Easy Tomato Butternut Squash Soup

Learn how to make garden fresh tomato butternut squash soup the easy way by roasting the tomatoes in the oven and steaming the squash. Pack a bunch of nutrients into a bowl of steaming, creamy butternut squash and tomato soup with this quick, simple recipe. Looking for a fabulous way to use fresh tomatoes, butternut squash and other garden produce? You’re in the right place. Read on for this delicious, velvety soup that’s perfect for a chilly evening.

The Tomato Butternut Squash Soup Backstory

As sometimes happens, this easy recipe for roasted tomato butternut squash soup came about by accident. The reason this recipe is called tomato butternut squash soup and not butternut squash tomato soup is because the butternut squash was kind of an afterthought. I had set out to make tomato soup from the fresh tomatoes I had just harvested from our garden. As the tomatoes, chopped peppers, onions and garlic were roasting in the oven, I spied half a butternut squash in the refrigerator. Always on the lookout to pack more vegetables into any meal, I quickly decided to steam the butternut squash in the microwave and use it to thicken the tomato soup. I put all of the roasted and steamed vegetables into a stockpot with some chicken broth, then gave it a whirl with my trusty immersion blender. The result was a creamy tomato butternut squash soup recipe I’m happy to share. I hope you love it.

Tomato Butternut Squash Soup Equipment

For this fresh tomato and butternut squash soup recipe you will need:

A large, deep stock pot, at least 8 quart size to reduce mess when blending

A rimmed baking sheet for roasting the chopped tomatoes, peppers and onions

A covered casserole dish for steaming the butternut squash

An immersion blender to give the soup a creamy, thick texture

Tomato Butternut Squash Soup Ingredients

3 pounds fresh, ripe tomatoes, chopped (about 7 and 1/2 cups)

4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped

1/2 onion, diced

1/2 red bell or other mild red pepper, diced

2 tablespoons olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

2 cups butternut squash, peeled and chopped into 1 inch pieces

2 cups chicken broth

fresh herbs like basil, parsley or oregano for garnish when serving (optional)

parmesan cheese and croutons for serving (optional)

Tomato Butternut Squash Soup Instructions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Wash and chop tomatoes into halves, quarters or eighths, depending on size. Peel and chop garlic. Dice the onion and pepper. Place all of the chopped produce on the baking sheet. Sprinkle with the olive oil, salt, pepper and dried herbs.

Roast the produce for 25 minutes, stirring once after 15 minutes. When the 25 minutes has passed, turn the oven to broil and broil for 3 minutes to get a little bit of charred color.

While the produce is roasting in the oven, peel and chop the butternut squash. Place in a covered casserole dish with 2 tablespoons of water. Microwave on high for 10 minutes. Drain and set aside until the vegetables are done roasting.

Bring the chicken broth to a boil, then add the roasted vegetables and steamed squash.

Blend the mixture with a hand blender until you get a creamy, smooth texture. The soup should be nice and thick. No need to add any thickeners! Everyone needs an immersion blender in their life.

Add more salt and dried herbs to taste, if needed.

Top with fresh herbs, parmesan cheese or croutons, if desired. Serve with a tossed salad and warm, crusty bread or classic toasted cheese sandwiches for a delicious meal.

Tomato Butternut Squash Soup Variations

What can I add to tomato soup to make it taste better? If you want to spice up your tomato butternut squash soup, you can always use hotter peppers and roast them with the tomatoes. You can always increase the seasonings and add more garlic, basil, or oregano. You could also try adding other herbs like thyme and rosemary. If you have meat-lovers in your family, you could add a bit of smoked sausage. Give the soup a seafood twist by adding in a bit of cooked crab. There are many possibilities!

To Peel or Not to Peel

Do you leave the skin on tomatoes for soup? In this recipe, I did. I was surprised that I didn’t notice any clumps of tomato peel when eating the soup. You can always plunge the tomatoes in hot water, then cold, to crack the skins and peel them. To me it seems like extra work. The magic of using the immersion blender is that the tomato peels aren’t noticeable at all. 

Do you leave the skin on butternut squash for soup? No, I chose to peel the butternut squash. Unlike zucchini or crookneck squash, the peel on the butternut squash is thicker and tougher. Or is that just my butternut squash? Maybe you could avoid peeling if you have butternut squash with a thin skin. Otherwise, peeling is best for a smoother soup experience.

Making the Tomato Butternut Squash Thick and Creamy

Are you supposed to put milk or cream in tomato soup? You certainly can add it, but the thickness in this soup comes from the addition of the butternut squash. Sometimes the acid in the tomatoes can curdle the milk if you add it. If you omit the butternut squash and want a thicker soup without adding cream or milk (perhaps if you are avoiding dairy products) you could always add in an 8-ounce can of tomato paste.

My favorite way to make the butternut squash tomato soup thick and creamy is to use an immersion blender, as previously noted, pictured above.

Sweetening the Tomato Butternut Squash Soup

How do you sweeten sour tomato soup? How do you make tomato soup less tangy? There are a number of ways to do this. You could add in a little sugar, honey or agave syrup. You could also put in a bit of applesauce. Here is another possible add-in that is a bit surprising: baking soda. If you stir in even as little as half a teaspoon, the baking soda will neutralize the acid in the tomatoes. This has the added benefit of making it possible to add milk to the tomato soup without curdling. Now you know how to get rid of sourness in tomato butternut squash soup.

Ready to Try This Recipe for Tomato Butternut Squash Soup?

Now you know the secret to making thick, creamy tomato butternut squash soup. If you make this tomato butternut squash soup recipe, feel free to send a photo. I’ll share it in my Instagram story.

Love to Cook with Garden Fresh Ingredients?

If making the most of the produce from your garden gives you a thrill like it does for me, you might also enjoy these other garden fresh recipes. Can some salsa or spaghetti sauce using fresh tomatoes. Make a healthy, economical meal with scarlet runner beans. Cook up some fun and easy butternut squash mini pizzas, taco soup, or an easy sheet pan creamy spaghetti squash dinner. Make the most of a bountiful onion harvest by making French onion sausage soup in the crock pot. Whip up a batch of easy Greek lemon chicken orzo soup. There are many delicious possibilities when you grow your own fresh fruit and vegetables!

More Meal Inspiration

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Have fun making roasted tomato and butternut squash soup. May all of your garden fresh soup-making endeavors meet with great success!