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I love how a bowl of Butternut Squash Bisque can instantly warm up a chilly evening. As the temperatures drop in fall and winter, this velvety soup always comes to mind, marrying the deep, rich flavor of butternut squash with the gentle sweetness of sweet potato. The hint of ginger and nutmeg adds just enough warmth, and I always finish it with a maple cream drizzle that offers a little indulgence. And a sprinkle of pumpkin seeds and fresh thyme leaves adds the perfect finishing touch.
Not only is this creamy bisque simple to prepare, you’ll be serving it in under an hour. After just 15 minutes of hands-on prep (mostly chopping vegetables), you can let it simmer away while the most incredible aroma fills your kitchen. I often make a double batch because the flavors actually deepen overnight, making it perfect for meal prep or when you’re planning ahead for a dinner party. The soup reheats beautifully, and that maple cream drizzle takes just seconds to stir together right before serving.
Table of Contents
Butternut Squash Bisque Ingredients
For the Soup:
- Butternut Squash: Choose a firm squash with a matte skin, free from soft spots or blemishes.
- Sweet Potato: It should have smooth, firm skin and even coloring. Avoid any with wrinkled skin or soft spots.
- Olive Oil: A good-quality extra virgin olive oil makes a difference here.
- Onion: I use yellow onion for its perfect balance of sweetness and bite.
- Garlic: Fresh cloves, plump and free from brown spots, give the best flavor.
- Chicken Broth: I prefer low-sodium versions for better control over the final seasoning.
- Ginger: If using fresh ginger, select a piece that’s firm and smooth. For ground ginger, just be sure it’s fresh as it’s a key flavor in the soup.
- Nutmeg: While pre-ground works well, I love the aroma of freshly grated nutmeg in this soup.
- Fine Sea Salt: For even seasoning without overwhelming the dish.
- Ground White Pepper: This adds subtle heat without black specks in your smooth soup.
- Heavy Cream: Be sure it’s fresh and kept refrigerated.
For the Maple Cream:
- Heavy Cream: As above, freshness is key.
- Maple Syrup: Pure maple syrup is essential here – avoid any blends with corn syrup or artificial flavors.
To Garnish:
- Pumpkin Seeds: Raw or toasted seeds both work well here.
- Fresh Thyme Leaves: Look for vibrant green leaves on firm stems. Avoid wilted or browned leaves.
Origins of Bisque
While I’m using the term “bisque” more loosely here, it traditionally refers to a rich, creamy soup made from puréed shellfish, especially lobster. It’s a technique that started in France, beloved for creating incredibly smooth, velvety soups. These days, you’ll see the term used for any silky, creamy puréed soup – like classic Tomato Bisque (or Tomato Basil Bisque) and this version with butternut squash.
3 Recipe Tips
- Prep First: I like to measure and chop everything before I start – it makes cooking so much easier.
- Even Pieces: Try to cut your butternut squash and sweet potato pieces about the same size. They’ll cook more evenly and blend up smoother.
- Blending Options: For the silkiest soup, I use my immersion blender. A regular blender works too – just let the soup cool a bit and blend in batches to avoid pressure build-up and potential splatters.
Recipe Options
- Vegetarian Version: Just replace chicken broth with vegetable stock.
- Spice It Up: Add a pinch of cayenne pepper or a dash of chili flakes for a spicy kick.
- Dairy-Free Option: Making it dairy-free is easy – coconut milk or almond cream work great instead of heavy cream.
- Ginger Choices: Fresh ginger adds a brighter flavor, but I’ve made it plenty of times with ground ginger too.
- Roasted Flair: For added depth, try roasting the squash and sweet potato instead of boiling them – it really brings out their natural sweetness.
- Herb Variations: Fresh rosemary or sage can be used in place of thyme for a different aromatic twist.
Storage and Reheating
Store the bisque in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. It’s best not to freeze it because the cream can make the soup separate or turn grainy when you thaw and reheat it. When you’re ready to enjoy it again, just warm it up on the stovetop over medium heat, giving it a good stir to keep it smooth.
