This creamy Butternut Squash-Zucchini soup is hearty, healthy, and incredibly easy to make.
Simple ingredients come together nicely to create a delicious soup that is filling enough to serve as a complete meal.
This Butternut squash-zucchini soup proves that simple ingredients can make savory comfort food, similar to my One-Pot Kabocha Squash Soup or Curried Cauliflower Pumpkin Soup. It has the perfect balance of naturally sweet and hearty flavors, while olive oil, aromatic garlic, rosemary, and Parmesan cheese (optional) add a delicious Italian touch.
I love making a big batch of this fall soup because it is incredibly easy to make on the stovetop, and any leftovers taste even better the next day. There is no need for a lot of seasoning, either. The trick is to sauté the vegetables for a few minutes in olive oil, allowing their natural flavors to come together before adding any liquid.
The creamy texture comes from blending everything with an immersion blender, while cannellini beans add protein and a silky finish (no heavy cream required).
Whether you serve it as a full meal with crusty bread or as a starter for the holidays, this squash and zucchini soup combines the best of both worlds: sweet and savory, yet healthy and satisfying.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Simple Ingredients: Nothing fancy, just fresh vegetables, beans, herbs, and olive oil.
- Lots of Flavor: The squash, zucchini, and garlic build depth as they sauté together over medium heat.
- Protein-Rich: White beans, such as cannellini, create a naturally creamy base.
- Family-Friendly: Even kids love dipping bread into this smooth, golden yellow squash soup recipe.
- Make-Ahead Friendly: Keeps well in an airtight container in the fridge for quick lunches or dinner prep.
Ingredients & Notes
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Here’s what you need to make this delicious recipe:
- Olive Oil: Use a little olive oil as the flavor base. It’s key to developing the best flavor.
- Garlic Cloves: Freshly chopped adds lots of flavor and complements the sweet squash.
- Butternut Squash: Peeled, seeded, and cubed. You can also add roasted butternut squash if you have leftovers from my Roasted Chicken With Pears And Butternut Squash for a deeper flavor.
- Zucchini: Unpeeled and diced, this adds a hint of freshness to balance the sweetness.
- Cannellini Beans: Creamy white beans that add fiber and protein. (See note below about lectins.)
- Vegetable Broth: Use either vegetable broth or vegetable stock.
- Dried or Fresh Rosemary: For a fragrant, earthy flavor.
- Parmesan Cheese: Optional but adds a nutty depth; omit if avoiding animal products.
- Salt and Black Pepper: To taste.
Bean Note: Beans are a favorite non-meat source of protein, but some varieties contain lectins that can cause digestive issues if not properly soaked or cooked. To reduce lectins, use pressure-cooked beans or canned brands that pre-soak and cook them under high pressure, such as Eden. Stock up to make my Sweet & Spicy Spaghetti Sauce With Creamy Cannellini Beans.
How To Make It
See the full recipe with measurements in the recipe card.
Step One (Picture 1 above) – Sauté the Aromatics & Vegetables: In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped garlic and cook until fragrant—avoid browning. Stir in the butternut squash and zucchini, season generously with salt, black pepper, and rosemary. Sauté for about 5 minutes, stirring often.
Step Two (Picture 2 above) – Simmer the Soup: Pour in the vegetable broth (it should just cover the veggies). Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce to medium-low heat. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the squash is tender.
Step Three (Picture 3 above) – Add the Beans: Add the cannellini beans and simmer for another 5 minutes to allow everything to come together.
Step Four (Picture 4 above) – Add Cheese: Stir the cheese into the soup pot until well combined with the rest of the ingredients.
Step Five (Picture 5 above) – Blend: Remove from the stove and use an immersion blender to puree until smooth. If you prefer a thinner pureed soup, stir in a splash more vegetable stock.
Step Six (Picture 6 above) – Serve & Enjoy: Once smooth, serve while still hot with extra Parmesan cheese on the side.
Top Tips
- Choose a Large Enough Pot: A large pot or Dutch oven gives the vegetables ample room to cook evenly and makes it safer and easier to blend the hot soup directly with an immersion blender.
