Chai Spiced Butternut Squash Soup Recipe

Need something cozy to make for dinner? Try this spiced butternut squash soup served with a green salad or crusty bread for a wholesome and delicious meal.

Whether you are making butternut squash soup for the first time or have been a fan for years, this recipe is a keeper. It has a velvety smooth texture and notes of fall spices to bring out the savory flavors of butternut squash.

Spices for Butternut Squash Soup

For this recipe, I steep a chai tea bag in broth with veggies before pureeing them to give this creamy soup its cozy flavor. It infuses each spoonful with notes of cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, star anise, and cloves. 

However, if you don’t have a bag of chai tea in your pantry you can still make spiced butternut squash soup, simply omit the tea bag and stir any of these spice mixes with the veggies as they cook: 

• 2 cloves minced garlic + 1 teaspoon dried sage + ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon + ¼ teaspoon dried nutmeg + 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 cloves garlic + 1 tablespoon curry powder + ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Spiced Butternut Squash Soup Ingredients

The ingredients for butternut squash are fairly simple but yield big flavors in the finished product. 

Whether you peel and dice a whole butternut squash or use prechopped cubes from the grocery store, it’s up to you. Just make sure the amount is about 3 ½ cups that’s about a 3 lb squash, 1-lb bag of fresh cubes, or 2 10-ounce frozen bags. 

• butternut squash: fresh or frozen cubes
• green onion: adds depth of flavor
• butter: to brown the squash and veggies
• brown sugar: brings out the savory flavors
• chai tea bag: a warm, complex blend of spices used as the seasoning for this soup
• crème frâiche or heavy cream: adds more creamy texture and flavor
• water: to simmer the veggies, for more flavor use chicken broth 
• salt and pepper: can’t make anything without these two! 

You can make this dairy-free by swapping the butter for a neutral oil and the crème frâiche for canned coconut milk, about ¼ cup. 

How to Make Butternut Squash Soup

Save time, prep the butternut squash and green onions ahead, and refrigerate in airtight containers for up to 5 days. This way, they’re ready to go when you are. 

To give this butternut squash soup a smooth consistency, you will need an immersion blender or regular blender. In the recipe steps below, I show you how to use both. 

1. Cook the veggies
   Melt the butter in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the squash, onions whites, sugar, salt, and black pepper. Cook until the squash is softened.
2. Add the teabag
   Stir in the water and add the teabag. Bring the soup to a boil before reducing the heat and simmering for 20 minutes. The squash needs to be completely tender. Remove the teabag. 
3. Blend
   Insert an immersion blender into the soup and process until smooth. Alternatively, working in 2-3 batches, add the soup to a blender, process, and return to the soup pot. 
4. Simmer
   Add the crème frâiche to the soup and stir until blended. Allow the soup to simmer for an additional 5 to 10 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper. 
5. Serve
   Ladle soup into bowls, top with additional crème frâiche, chopped green onions, and hearty, warm bread. 

Watch it come together in this short recipe video.

Leftovers are good for up to 5 days. From there, I’d freeze the remaining soup for future meals. Keep scrolling to see how I like to freeze and reheat soup properly. 

Make next: Easy Acorn Squash Soup

How to Serve Butternut Squash Soup

There’s nothing like a bowl of velvety, golden butternut squash soup with a piece of warm bread dunked right into it. While this is my favorite way to enjoy butternut squash soup, you can also serve it:

• Topped with croutons 
• a side of Winter Salad
• Roasted Fall Vegetables
• A grilled cheese sandwich

Can you Freeze Butternut Squash Soup

This is a very freezer-friendly soup and can be done by following the steps below: 

1. Allow the cooked soup to cool down to room temperature.
2. Divide the soup into family or single-serve portions in freezer-safe storage containers. Leave 1-inch of space at the top. *If using a gallon-size zip bag, make sure to freeze the filled bag(s) flat on a baking sheet before stacking and storing in the freezer. 
3. Freeze for up to 3 months. 

When you’re ready for a bowl of soup, defrost the soup container in the fridge overnight and reheat it on the stove-top or in the microwave. 

If you’re short on time, place the frozen soup container in a large bowl filled with room temperature water. Allow it to sit until the soup begins to loosen from the sides of the container. 

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