There’s a huge sage bush in my garden that’s packed with leaves all year round, and I hardly ever remember to use it. So when I wanted a new butternut squash and carrot soup for fall, I knew it had to have crispy sage on top.
Most butternut squash and carrot soups throw everything on one tray and call it done. I roast the squash with a whole bulb of garlic, and cook diced carrots gently with onion and fresh rosemary, so the soup is savory as well as sweet. Then I finish it with fried sage and Parmesan crisps, and a spoonful of crème fraîche if you like.
What you’ll love about this recipe
- Deep, savory flavor. A whole bulb of roasted garlic mellows into sweetness, and rosemary keeps the soup from tasting like dessert.
- Toppings with real crunch. Fried sage and Parmesan crisps make it feel like a restaurant bowl. Both take minutes.
- Stovetop or soup maker. Use an immersion blender in the pot, or let your soup maker do the blending.
- 8 plants in one bowl: squash, carrots, onion, garlic, rosemary, sage, lemon and black pepper. That’s a good chunk of your weekly plant count before you’ve reached for the bread.
- Reheats beautifully. It’s a good make-ahead lunch. Just loosen it with a splash of hot water.
Ingredients in butternut squash and carrot soup
You need only a handful of everyday vegetables. The flavor comes from roasting, slow cooking and a few good herbs, not a long list of spices.
- Butternut squash: a small one, about 500 g once roasted and scooped out.
- Garlic: one whole bulb, roasted until soft.
- Carrots and onion: diced and sautéed for the savory base.
- Fresh rosemary: 2 teaspoons chopped.
- Stock: vegetable or chicken.
- Fresh sage and Parmesan: for the toppings.
Swaps and extras: Use dried rosemary (1 tsp) or herbes de Provence (1½ tsp) instead of fresh rosemary. Crème fraîche is optional but lovely, or use sour cream. Grana Padano works just as well as Parmesan for the crisps.
How to make butternut squash and carrot soup (step-by-step)
Allow about 1 hour 15 minutes in total. Most of that is oven time, and the carrots and onion cook on the stove while the squash is roasting.
1. Roast the squash and garlic
Halve the squash, scoop out the seeds and brush the cut sides with olive oil. Lay the halves cut side down on a lined sheet pan (baking tray). Slice the top off the garlic bulb, drizzle it with oil, wrap it loosely in foil and add it to the tray. Roast at 200°C (400°F) for 40 to 45 minutes, until the squash is soft and the garlic is golden and squishy.
2. Sauté the carrots and onion
While the squash roasts, cook the onion and diced carrots in olive oil for 8 to 10 minutes, until soft and lightly colored at the edges. Stir in the rosemary for the last minute.
3. Simmer
Scoop the squash flesh into the pot and squeeze in the garlic. Add the stock, salt and pepper. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until the carrots are completely tender.
4. Make the toppings
While the soup simmers, bake spoonfuls of grated Parmesan at 200°C for about 3 minutes, until golden and bubbling, and let them cool so they crisp. Fry the sage leaves in olive oil for about 30 seconds and drain them on kitchen paper.
5. Blend
Blend until smooth with an immersion blender. Or pour everything into your soup maker and use the blend setting for about 5 minutes to warm through. Loosen with more stock if it’s thick.
6. Finish and serve
Stir in the crème fraîche if you want, add a small squeeze of lemon, then taste and add more if you like. Top each bowl with fried sage, a Parmesan crisp and a drizzle of the sage oil. Serve lemon wedges on the side.
Flossie’s tips
- Thickness depends on your squash. Some are drier and starchier than others, so keep extra stock or hot water to hand. It also thickens in the fridge, so add a splash when you reheat.
- Go easy on the lemon. Half a lemon can tip it too sharp. Start with a small squeeze, taste, and let people add more from wedges at the table.
- Dry the sage completely before it goes in the oil, or it’ll spit and won’t crisp.
- Keep the toppings separate. Fried sage stays crisp for leftovers if you store it apart from the soup. I keep it on kitchen paper in a covered small tub on the counter.
Nutritional benefits
There are 8 plants in every bowl: squash, carrots, onion, garlic, rosemary, sage, lemon and black pepper. Squash and carrots bring fiber along with all that sweetness, and every extra plant counts toward your weekly 30.
Servings
This recipe makes 4 servings, enough for a small family or a few work lunches.
What to serve with butternut squash and carrot soup
- A thick slice of my same-day sourdough bread for dunking.
- A melty cheese toastie made with soft sourdough sandwich bread, or a tortilla sandwich.
- For more Parmesan crisps, try my courgette pea soup, which is the summer version.
variations and substitutions
- One-tray shortcut. Buy ready-cubed butternut squash and save yourself the wrestle with a whole one. Roast the cubes, carrots, onion wedges and garlic bulb together on one tray for 35 to 40 minutes. Then simmer briefly with the stock and blend.
