Whether you’re looking for a comforting vegetarian soup or just wanting to incorporate some in-season butternut squash, this Brown Butter Butternut Squash Soup with Toasted Pecans is what you need! The brown butter adds the perfect nuttiness that pairs with the almost sweet squash. The toasted pecans have a bit of spice from chili powder and are a great crunchy replacement to croutons!
A Quick Look At The Recipe
Recipe: Brown Butter Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Spicy Toasted Pecans
Ready In: 1 hour 25 minutes (mostly hands off time!)
Serves: 8 servings
Staple Ingredients: butternut squash, sweet potatoes, carrots, pecans, butter, vegetable stock
What Makes It Special: nutty brown butter is the star of this show, an simple extra step totally changes the flavor profile of butternut squash soup. It adds a rich, nutty flavor and the toasty pecans add the perfect crunch and a bit of flavor. This can be made dairy-free if desired!
Butternut squash soup is underrated in my opinion, the golden hue looks beautiful on any fall table paired with warm, crusty bread, or your favorite lettuce salad. This is an easy soup to make ahead and keep warm on the stove-top or slow cooker for an holiday or weeknight meal.
Serve as a first course alongside this cube steak with pan gravy and mushrooms or my creamy Tuscan chicken with cream sauce! Find all of my cozy soup recipes here and get your inspiration for soup season. Extra butternut squash, try my butternut squash risotto!
Key Ingredients
- Butternut Squash: Peeled, seeds removed, and cubed. Roasting brings out its natural sweetness. Fresh is best but frozen will also work.
- Sweet Potato: Adds creaminess and depth. Can swap for extra squash if needed.
- Carrots: Peeled and cubed for extra body and subtle sweetness. Adds color and nutrients.
- White Onion: Quartered; yellow onion works fine too.
- Garlic: Roast whole for mellow, rich flavor. Blends nicely into the soup for a roasted garlic flavor.
- Olive Oil: Helps the vegetables caramelize while roasting.
- Unsalted Butter: For browning into a nutty, rich base.
- Vegetable Broth: Or chicken broth if you prefer. Adjust for desired thickness.
- Whole Milk or Cream: Makes the soup silky. Use half-and-half, or swap with coconut milk or oat milk for a dairy-free version.
- Pecans: Toast until golden and fragrant. Walnuts or pepitas also work.
- Chili Powder: Adds warmth without overpowering.
Perfect Pairing: Everyday Blend
This recipe pairs perfectly with my Everyday Blend. It’s balanced with garlic, onion, and warm herbs that bring out the best in simple ingredients. Use it on chicken, veggies, or even eggs to take your everyday cooking up a notch.
How to Make the Squash Soup
Let’s talk a little about how to make the Brown Butter Butternut Squash Soup with Toasted Pecans (The printable instructions are in the recipe card below.)
Quick overview:
- Roasted veggies, brown butter, simmer soup.
- Toast pecans, blend soup, add in milk.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- On a large rimmed baking sheet combine squash, sweet potatoes, carrots, onion, and garlic cloves. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, onion, and garlic powder. Toss to combine. Roast for 45-50 minutes or until fork tender.
- Once veggies have roasted, add butter to a large Dutch oven, heat over medium-high heat stirring constantly for 5-7 minutes until the butter starts to brown. Scrape any brown bits off the bottom. Remove butter from the heat before it burns, you want it to have a dark amber color and nutty smell.
- Transfer the roasted veggies into the Dutch oven with the brown butter. Top with vegetable stock, cover, and let simmer over medium heat for 15-20 minutes.
- Remove soup from heat and carefully blend with an immersion blender until smooth. If you don’t have an immersion blender, use a traditional blender.
- Once the soup is smooth add in the milk or cream and stir to combine. Adjust seasoning as needed, if the soup is too thick, add in some additional stock or cream.
- Add chopped pecans, butter, and chili powder to a small sheet pan, toss to combine. Roast at 425 degrees F for 4-6 minutes until toasted. Watch so they don’t burn. Top with a pinch of salt.
- Serve the butternut squash soup topped with the toasted pecans and enjoy!
Rachel’s Chef Tip
Why brown the butter? It’s adds a beautiful nutty flavor that pairs so well with the creamy, mild butternut squash. Paired with the slightly spicy crunchy pecans, its a delicious match without much extra effort!
Recipe Variations & Serving Ideas
- Nut-Free: Skip the pecans and top with roasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas) for a similar crunch or a mix of pepitas, pecans, and pine nuts.
- Extra Creamy: Stir in additional cream or even a dollop of crème fraîche for a richer, silkier texture.
- Spiced: Add a pinch of cayenne or smoked paprika when roasting the vegetables for subtle heat.
- Dairy-Free: Use olive oil or vegan butter in place of regular butter, and swap coconut milk for cream or your favorite non-dairy milk.
- Toppings: Garnish with crispy bacon crumbles, fried sage leaves, or a drizzle of maple syrup for balance (or bonus, save some brown butter to drizzle on top!).
