This creamy (yet dairy free) roasted butternut squash leek soup is just what you’ll want on a chilly autumn day. This simple vegan soup uses less than 10 ingredients, including butternut squash, leeks, green apple, and sage. Roasting butternut squash in the oven intensifies it’s sweet flavor, plus you won’t have to peel the tough skin!

bowl of butternut squash leek soup on a speckled plate, garnished with sage leaves with a gold spoon, surrounded by some ingredients

As a Registered Dietitian, I love to highlight seasonal produce in my recipes. Butternut squash soup is a tried-and-true favorite when winter squash is in season.

You’re going to love this version made with leeks, which have a sweet flavor more mild than onions.

This soup has an ideal balance of sweet and savory, with a little tart acidity from green apple and herbal earthiness from fresh sage.

Instead of steaming butternut squash, you’ll roast butternut squash halves in the oven.

Roasting squash makes the flavor more pronounced, as it gets caramelized while it cooks.

Just like my roasted pumpkin soup, carrot ginger soup, broccoli leek soup, and cauliflower kale soup, this butternut squash leek soup is blended until smooth in a stand-up blender.

Because it is blended, this soup is super creamy, but completely dairy free!

In addition to being dairy free and vegan, this soup is also gluten free. This recipe makes 4 servings.

butternut squash leek soup ingredients laid out on grey backdrop

Ingredients

You need just seven ingredients to make this soup (besides olive oil, salt, and pepper).

  • Butternut squash: No need to peel the tough skin off for this recipe! You’ll cut a butternut squash in half, scoop out the seeds, and roast the squash halves in the oven.
  • Leeks: Leeks are an underutilized allium, in my opinion. They have a delicious sweet and mild onion-y flavor that highlights the sweetness in butternut squash perfectly. Keep reading to learn how to clean leeks before you cook with them.
  • Green apple: Tart green apple adds dimension to this soup. You’ll love how the bite of acidity tastes!
  • Sage: Sage has a strong earthy, herbal, and peppery flavor profile that I just love with winter squash. You can use rosemary or thyme instead of sage for similar results.
  • Garlic: Fresh garlic helps build the base of this soup recipe.
  • Nutmeg: Just a touch of nutmeg adds complexity to the flavor of this soup, and it really highlights the other ingredients.
  • Vegetable broth: Vegetable broth provides savory flavor and saltiness to this soup. If you are not vegan or vegetarian, you could also use chicken broth.

Kitchen equipment needed

vitamix blender

Vitamix Blender

I use this high-powered blender constantly. It’s ideal for making creamy soups because it’s safe to add hot ingredients to the blender. If you like to make smoothies, hot soups, it is well worth the investment!

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How to clean leeks

Leeks are formed with many tight layers.

They can harbor dirt and debris between their layers, so it is essential to clean them properly before you cook with them.

Here’s the easiest way to clean leeks:

  1. Slice the white and light green parts of leek into thin circles.
  2. Put the sliced leeks in a bowl of cold water, making sure the water covers them all. Use your hands to agitate the leeks a bit and push the inner layers out of the outer layers. Let them sit for 5-10 minutes.
  3. Take the leeks out of the water using your hands or a slotted spoon. Use a clean tea towel to thoroughly dry off the sliced leeks. They are now ready to use!
sliced leeks on a wood cutting board next to a knife
Sliced leeks in a bowl of water
Sliced leeks in a blue striped tea towel

Step-by-step instructions

After you’ve cleaned the leeks, follow these instructions to make butternut squash leek soup.

Butternut squash cut in half with seeds scooped out
1. Trim off the stem and hard bottom end from butternut squash. Cut in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and discard.
butternut squash halves on a baking sheet
2. Add olive oil and salt to butternut squash halves. Place them skin side up on a baking sheet and poke some holes in the skin with a fork.
roasted butternut squash halves on a baking sheet
3. Roast the butternut squash in the oven until it is fork tender and the skin is wrinkled.
sliced leeks and apples being cooked in a dutch oven
4. While the squash is in the oven, cook leeks, garlic, apples, and sage on the stovetop in a large pot.
butternut squash leek soup in a large pot before being pureed
5. Add vegetable broth and let the leeks and apples simmer. Then scoop the cooked butternut squash out of the skin, and add it to the pot.
butternut squash leek soup in a blender before being pureed
6. Use a ladle to transfer the soup to a stand-up blender. If your blender is small, you may need to do this in batches.
Pureed butternut squash leek soup in a blender
7. Blend on high for about a minute until the soup is completely smooth and creamy.