I find that the best recipes have a way of sticking around in your kitchen rotation, not because they’re trendy or complicated, but because they just work. This bisque has earned its place in my winter recipe collection – elegant enough for dinner parties but simple enough that I actually make it on random Tuesday nights.
How to Make Butternut Squash Bisque
In a large pot, warm olive oil over medium heat. Sauté onions until clear, roughly 5 minutes. Add squash, sweet potato, garlic, and broth; bring to a boil, then simmer until vegetables soften, about 20 minutes. Blend the mixture until smooth. Mix in ginger, nutmeg, salt, white pepper, and cream; warm for another 5 minutes.
Adjust seasoning to taste. Combine cream and maple syrup for the maple cream. Serve soup hot, topped with a maple cream drizzle, pumpkin seeds, and thyme.
Butternut Squash Bisque
Video
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion diced small
- 1 large butternut squash (~3 pounds), peeled and cut in to 1 1/2 inch chunks
- 1 medium sweet potato cut in to 1 1/2 inch chunks (peeled if desired)
- 4 large cloves garlic smashed and peeled
- 4 cups chicken broth (recipe note #1)
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger (a microplane works best for this) or 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper plus more to taste
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
For Maple Cream
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons real maple syrup
For Garnish
- pumpkin seeds
- fresh thyme leaves
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add onion, and a pinch of salt. Cook and stir until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add butternut squash, sweet potato, garlic, and broth to onion mixture; stir and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 20 to 25 minutes, or until the squash, sweet potato and garlic cloves are tender.
- Puree the soup with an immersion blender or standard blender (See recipe note #2). If using standard blender, return smooth soup to pot. Add ginger, nutmeg, salt, white pepper and cream; cook and stir until heated through, about 5 minutes (do not boil). Taste for seasoning and add more as desired.
- To make maple cream, stir cream and maple syrup together in a small bowl until well combined.
- Ladle soup into bowls and drizzle as desired with maple cream. Garnish with pumpkin seeds and fresh thyme leaves; serve hot.
Notes
- For a thinner soup, use 5-6 cups of broth.
- Take care when blending hot liquids in a standard blender. Allow the soup to cool slightly and fill your blender pitcher to the halfway mark and remove the center, vent cap from the blender lid. Cover the lid with a clean towel to catch any splatter and blend in batches until smooth. (Some high powered blenders have locking caps and won’t require this step.)
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
going to try the roasted version do you roast squash and potato before cubing
Hi Peter! You have a lot of options here – you can certainly roast the squash and sweet potato whole (be sure to pierce them several times if you do). Or you can cube them first (my preference). I like to toss 1-inch pieces in some olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper. Sometimes I add a splash of maple syrup and a bit of cinnamon as well. If you go this route, I recommend roasting on a parchment lined rimmed baking sheet at 425˚F for about 30 minutes.
Thank you for your insight regarding roasting the squash/sweet potato i will let you know Thursday morning after my dinner party. Can i assume i follow the recipe forward after roasting
Hi Peter! Yes, and you have some options with the garlic. You can either roast it along with the squash and potato (I’d do a whole head, slicing off the top so the cloves are visible, then drizzling with olive oil and tightly wrapping in foil. Roasted on the same baking sheet, it should be tender at about the same time.) Or you can coarsely chop it and sauté with the onion in step 1. Either way, I recommend simmering everything (including the roasted ingredients) for ~10 minutes in step 2 to further soften the vegetables and allow the flavors to meld. Hope you have a wonderful dinner party!
Hi Marissa, haven’t talked since the last time i made the roasted squash soup. Than k you for your help, it turned out amazing! I innovated and the shot was roasted squash bisque!! Ta da, fell in love with it. Now down in Florida (snow bird from Canada) and got invited to a Thanksgiving dinner, offered up my version of the soup and was readily accepted. Let you know how Americans take to a bisque version of roasted squash soup. Have a great Thanksgiving and keep on posting!!
Hi Peter! Thanks so much for your kind note. I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed the soup and I hope it’s a big hit at your dinner. You have a great Thanksgiving too!