- Bread Pairings: Serve with crusty sourdough, garlic bread, or warm dinner rolls for dipping.
- Holiday Starter: Ladle into small mugs or ramekins for a cozy Thanksgiving or Christmas appetizer.
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Brown Butter and Pecans
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Squash Soup:
- 2 medium Butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed, and cubed
- 1 medium Sweet potato, peeled and cubed
- 2 whole Carrots, peeled and cubed
- 1 large White onion, quartered
- 3-4 cloves Garlic
- 3 tbsps Olive oil
- 2 tsp Kosher salt
- Fresh cracked black pepper
- 2 tsp Garlic powder
- 1 tsp Onion powder
- 3 tbsp Unsalted butter , softened
- 32 oz. Vegetable broth, or chicken broth
- 1 1/2 cups Whole milk or cream , could use a non-dairy milk
For the toasted pecans:
- 1/2 cup Pecans, chopped
- 2 tbsps Unsalted butter
- 1/4 tsp Chili powder
- Pinch of kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- On a large rimmed baking sheet combine squash, sweet potatoes, carrots, onion, and garlic cloves. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, onion, and garlic powder. Toss to combine. Roast for 45-50 minutes or until fork tender.2 medium Butternut squash, 1 medium Sweet potato, 2 whole Carrots, 1 large White onion, 3-4 cloves Garlic, 3 tbsps Olive oil, 2 tsp Kosher salt, Fresh cracked black pepper , 2 tsp Garlic powder, 1 tsp Onion powder
- Once veggies have roasted, add butter to a large Dutch oven, heat over medium-high heat stirring constantly for 5-7 minutes until the butter starts to brown. Scrape any brown bits off the bottom. Remove butter from the heat before it burns, you want it to have a dark amber color and nutty smell.3 tbsp Unsalted butter
- Transfer the roasted veggies into the Dutch oven with the brown butter. Top with vegetable stock, cover, and let simmer over medium heat for 15-20 minutes.32 oz. Vegetable broth
- Remove soup from heat and carefully blend with an immersion blender until smooth. If you don't have an immersion blender, use a traditional blender.*
- Once the soup is smooth add in the milk or cream and stir to combine. Adjust seasoning as needed, if the soup is too thick, add in some additional stock or cream.1 1/2 cups Whole milk or cream
- Add chopped pecans, butter, and chili powder to a small sheet pan, toss to combine. Roast at 425 degrees F for 4-6 minutes until toasted. Watch so they don't burn. Top with a pinch of salt.1/2 cup Pecans, 2 tbsps Unsalted butter, 1/4 tsp Chili powder, Pinch of kosher salt
- Serve the butternut squash soup topped with the toasted pecans and enjoy!
Notes
- Blending the Soup: Use an immersion blender directly in the pot for easy cleanup. If using a countertop blender, work in small batches and vent the lid slightly to avoid steam buildup!
- Brown Butter: Butter goes from perfectly nutty to burnt very quickly. Keep the heat medium and remove it from the stove as soon as it turns golden and smells toasty.
- Pecans: Pecans can burn in minutes. Keep an eye on them while toast, pull them as soon as they’re fragrant.
- Thickness: Add extra stock or cream for a thinner soup.
- Make Ahead: The flavors deepen as the soup sits, making it even better the next day.
Nutrition
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Storage & Reheating
Refrigerator: Store cooled soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. I prefer storing in a glass container.
Freezer: Transfer cooled soup to freezer-safe containers and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat.
Reheating: Warm on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring occasionally. If the soup gets too thick, add in extra cream or stock.
Microwave: Reheat individual bowls in the microwave in 45–60 second bursts, stirring between each to ensure even heating.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Store it in the fridge for up to 4 days and reheat gently on the stove.
Definitely. Freeze in freeze-safe glass containers and label. When ready to serve, thaw, reheat, and stir in extra cream or stock if needed. It will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
No problem, simply transfer the soup in small batches to a countertop blender. Just be sure to vent the lid and watch the steam so it doesn’t splatter.
Yes! Use olive oil or vegan butter, and swap the cream for coconut milk or another non-dairy alternative.
No, but they add an amazing crunch and flavor contrast. If you want a nut-free version, try topping with roasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas) instead.
Brown butter gives the soup a nutty flavor that pairs great with the creamy butternut squash!
Helpful Tools You’ll Need
- Ladle – a must to have a ladle on hand for soups, sauces, or stocks.
- Wooden Spoons – wooden utensils are my go to since they don’t scratch my cooking surfaces.
- Half Sheet Pan – my go-to baking sheet, these are truly non-stick and clean up nicely. I lay the prepped ingredients on the sheet pan to transport them to and from the grill.
- Immersion Blender – perfect for blending the soup, I highly recommend this for making dressing and soups at home!
Did you try this recipe?
Let me know what you thought by leaving a comment below and sharing your final dish on Instagram, Facebook, & Pinterest!
Cheers!
-Rachel
This soup is delicious on a cool fall night.
The only mistake I made was using purple sweet potatoes.
The color was not so pretty….
Thank you for trying it!