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This Creamy Vegan Butternut Squash Soup is smooth, brightly flavored, and swirled with easy cashew cream. It’s topped with crunchy spiced pumpkin seeds. This paleo vegan soup is perfect for chilly days and pairs well with crusty bread! Ready in under 45 minutes.
I’ve been all about the cozy soups and vegan fall dinners lately, despite San Diego’s weather never cooperating with how chilly I want it to be in November. We’re still dealing with mid-70s and lots of sunshine.
Still, I’ve been cranking my air conditioner to keep my apartment chilly so I can still indulge in allll the cozy, warm foods. I’ve been making all sorts of soup, chili, and curry to make myself feel like it’s winter.
Despite the warmth, I’ve been indulging my cozy side by making myself all the warm foods, like this creamy vegan Butternut Squash Soup. It’s so simple to make! I didn’t go overboard with herbs or spices, letting the butternut squash’s sweetness shine through. Time to make yourself a bowl!
Why You’ll Love This Vegan Butternut Squash Soup
- Ultra Creamy Without Dairy: Cashew cream makes this butternut squash soup incredibly silky and satisfying—no coconut milk or cream required.
- Packed With Cozy Fall Flavor: The natural sweetness of the butternut squash shines through, balanced with thyme for the perfect autumn comfort food.
- Healthy & Nourishing: This vegan soup is naturally gluten-free, paleo-friendly, and rich in fiber, vitamins A & C, and plant-based protein from the cashews and seeds.
- Quick & Easy: Ready in under 45 minutes with simple ingredients, making it ideal for weeknight fall dinners.
- Customizable: Keep it savory and simple, or add cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg for a warmer, spiced version.
- A Beautiful Presentation: The cashew cream swirl and spiced pumpkin seed topping make this soup look restaurant-worthy with minimal effort.
How to make Dairy-Free Butternut Squash Soup:
To make this creamy vegan butternut squash soup, start by sautéing onion, celery, carrot, and garlic in a bit of oil until softened. Add the butternut squash, vegetable broth, thyme, salt, and pepper, then simmer until the squash is tender. Blend the soup until completely smooth using an immersion blender, then stir in dairy-free milk for extra creaminess.
Whip up the cashew cream by blending soaked cashews with water, lemon juice, and salt until silky—this gives the soup a luxuriously creamy, dairy-free finish. For crunch, toast spiced pumpkin seeds in a skillet with garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne. These touches are optional, but take this recipe from good to restaurant-worthy!
Spoon the soup into bowls, swirl in the cashew cream, and top with the crunchy pumpkin seeds for the ultimate cozy fall dinner.
I kept it simple with the herbs and spices to let the butternut squash flavor shine, but you can adjust for your tastes. I don’t like adding cinnamon and nutmeg to butternut squash soup, because I don’t want it to taste like pumpkin pie. But! I know some people are into that, so feel free to add in a little bit of each if that’s your jam.
I hope this cozy Vegan Butternut Squash Soup brings as much comfort to your kitchen as it does to mine. With its silky texture, vibrant fall flavor, and those irresistible cashew cream and spiced pumpkin seed toppings, it’s the kind of bowl you’ll want to come back to all season long. Whether you’re craving an easy weeknight dinner or a nourishing dish to share with friends, this easy 30-minute soup recipe always delivers. If you make it, don’t forget to leave a comment or tag me—I love seeing your beautiful bowls! Enjoy every spoonful.
Want more delicious vegan soup recipes?
Honeynut Squash Soup
This Easy Honeynut Squash Soup is simple to make: roast the vegetables until golden, then blend! This low-calorie blender soup recipe is naturally vegan, gluten-free, and Whole30-friendly—only eight ingredients and less than 250 calories per serving.
Vegan Mushroom Wild Rice Soup
This Vegan Mushroom Wild Rice Soup is cozy, comforting, and so simple to make in under an hour using just one pot! It’s the perfect healthy vegan dinner for chilly nights. It’s loaded with mushrooms, wild rice, and vegetables.
Roasted Tomato Chickpea Soup
This 9-Ingredient Roasted Tomato Chickpea Soup is ready to eat in less than an hour. It’s plant-based, vegan, and deliciously creamy and rich. It’s also filling, thanks to the protein-packed chickpeas.
Butternut Squash Soup
Ingredients
For the soup
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, or avocado oil
- 1 yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 3 stalks celery, roughly chopped
- 1 carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
- 4 cups cubed butternut squash, can also use acorn squash, if desired
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- 3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk, or neutral-flavored dairy-free milk
For the cashew cream
- ½ cup Sunfood raw cashews, soaked in water for at least 4 hours
- ½ cup filtered water
- 1 lemon, juiced
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
For the spiced pumpkin seeds
- ½ cup Sunfood pumpkin seeds, also known as pepitas
- ½ teaspoon olive oil, or avocado oil
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon pink salt
- Pinch of cayenne pepper
Instructions
For the soup
- Heat the oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Once hot, add the onion and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add in the celery, carrot, and garlic and saute for about 2 minutes or so, until the garlic is fragrant. Add the butternut squash, vegetable broth, and thyme. Cover and bring to a boil.2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 yellow onion, 3 stalks celery, 1 carrot, 2 garlic cloves, 4 cups cubed butternut squash, 3 cups vegetable broth, ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- Turn down the heat to a simmer and let cook for 20 minutes, or until the butternut squash and other veggies are tender. Use an immersion blender (or transfer to a regular blender – if you do this you may have to do multiple batches) to blend until completely smooth.
- Add salt & pepper to taste, and then stir in the almond milk.Salt & pepper, 3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
- Serve with cashew cream, pumpkin seeds, fresh thyme springs, and/or hemp seeds. Enjoy!
- Store leftovers in the fridge or freezer.
For the cashew cream
- Combine the soaked cashews, water, lemon juice, and salt in a high-speed blender and blend until completely smooth. Add more liquid if you want it any thinner.½ cup Sunfood raw cashews, ½ cup filtered water, 1 lemon, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Serve drizzled over the soup. Store any leftovers in a jar in the fridge.
For the pumpkin seeds
- Heat a small saute pan over medium heat. Add the pumpkin seeds and oil and toast until lightly golden brown. Add the spices and toss to coat them all. Use as garnish for the soup.½ cup Sunfood pumpkin seeds, ½ teaspoon olive oil, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon onion powder, ¼ teaspoon pink salt, Pinch of cayenne pepper
Notes
How to store leftovers or make ahead
- Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container for 4–5 days.
- Freezer: Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then gently rewarm in the microwave or on the stovetop.
- Reheating tip: Add a splash of broth if it thickens.
This will definitely hit the spot on a cold winter day! Can’t wait to try it! Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving Rachel! <3
Thanks so much Rita, hope you had a great Thanksgiving as well and hope you love the soup!
This is now our favourite soup! It’s absolutely delicious (the spiced pumpkin seeds are the icing on the cake!) and the dish actually looked just like yours in the photo—always a bonus! Thanks so much for a scrumptious recipe that is healthy, too!
So glad you’re loving it, Laura! Thanks for the feedback :D
Oh my gosh! I eat gluten free and my toddler recently started to need to eat dairy free, so I’ve been experimenting with different meals. This is SO good!! As soon as I saw the recipe, I started craving it :) I didn’t roast the pumpkin seeds, but they were the perfect addition. Word of wisdom – if you soak salted cashews, don’t add the extra salt to the cream lol Other than that little mistake, everything was delicious! I will definitely make it again. Thank you for an excellent recipe.
So glad you and your toddler are loving it, Sarah!! Thanks so much for your feedback :D