- Sauté First for Best Flavor: Don’t skip lightly browning the vegetables in a little olive oil over medium-high heat. It’s the secret to developing that rich, savory base.
- Mind the Liquid: For a thicker soup, use less vegetable broth; for a lighter pureed soup, add a bit more.
- For the Best Creamy Texture: Stir in the Parmesan cheese while the mixture is still hot. It melts gently, giving a velvety finish without curdling.
Variations & Serving Suggestions
- Broth: For a richer flavor, try adding my Slow Cooker Bone Broth instead of vegetable broth.
- Herbs: Try a dash of dried basil or thyme if you don't have rosemary on hand.
- Texture Preference: For a chunkier soup, blend only half the batch and leave the rest in small pieces.
- Pair it with: Serve with crusty bread, such as my Garlic Crostini with Olive Oil, or warm focaccia for dipping.
- Make it a Meal: This hearty vegetable soup makes a wonderful main dish paired with a salad or Roasted Baby Bok Choy or green beans.
Storage
- Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat over medium-low heat on the stovetop until warmed through.
- You can also freeze it in individual portions for up to 3 months. Reheat gently from frozen in a large pot. It's a great soup to have on hand for lazy nights when you need a quick and easy meal.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! Leave it out or replace it with nutritional yeast for a vegan option.
You can use a high-powered blender or food processor instead. Just be careful with hot soup and blend in batches.
More Blended Soup Recipes To Try Next
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📖 Recipe
Healthy Butternut Squash Zucchini and Rosemary Soup
Mariska RamondinoEquipment
- 1 5 to 6-quart stock pot
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 5 cups peeled and cubed Butternut squash about 1 ½ pounds or 650 grams
- 5 cups packed cubed unpeeled zucchini about 550 grams, ends removed
- Salt and pepper
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried Rosemary or more to taste
- 2 cups vegetable broth ½ liter
- 1 can cannellini beans, no salt added 13.4 ounces or 380 grams
- 1 cup grated aged Parmesan cheese (80 grams) plus more to garnish (optional)
Instructions
- In a 5 to 6 QT pot, add olive oil and heat over medium heat. Add garlic and cook and stir for ten seconds to release its aroma.3 tablespoons olive oil, 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- Stir in the vegetables. Season royally with salt, pepper, and dried Rosemary. Cook and frequently stir for 5 minutes.5 cups peeled and cubed Butternut squash, 5 cups packed cubed unpeeled zucchini, Salt and pepper, 1 ½ teaspoons dried Rosemary
- Pour in the broth (it should barely cover the vegetables). Cover the pot and bring to a steady simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes and stir on occasion. You might have to lower the heat to maintain a simmer and prevent the liquid from boiling away too much.2 cups vegetable broth
- Stir in the beans and continue to simmer for another 5 minutes or until the squash is soft. Taste the broth and season with more salt or pepper, if needed.1 can cannellini beans, no salt added
- Remove the pot from the stove and stir in the cheese. With a hand mixer, puree the vegetables until you get a beautiful yellow-orange soup. Serve with extra grated cheese.1 cup grated aged Parmesan cheese (80 grams)
Notes
- You can also use a blender to puree the soup.
- In that case, allow the soup to cool for a few minutes before blending.
- And never fill the blender more than halfway with hot soup.
- So you'll have to work in batches.
- Cover the blender and hold it down while blending.
- Repeat with the remaining soup
- Reheat if necessary.
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Nutrition (% Daily value)
Disclaimer: This nutritional data is calculated using third party tools and is only intended as a reference.
Brooke says
I have saved this recipe for my go-to fall soup--its very versatile. I did not adhere to the exact recipe as I only used what I had on-hand. I used some homemade chicken broth that I had in my fridge, instead of water, fresh rosemary instead of dried, and chickpeas instead of the beans. I really liked to see beans in this soup for the added protein!
Mariska Ramondino says
Hi Brooke, thank you so much for your feedback and the recipe rating. I love that you improvised and added ingredients you had on hand. It's a very forgiving recipe. You can certainly replace the white beans (cannellini) with chickpeas and the water with either (vegetable or meat-based) broth or stock. It just will be a bit heartier. Thank you. I am sure it will help other readers;)