Butternut squash soup is rich, creamy, and so delicious! It’s a great fall soup, but what should you serve with it? This post is full of recipes for salads, sandwiches, main dishes, and breads that all pair well with butternut squash soup.
Butternut Squash is one of my favorite fall flavors. I love using it to make soup because it comes out so creamy.
For my easy Butternut Squash Soup recipe, I roast the butternut squash along with a red onion on a baking sheet, then puree it with a good quality vegetable stock using an immersion blender. The result is a simple but insanely delicious soup that is great on its own, or used as a base recipe to add your own spin to it.
I love that this soup is simple enough for a quick lunch, but also impressive enough to serve at your holiday dinner. This is the perfect soup to serve for your soup course at a fall or holiday dinner party.
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What Does Butternut Squash Taste Like?
Butternut squash tastes like fall to me! It is sweet, nutty, rich, and a little earthy. Its flavor is similar to pumpkin or sweet potato. You can usually find it all year long at the grocery store, but its peak season is the fall and winter.
Butternut squash has a texture similar to a carrot when cooked. It can be roasted, sautéed, mashed, and puréed. It is a winter squash like pumpkin, acorn squash, and spaghetti squash.
Since butternut squash soup’s main ingredient is butternut squash, the soup also has a sweet, rich, and earthy flavor with a smooth velvety texture.
What Flavors Pair Well With Butternut Squash Soup?
I love thinking about flavor pairings when developing recipes. Some flavors are just perfect together, while others clash with each other.
These are some of my favorite flavors to pair with butternut squash and butternut squash soup.
- Fresh herbs - sage, rosemary, and thyme
- Warm spices - nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, cumin, cayenne pepper, and black pepper
- Creamy elements - butter, coconut milk, and heavy cream
- Cheese - parmesan, goat cheese, and gruyere
- Sweet flavors - maple, bourbon, honey, and vanilla
- Proteins - pork, pancetta, bacon, and chicken
- Earthy flavors - onions, mushrooms, carrots, and parsnips
What to Serve With Butternut Squash Soup?
Butternut squash soup is a pretty versatile dish!
It is a hearty soup that can be eaten alone, but light enough to be served with another dish. You can serve it as is with some toppings, or pair it with crackers or a baguette. Soup and a sandwich is a classic combination! For a lighter pairing, you can try a fall inspired salad with autumn produce. For dinner, you can serve it as an appetizer, or pair it with your favorite protein for a great side dish.
My favorite way to eat butternut squash soup is with homemade garlic butter croutons, fresh sage, and a swirl of cream. I have gathered some of the best recipes from each of these categories for you to pair with butternut squash soup!
Here are my favorite things to pair with butternut squash soup:
Let’s break these down and look at some perfect pairings below, or click the links above to go straight to that section!
Sandwiches
Soup and sandwiches are a classic combo, and perfect for lunch or a lighter dinner. I love a hot pressed sandwich dipped into a savory soup! Try some of these sandwiches to pair with your creamy butternut squash soup.
Salads
Soups and salads are another dynamic duo! Butternut squash soup pairs especially well with autumn inspired salads that are full of other fall produce. There is also something refreshing about serving a cold salad with a warm soup. Here are some delicious salads to pair with your butternut squash soup.
Main Course Proteins
If you are serving a larger meal, butternut squash soup can be the perfect side dish to compliment your main course! Soups make the best side dishes for a savory main dish. I especially love serving pork with butternut squash, but chicken, beef, and even seafood pair well with it too! I curated this list of delicious main course proteins to pair with butternut squash soup.
Breads & Crackers
Serving a soup with breads or crackers is a great option to create a more filling meal. I love adding some homemade croutons to the top of a thick soup like butternut squash soup, or dunking a crusty bread to soak up all the delicious broth of french onion soup. Here are some homemade breads and crackers perfect for serving with butternut squash soup.
Toppings
This butternut squash soup is a simple recipe, so it's the perfect canvas to add in your favorite toppings! Here are some ideas for topping your savory soup.
- Go for a nice contrast in texture by adding croutons, kale chips, or nuts.
- Make it more hearty with sautéed mushrooms or diced roasted root vegetables.
- Keep with the creamy texture by swirling in some cream or coconut milk.
- Add crumbled bacon or pancetta for a savory crunch.
- Roasted garlic or caramelized onions would be perfect to enhance the rich flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Butternut squash freezes very well. I like to portion out 2 servings each in quart size freezer bags and lay them flat in the freezer. Once frozen I stand them up filing cabinet style for easier organization. Don’t forget to label and date!
You can usually find butternut squash all year long at the grocery store, but its peak season is the fall and winter.
Yes! This recipe for butternut squash is pretty healthy since it only contains vegetable broth, butternut squash, red onion, and a little bit of olive oil.
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About me
Hey good lookin', what ya got cookin'? I'm Lauren and I love to teach you how to make the good stuff, from scratch! I use fresh quality ingredients to create impressive but approachable restaurant worthy recipes.
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