Butternut squash soup is creamier and tastier if you ditch cream for 1 low-fat ingredient

This comforting butternut squash soup gets its rich texture without cream. The dairy-free recipe needs just three simple ingredients and is perfect for the cooler autumn months.

The evenings are becoming longer, daylight hours are decreasing, and the mercury is falling – all indicators that autumn has arrived. I adore everything about this season – the fresh atmosphere, pumpkin-scented candles, warm knitwear, and hearty meals.

It’s the time for casseroles, broths, and pastries, with root crops and squash becoming the stars of the show.

Butternut squash ranks among my top choices, and when pureed into a soup, it makes a scrumptious, satisfying evening meal, especially when served with crusty, buttered bread.

While there are numerous butternut squash recipes available, I found an easy variation that lets the squash’s sweet flavour be the hero.

Following some investigation, I discovered an easy, three-ingredient butternut squash broth that’s both dairy-free and plant-based.

Even though it’s dairy-free, the broth becomes wonderfully velvety thanks to coconut milk, a 75p supermarket essential.

It provides richness while avoiding excessive additional fat or energy. There’s a touch of coconut present in the flavour profile, though it remains understated.

If you dislike coconut, maybe try experimenting with an alternative creamy ingredient such as heavy cream.

The broth is straightforward to prepare. Oven-cooking the squash takes the most time but caramelises its sugars, creating a deep, flavourful foundation.

Butternut squash soup recipe

Ingredients

• One medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed
• Two cups of vegetable broth
• Half a cup of full-fat canned coconut milk (the recipe suggests full-fat, but I used low-fat and it worked just as well)

Cupboard staples: One tbsp olive oil (for roasting), salt, and black pepper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Toss the cubed squash with olive oil, salt, and pepper, then spread on a baking sheet. Roast for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown and tender at the edges.

2. Transfer the roasted squash to a pot over medium heat. Add two cups of broth and simmer gently for five minutes so the flavours meld.

3. Remove from the heat, add coconut milk (or heavy cream), and blend until smooth using an immersion or countertop blender.

4. Adjust the consistency with extra broth or water as needed, and season with more salt and pepper to taste.

For extra flavour, try adding half a teaspoon of ground ginger, nutmeg, or a pinch of chilli flakes.

If butternut squash is not to your liking, you might consider Spare Time reporter Nicola Roy’s curried lentil soup instead.

Nicola said the soup is “without a doubt one of the best flavours, and it’s so easy to make too”.

The dish generally requires very few ingredients, which are chopped and left to simmer before being puréed and served.

Incorporating curry paste into the recipe introduces a vibrant burst of flavour and spices, making the soup particularly comforting during the colder months. Find the recipe here.