veggies. You can buy chopped onion and butternut squash in most larger stores. Jarred roasted red peppers also work well for this soup if you don't have fresh.
I have paired butternut squash with red pepper in this great tasting soup, but you can add any other veggies that you enjoy eating, for example parsnip, carrot or sweet potato.
You could add some curry powder or red pepper flakes to make spicy butternut squash and red pepper soup too. A bit of cumin sprinkled in would work too.
Thai curry paste is an easy way to add flavor to soup, if serving to vegan or vegetarian diners just ensure that you use a vegan curry paste.
Herbs add a lovely burst of freshness to any soup, so garnish with some chopped parsley, basil or fresh thyme leaves.
Sunflower or pumpkin seeds are a great garnish, sprinkle over the soup just before serving. If you really want to intensify the nutty flavor, toast the seeds in a dry non-stick skillet first.
If you have time, and you would like to, you can roast the veggies first before simmering the soup but it's not necessary. You still get great flavor making this on the stove.
Tips & Tricks For Making Red Pepper Soup
- Always use a sharp knife when preparing any veg, but particularly hard vegetables like butternut squash.
- Don't worry about cutting the veggies too neatly since they're going to be blended anyway! Just try to make them even so they cook at around the same time.
- Ensure the butternut squash is fully cooked before blending or you will end up with lumpy soup.
- If the soup looks too thick thin it down with a little extra vegetable broth or water for the perfect texture.
- When blending the soup you can use either a blender or stick blender. To get really smooth soups, blend in batches and let the blender run for a while - at least 1-2 minutes.
How To Serve Vibrant Butternut Squash & Red Pepper Soup?
Soup makes a great lunch or light dinner option. There is so much flavor in this soup that I like to keep things simple and serve it with some crusty bread or biscuits alongside.
In terms of a garnish, I have swirled some extra coconut milk in the top of this soup. It's also delicious served with a dollop of sour cream or a swirl of heavy cream.
How To Reheat Red Pepper Soup?
Red pepper soup is a great make ahead dish. Once cooked, cool the soup and place in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Re-heat the soup in a pot on the stove over a low heat and warm up gently until piping hot.
How to Freeze Squash & Red Pepper Soup?
Soup freezes really well, so I like to make a double batch, enjoying some now and freezing the rest for another day.
Once the soup has cooked, cool completely and place in an airtight container. Freeze the soup for up to 3 months and when ready to enjoy, defrost the soup and place into a pot to warm gently to piping hot before serving.
Pin This Red Pepper Soup Recipe For Later
What Do You Think?!
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More Easy Soup Recipe Ideas
Printable Recipe
Butternut Squash & Red Pepper Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil - or avocado oil
- 2 large Red Pepper - diced
- 1 large Onion - diced
- 1½ lb Butternut Squash - peeled and chopped or pre-prepared
- 2 cloves Garlic - minced
- 4 cups Vegetable Broth
- 1 cup Coconut Milk
- Sea Salt and Black Pepper
- Sunflower Seeds - optional to serve
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pan or Dutch oven over a medium-low heat.
- Sauté the onions and peppers for around 10 minutes until soft, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the butternut squash, minced garlic and vegetable broth and season well with sea salt and pepper.
- Bring the soup to a boil then turn down the heat and simmer for around 30 minutes or until the veggies are all tender.
- Remove the pan from the heat and add all but a couple of tablespoons of the coconut milk.
- Carefully blend the soup, either in batches in a blender or with a stick immersion blender, until completely smooth. This will take 1-2 minutes.
- Return the soup to the pan and bring back to a simmer. If the soup is too thick for your taste it’s fine to add a little more broth.
- Taste and season again if necessary.
- Serve with a swirl of the reserved coconut milk and some sunflower seeds on top if you’re feeling fancy.
Grace says
You say to saute onions, peppers and carrots but there is no mention of carrots in the ingredients.
Jo Keohane says
Hi Grace - I'm so sorry, must have been a typo - there are no carrots in this soup! Thank you for catching that mistake - I have amended the recipe!