- Herbes de Provence. Use 1½ teaspoons instead of the rosemary for a more floral, Mediterranean flavor.
- Make it a main meal. Blend in a drained can of cannellini or butter beans with the stock for extra creaminess and fiber. Or top it with crispy roasted chickpeas, or with shredded leftover chicken crisped in a pan, like in my butternut squash chicken soup.
- Vegan. Use vegetable stock and a plant-based crème fraîche, and swap the Parmesan crisps for toasted pumpkin seeds.
If you’ve only had squash soup the sweet, spiced way, give this savory version a go. The roasted garlic and rosemary carry it, and the sage and Parmesan add the crunch. Make a batch on Sunday and you’ve got lunches sorted, with a crisp or two saved for the top.
recipe FAQ
Yes. Roast the squash and garlic, and sauté the carrots and onion first. Then add everything to the soup maker with the stock, and blend and heat for about 5 minutes. Make sure the carrots are completely tender before blending.
Cooking them slowly with onion and rosemary gives a savory base that balances the sweet squash. If you’d rather use one tray, see the shortcut in Variations.
No. Roasting turns it mellow and sweet rather than sharp, and it gives the soup so much flavor.
Add hot stock or water a splash at a time. Squashes vary, so it’s normal to need up to 150 ml more.
Yes. Roast it from frozen, as cubes, until tender and browned at the edges.
Keep the soup in the fridge for up to 3 days, with the fried sage and Parmesan crisps stored separately in an airtight container. To freeze, cool the soup and freeze it for up to 3 months. If you are adding the crème fraîche, do so before you serve it.
Butternut Squash and Carrot Soup with Sage and Parmesan Crisps
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Equipment
- 1 Sheet pan or baking tray
- 1 large pot
- 1 immersion blender or soup maker
- 1 frying pan small, for the sage
- 1 baking tray for the Parmesan crisps
Ingredients
For the soup
- 1 small butternut squash about 500 g roasted flesh
- 1 whole garlic bulb
- 2 tbsp olive oil divided
- 1 large onion peeled, diced
- 3 medium carrots about 250 g, peeled and cut into 1 cm cubes
- 2 tsp fresh rosemary finely chopped, or 1 tsp dried
- 800 ml vegetable or chicken stock plus up to 150 ml extra to loosen
- 1 tsp salt or to taste
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 2-3 tbsp crème fraîche optional
- lemon juice a small squeeze, plus lemon wedges to serve
For the toppings
- 12-16 fresh sage leaves patted dry
- 3 tbsp olive oil for frying
- 100 g Parmesan grated, makes 6 to 8 crisps
Instructions
Roast the squash and garlic
- Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Halve the squash, scoop out the seeds and brush the cut sides with 1 tbsp olive oil. Place the halves cut side down on a lined sheet pan.1 small butternut squash, 1 tbsp olive oil
- Slice the top off the garlic bulb, drizzle it with a little oil, wrap it loosely in foil and put it on the tray.1 whole garlic bulb
- Roast for 40 to 45 minutes, until the squash is soft and the garlic is golden. Scoop out the squash flesh and squeeze the garlic from its skins.
Make the soup base
- While the squash roasts, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook the onion and carrots for 8 to 10 minutes, until soft and starting to color. Add the rosemary and cook for 1 minute.1 tbsp olive oil, 1 large onion, 3 medium carrots, 2 tsp fresh rosemary
Simmer
- Add the squash, roasted garlic, stock, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until the carrots are very tender.800 ml vegetable or chicken stock, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp black pepper
Make the toppings
- While the soup simmers, spoon heaped tablespoons of grated Parmesan onto a lined tray, spaced apart. Bake at 200°C for about 3 minutes, until golden. Cool on the tray to crisp.100 g Parmesan
- Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a small pan over medium heat. Fry the sage in 2 batches for about 30 seconds each, careful not to brown them. Drain on kitchen paper.12-16 fresh sage leaves, 3 tbsp olive oil
Blend and finish
- Blend until smooth with an immersion blender. Or transfer everything to a soup maker and blend and heat for about 5 minutes.
- Loosen with extra stock if needed. Stir in the crème fraîche, add a small squeeze of lemon, then taste and adjust the seasoning.2-3 tbsp crème fraîche, lemon juice
Serve
- Ladle the soup into bowls. Top with the fried sage, a Parmesan crisp and a drizzle of sage oil, with lemon wedges on the side.
Notes
- Squashes vary in thickness when blended, so add extra stock or hot water to get the consistency you like, especially when reheating.
- Store the fried sage and crisps separately to keep them crisp.
- Keeps 3 days in the fridge. Freeze for up to 3 months, before adding the crème fraîche.
- Swap: 1½ tsp herbes de Provence instead of rosemary.
- Shortcut: use ready-cubed squash and roast everything on one tray (see Variations in the post).
