Creamy butternut squash soup with chickpeas recipe. Made with smoked gouda cheese and creamy coconut milk. So comforting for chilly nights!
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Hi, Rhubarbarians! As the seasons change and a chill begins to fill the morning air, there's nothing quite as comforting as a warm bowl of soup to soothe the soul. Today, we are making a velvety and rich butternut squash soup with chickpeas.
This vegetarian soup combines the sweet and nutty flavor of butternut squash with the robust smokiness of smoked gouda, topped the protein punch of chickpeas.
It's a delicious, smoky, cheesy, crunchy spicy chickpea-y bowl of soup. Like a nice Autumn day put into a bowl.
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Why you'll love this
- The flavors: There is so much flavor packed into this bowl! The natural sweetness of butternut squash with the smoky richness of gouda cheese, while the chickpeas add a bit of a spicy bite. So good.
- The creaminess: The mixture of the pureed squash and the melty gouda cheese creates a luxuriously creamy texture.
- Seasonal ingredients: Oh hey, butternut squash season! There's no better time than fall or winter to enjoy butternut squash.
- Freezer friendly: This soup freezes brilliantly, so you can enjoy it on busy weeknights with minimal effort. Prepare a big batch and savor its goodness throughout the season.
When is butternut squash season? Don't let the name 'winter squash' fool you. Butternut squash is actually harvested in early fall!
More vegetarian soup recipes you'll love:
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Ingredients and equipment
Here is everything you need to make a perfect bowl of smoky butternut squash soup at home. Full ingredient amounts with instructions are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of this article
Ingredients:
- chickpeas
- olive oil
- seasonings: salt, pepper, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, nutmeg, and red pepper flakes
- butter
- onion and garlic
- butternut squash
- vegetable stock. My favorite is the Better than Bouillon seasoned vegetable base.
- smoked gouda cheese
- light coconut mik
- green onion
Equipment:
- oven
- can opener
- strainer for the chickpeas. I love the OXO fine mesh strainer
- measuring spoons
- medium sized bowl
- baking sheet
- parchment paper (optional)
- stirring utensil for chickpeas. I use this silicone spoonula every single day
- stove top or cook top
- soup pot or large dutch oven. Our Lodge dutch oven is great
- cutting board and sharp knife
- measuring cups
- stirring utensil for the soup
- blender or immersion blender
- cheese grater. I love this OXO cheese grater that has an attachable container with lid
- serving bowls and spoons
Step by step instructions
Here's a brief overview of how to make this soup at home, step by step. Full instructions with ingredient amounts are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of this article
- First, preheat your oven and get those chickpeas going. They take a while to get all nice and crispy in the oven.
- After draining, rinsing, and patting dry your chickpeas, coat them in the oil and spices.
- Spread them on a baking sheet and get them in the oven to roast.
- Now, start your soup. I recommend chopping all of the vegetables/ingredients before hand.
- Soften the onions and garlic in warmed oil and butter in a soup pot and then add the butternut squash along with the spices.
- Add your stock and simmer until the squash is tender.
- Blend the soup until smooth and then slowly stir in the cheese and coconut milk.
- Serve with extra coconut milk for drizzling and top with the crispy chickpeas and sliced green onions. Enjoy!
Serving suggestions
This hearty and cozy bowl of squash soup is a wonderful main course for dinner on chilly nights. Here are my favorite ways to serve it:
- Extra toppings for the table: Have extra coconut milk, sliced green onions, and grated smoked gouda on the dining table for those who would like extra. You can find a list of our favorite butternut squash soup toppings here.
- Crusty Bread for Dunking: There's something deeply satisfying about dipping a piece of warm, crusty bread into a creamy bowl of soup. Serve your soup with your favorite artisanal bread, whether it's a rustic baguette, crusty panini rolls, or a homemade quick focaccia.
- Chickpeas on the side: The chickpeas are a bit on the spicy side, so consider serving the chickpeas on the side at your table rather than on top of the soup if any of your family or guests are sensitive to spicy food.
- Pair with a Side Salad: This is a very rich and hearty soup. Consider serving your butternut squash soup with a simple side salad. A crisp green salad with a zesty vinaigrette provides a refreshing contrast to the creamy soup, which lightens up the meal a bit.
- Seasonal Additions: Embrace the season by incorporating seasonal toppings or sides. Roasted pumpkin seeds or blackened onions as toppings would be delicious!
Side dishes to serve with this soup:
Recipe tips and substitutions
There's a lot going on in this recipe! Here are some recipe tips and ingredient substitutions that will help you make this soup perfect for you, your family, and your dinner guests.
- Fresh vs. canned chickpeas: I choose canned chickpeas for convenience most often, but home cooked chickpeas are great! You'll need 1 ½ cups of cooked chickpeas to match the amount needed for this recipe.
- Dairy free option: Go ahead and swap the butter for extra olive oil and use your favorite vegan smoked gouda or vegan smoked cheddar cheese. If you can't find any, here is a recipe for vegan smoked gouda cheese.
- Adjust the consistency: This is a very thick and hearty squash soup recipe, especially with the cheese. If it's too thick for your liking, stir in ¼ cup of water or light coconut milk to thin it out a bit. Continue until your soup is your desired consistency. Alternatively, you can thicken the soup by using full fat coconut milk rather than light.
- Use an immersion blender: An immersion blender is one of my favorite kitchen tools of all time! Although it doesn't puree soup as well as a high speed blender, it is very convenient, quick, and much easier to clean.
- Salt and pepper to taste: You may need more salt and/or pepper depending on the sodium levels of your broth and cheese. Before serving, taste the soup and add more seasoning a bit at a time until you achieve your desired taste.