Storage

Fridge: Let soup cool to room temperature, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Freezer: You can freeze butternut squash soup for up to three months. Let the soup cool to room temperature and store in a freezer-safe baggie or airtight container. Defrost in the fridge overnight.

Reheat

  • Stovetop: Pour soup into a saucepan and heat over medium heat until warmed through.
  • Microwave: Put an individual portion into a microwave-safe bowl and cover with a paper towel. Microwave for 1-2 minutes until warmed through.

Serving suggestions

Butternut squash leek soup is light on its own, so I recommend pairing it with a side dish, bread, crackers, or even a grilled cheese sandwich.

I love to serve this soup with a flavorful salad. Try it with:

bowl of butternut squash leek soup on a speckled plate, garnished with sage leaves with a gold spoon, surrounded by some ingredients

Butternut squash nutrition

Butternut squash is a nutritious food to include in your diet. One cup of cooked butternut squash provides:

  • 6.6 grams of dietary fiber (24% of your daily needs)
  • 1.8 grams of plant-based protein
  • 582 mg potassium (12% of your daily needs)
  • 1143.90 mcg vitamin A (127% of your daily needs)
  • 31.0 mg vitamin C (34% of your daily needs)
  • 59.45 mg magnesium (15% of your daily needs)

Wondering how butternut squash gets its vibrant orange hue? It’s from beta-carotene, a powerful antioxidant. Beta-carotene converts to vitamin A in the body, so it has benefits for eye health, immune health, and skin health.

Let me know if you love this post by leaving a comment or star rating below, and check out Instagram and Pinterest for more healthy lifestyle inspiration. Thanks for stopping by!

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bowl of butternut squash leek soup on a speckled plate, garnished with sage leaves with a gold spoon, surrounded by some ingredients

Creamy Roasted Butternut Squash & Leek Soup

★★★★★ 5 from 1 review
  • Author: Alex Aldeborgh, RD
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 45 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
  • Yield: serves 4
  • Category: Soups and stews
  • Method: Stovetop, oven, blender
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegan
Print Recipe

Description

This creamy (yet dairy free) roasted butternut squash leek soup is just what you’ll want on a chilly autumn day. This simple vegan soup uses less than 10 ingredients, including butternut squash, leeks, green apple, and sage. Roasting butternut squash in the oven intensifies it’s sweet flavor, plus you won’t have to peel the tough skin!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 large butternut squash (about 2 1/2 lbs)
  • 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
  • Salt
  • 3 leeks, whites and light green parts sliced into rings
  • 1 Granny Smith apple, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp sage, chopped
  • 1/8 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 quart vegetable broth

Instructions

  1. Prep: Preheat oven to 400° F. Clean the leeks (instructions in blog post and below in notes section).
  2. Trim the stem and hard bottom end off the butternut squash. Cut it in half lengthwise.
  3. Use a spoon to scoop out and discard the seeds.
  4. Drizzle the squash flesh with 1/2 tbsp olive oil and add a pinch of salt. Spread the oil around with your hands.
  5. Place the butternut squash halves skin side up on a baking sheet. Poke several holes in each half.
  6. Roast in the oven for 40-45 minutes, until fork tender and skin is wrinkly.
  7. Flip the squash over so the skin side is down, letting it cool until you are able to handle it.
  8. While the squash is cooking: Heat the remaining olive oil over medium heat in a large pot on the stovetop.
  9. Add the leeks, apple, garlic, sage, nutmeg, and 1/4 tsp salt to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3-5 minutes.
  10. Add the vegetable broth, bring it to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover. Continue to cook while the squash is in the oven.
  11. Scoop the roasted butternut squash right out of the skin. Add it to the pot with the other ingredients and stir.
  12. Use a ladle to transfer the soup into a stand-up blender.
  13. Blend on high for about 1 minute, until super smooth and creamy with no lumps. You may need to do this in two batches, depending on the size of your blender.
  14. You can pour the soup directly into bowls for serving. Garnish with freshly cracked black pepper and a pinch of flaky sea salt.

Notes

  • Take the leeks out of the water using your hands or a slotted spoon. Use a clean tea towel to thoroughly dry off the sliced leeks. They are now ready to use!

How to clean leeks

    1. Slice the white and light green parts of leek into thin circles.

    1. Put the sliced leeks in a bowl of cold water, making sure the water covers them all. Use your hands to agitate the leeks a bit and push the inner layers out of the outer layers. Let them sit for 5-10 minutes.

  1. Take the leeks out of the water using your hands or a slotted spoon. Use a clean tea towel to thoroughly dry off the sliced leeks. They are now ready to use!

Keywords: vegan butternut squash soup, roasted butternut sqash soup, butternut squash soup with leeks, dairy free butternut squash soup