Name: Butternut squash soup with orange and mint
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 2 pounds (or 1 kg) butternut squash (peeled, seeded and diced ); 2 medium onions (peeled and diced); 2 cloves garlic (minced); 2 tablespoons olive oil; 4 cups (or 1 liter) chicken or vegetable stock; peel of ½ orange; ¼ cup (or 60 ml) fresh orange juice; 2 bay leaves; 1 teaspoon mild curry powder; ½ teaspoon ground cumin; salt and pepper (to taste); 1 tablespoon fresh mint (roughly chopped)

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This butternut squash soup with orange and mint is a rich, warm and comforting dish, perfect for those cold winter days. Served with rustic crusty bread, this healthy butternut squash soup is quick and easy to make and by far one of my favourite fall and winter soup recipes.

top view of 2 bowl orange infused butternut soup with mint and slices of bread on a wooden board

This easy butternut squash soup recipe is infused with orange and mint which gives it a delicious and aromatic twist when compared to a more traditional butternut soup. Butternut squash, or butternut pumpkin is a fall and winter squash and is a great ingredient to use in a wide diversity of dishes like this roasted Brussels sprouts and butternut side dish.

A butternut squash has a sweet, nutty and slightly buttery flavour and is rich in fibre, vitamin A & C, magnesium and potassium. Even though butternut is known as a fall and winter vegetable, it is nowadays available all year-round in most countries. Adding the citrus flavour of the orange and the aromatic fresh mint makes this orange coloured soup a plate full of sunshine. A spoonful of curry powder and ground cumin gives this spiced butternut squash soup extra warmth so it can be easily served all year round.

long image of butternut squash soup with mint orange and bread

Which ingredients to use

Note: All the exact quantities of the ingredients can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

This spiced butternut squash soup comes together with just a few key ingredients and various aromatics.

Butternut squash: For this squash recipe, I use 2 pounds or 1 kg. If you use a large butternut squash or various smaller ones, you can weigh it/them. It’s no problem to use slightly more or less than the indicated quantity. The consistency of the soup might just be a little different after blending.
Olive oil: I use olive oil in most of my dishes to sauté the vegetables, but you can use coconut oil, butter, or any other cooking oil instead.
Garlic and onion: Provides extra depth of flavour for the soup
Chicken or vegetable stock: Chicken stock gives more flavour, but use whichever stock you personally prefer.
Orange: Use both the peel and juice of a fresh orange.
Mint: Roughly chop fresh mint leaves to give an aromatic freshness to the soup.
Bay Leaves: Adding some bay leaves while boiling the soup adds an extra layer of flavour. Don’t forget to remove them before blending.
Curry powder: Use a mild curry powder blend.
Cumin: The earthy flavour of ground cumin brings balance to the sweet and aromatic taste of the soup.

butternut squash soup with mint and orange in a green bowl with bread slices on a wooden board

How to make butternut squash soup

Prepare the butternut:
Butternut is often used with the peel. For this butternut soup, I prefer to remove the peel to allow for a creamy consistency after blending. Use a vegetable peeler to remove the thin skin of the butternut and a sharp knife to cut off the top and bottom. Then cut the butternut lengthwise in half, remove the seeds with a spoon and cut in 1 inch cubes.
Sauté the vegetables:
Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot and sauté onions until soft and translucent over medium heat. Add butternut cubes and garlic and stir to combine. Sauté for a few minutes while stirring frequently.
Make the soup:
Stir in the curry powder, cumin, pepper, salt and bay leaves and stir to combine well. Pour in the chicken or vegetable stock and the orange peel. Bring to a boil and leave to simmer until all the vegetables are soft.
Blend the soup:
Before blending, first remove the bay leaves and orange peel. Use a handheld or immersion blender or pour the soup into a food processor and blitz until you get a smooth and velvety texture. Pour in the orange juice and blend a second time.
Serve:
Serve with some chopped fresh mint leaves.

butternut soup with orange mint and slices rustic bread in a green bowl

Interesting tips & tricks

If you are wondering how to make the easiest and best butternut squash soup, here are some useful tips you can use:

Pre-cut the vegetables: If you are preparing this soup for dinner after a long day at work, you can save time by buying pre-cut butternut squash or even consider using frozen butternut cubes.
Orange juice: If you don’t have a fresh orange, you can substitute it with store bought orange juice, but you won’t have the peel to give extra orange flavour during the cooking process and so the taste will be different, just be aware of that.
Make the soup in advance: Consider making a large batch during the weekend (double or triple the quantities of the recipe card) and freeze in smaller batches. Or leave to cool and store in the fridge for up to 3 days. The flavours will further develop and the soup will taste even better after 1 day. Add the fresh mint just before serving.
Take your time to sauté the vegetables: Don’t be too fast and take your time to sauté the onion, garlic and butternut cubes. Slow frying the vegetables brings out the best flavour and makes your soup just delicious.

How to serve butternut soup

Serve as a light lunch or easy weeknight dinner with rustic crusty farm bread or crunchy french loaf. Or consider serving as a starter or first course.

Serve alongside a nice salad, since any soup and a salad go so well together. These fall salads pair really well; grilled persimmon salad, grilled halloumi salad with sweet potato, gorgonzola and pear salad or fresh fig and feta salad.

bowl of soup butternut with orange and mint with slices of bread on a wooden board

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