Storing and freezing
Storing:
If you have leftovers that need to be stored, be sure to store the chickpeas and toppings separately from the soup so that the chickpeas don't get soggy.
The soup can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
The chickpeas are best served right away, but leftovers can be stored in an airtight container on the counter for a couple of days. Try baking (or air frying) them for about 10 minutes before serving again!
Freezing:
This cheesy butternut squash soup freezes beautifully! While the chickpeas, however, do not.
Freeze the soup without the crispy chickpeas in an airtight freezer safe container for up to 3 months. Defrost the soup in the refrigerator before reheating in the microwave or reheat from frozen slowly on the stove top.
Pro tip: these Souper Cubes make freezing soup easy and convenient! I absolutely love them.
FAQs
Absolutely! Frozen butternut squash is a convenient option and works well in this recipe. Just be sure to thaw it before using it in the soup, as frozen squash may release excess moisture during cooking.
Sure. Swap the cayenne pepper for sweet paprika or just leave it out.
For this recipe, yes. This will ensure that your soup is velvety smooth and creamy.
If you have any other questions or concerns, let me know in the comments! I'll get back to you ASAP. You can also check out the 'recipe tips and substitutions' section further up in this article.
Have more butternut squash? Here are some recipes to use it up:
- roasted butternut squash halves
- butternut squash and black bean tacos
- maple roasted butternut squash with cranberries and pecans
- curried butternut squash cauliflower soup
- butternut squash leek soup
Need more ideas?
Did you make this recipe? Leave us a review and star rating in the comments below! We read every single review and appreciate your feedback.
Recipe
Butternut squash soup with chickpeas and smoked gouda
Ingredients
For the chickpeas
- 1 15.5 ounce can chickpeas drained, rinsed, and dried with a paper towel
- ½ Tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
For the soup
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 1 medium sweet onion diced
- 2 medium garlic cloves minced
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes
- 4 cups cubed butternut squash about half a medium squash
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons pepper
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 cups vegetable stock
- 6 ounces smoked gouda cheese grated
- ½ cup light coconut milk plus extra for drizzling
- 2 Tablespoons sliced green onion
Instructions
- Start by preparing your chickpeas. Preheat the oven to 425° F. Toss the chickpeas with the olive oil, salt, pepper, paprika, and cayenne in a bowl and mix until coated evenly. Spread them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (optional for easier clean up). Roast for 20 minutes, then give the chickpeas a good toss and roast for another 20-25 minutes until crispy.1 15.5 ounce can chickpeas, ½ Tablespoon olive oil, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Meanwhile, prepare the soup. Heat the oil and butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Stir in the pepper flakes, butternut squash, salt, pepper, paprika and nutmeg. Stir to coat the squash and saute a few minutes to begin to soften. Add the stock to the pot and bring the mixture to a simmer. Simmer until the squash is completely tender, about 15 minutes.2 Tablespoons olive oil, 2 Tablespoons butter, 1 medium sweet onion, 2 medium garlic cloves, 1 pinch red pepper flakes, 4 cups cubed butternut squash, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons pepper, ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika, ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg, 2 cups vegetable stock
- Once squash is very tender, blend the soup with an immersion blender or in batches with a regular blender. Return the soup to the soup pot.
- Stir in the cheese a few handfuls at a time until it melts. Don't stir the cheese in too quickly or all at once or it will clump. Stir in the coconut milk. Cook for another few minutes to warm the soup.6 ounces smoked gouda cheese, ½ cup light coconut milk plus extra for drizzling
- To serve, drizzle with the extra coconut milk and top with a handful of crispy chickpeas and sliced green onion. Enjoy!2 Tablespoons sliced green onion
Notes
-
- Fresh vs. canned chickpeas: I choose canned chickpeas for convenience most often, but home cooked chickpeas are great! You'll need 1 ½ cups of cooked chickpeas to match the amount needed for this recipe.
-
- Dairy free option: Go ahead and swap the butter for extra olive oil and use your favorite vegan smoked gouda or vegan smoked cheddar cheese.
-
- Adjust the consistency: This is a very thick and hearty squash soup recipe, especially with the cheese. If it's too thick for your liking, stir in ¼ cup of water or light coconut milk to thin it out a bit. Continue until your soup is your desired consistency. Alternatively, you can thicken the soup by using full fat coconut milk rather than light.
-
- Use an immersion blender: An immersion blender is one of my favorite kitchen tools of all time! Although it doesn't puree soup as well as a high speed blender, it is very convenient, quick, and much easier to clean.
-
- Salt and pepper to taste: You may need more salt and/or pepper depending on the sodium levels of your broth and cheese. Before serving, taste the soup and add more seasoning a bit at a time until you achieve your desired taste.
Nutrition
Recipe ingredients altered from How Sweet Eats and adapted to be vegetarian
Recommended articles:
- Flavorful butternut squash soup toppings
- Vegetarian recipes for butternut squash soup
- Best butternut squash dinner recipes
- Guide to butternut squash
- All of our butternut squash recipes
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Christin
This is the best squash soup! I've been makingnitbnownfor about 2 years and I can't get enough!
Patricia Bozeman
Awesome! I am so happy you like this soup so much! I definitely make a big batch at least once a year and freeze half for later. 🙂
Sarah
I saw this on facebook and I had to stop and say that this looks amazing and I am definitely making it - it's already soup whether here so I'm in need a killer soup and smoked gouda to warm me up. *Drool*
Patricia Bozeman
Thanks Sarah! Let me know what you think!
Tabetha
Pinned! We'll be trying this one out for sure
Patricia Bozeman
Thanks Meg!
Meg @ Noming thru Life
Oh my gosh this looks incredibly delicious!! I can't even handle it!!