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Justine Doiron

just real good food

Gluten Free, Recipes, Salads + Soups, Special Diets, Vegetarian · September 16, 2023

Fennel & Butternut Squash Soup

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Finished Fennel & Butternut Squash Soup

This isn’t just a Fennel & Butternut Squash Soup (name be deceived!), this is a kind of soup AND salad. A rich and simple butternut squash soup that has the perfect amount of texture, topped with a zippy, easy shaved fennel salad. It’s jam-packed with vegetables, super heartwarming, and just the right amount of comforting-meets-vibrant. And if the hot/cold mix of the soup and salad throws you off, just try it together to see the magic. The fennel salad melts into the soup in the same way a drizzle of heavy cream would and adds to the soup experience! Plus, a little bit of creaminess never hurt anyone.

This is one of my favorite fall butternut squash soups, and I love that you don’t even have to blend it. Just whip up the salad, set it aside, and it’s one pot, one wooden spoon, and soup’s on.

Finished Fennel & Butternut Squash Soup

Table of contents

  • The ingredients you’ll need for this fall soup
  • How to make the butternut squash soup (and salad!)
  • Looking for more soups for the season?
  • Watch the recipe here
Fennel salad with dressing in bowl

The ingredients you’ll need for this fall soup

This butternut squash soup with fennel salad comes together so easily but still carries those rich, complex and satisfying flavors that you want out of soup. Plus, butternut squash soup is the epitome of fall and one of the most comforting meals out there! Here’s everything you’ll need to make it:

  • 1 large fennel bulb, stalks and fronds included
  • 2 tablespoons yogurt or skyr
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 1/2 of a lemon
  • 5 garlic cloves, divided
  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • Diamond Crystal kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon salted butter
  • 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
  • 1/4 pound celery stalks 3 stalks, thinly sliced
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 heaping teaspoon nutmeg
  • 2 pounds butternut squash, cubed into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 cups vegetable broth
  • Freshly ground black pepper
Butternut squash soup in pot

How to make the butternut squash soup (and salad!)

I love standing over a big pot and stirring for a while, there’s something so calming about it. This soup only requires some chopping, simmering and stirring, which is one of the best things about it. It’s no fuss, minimal mess and makes your house smell amazing.

how to make the fennel salad
  • Prepare the fennel salad. Remove the fronds and finely chop them. Discard the stalks. Add the fronds to a large bowl. Mandolin the fennel bulb into razor-thin pieces and set aside.
  • To the bowl with the fronds, add the yogurt, lemon juice, two grated garlic cloves and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Whisk into a thick dressing and season liberally with salt.
  • Add in the fennel bulb pieces, toss to coat in the dressing, and place this in the fridge while you prepare the soup.
how to make the soup
  • Set a large dutch oven over medium heat and add the butter and six tablespoons of olive oil. Allow the butter to fully melt, then add the onion and celery. Cook until softened, 5-6 minutes. Season with salt.
  • Add in the garlic, cayenne and nutmeg. Stir to combine. Add in the butternut squash. Stir to combine and season with salt.
  • Cook this mixture down for 20 minutes, or until the squash is fully soft. Stir the mixture every five minutes, covering the dutch oven with a cracked lid in between. When the squash is soft, use your spoon to break up most of the pieces, mashing many and leaving some whole.
  • Add the bay leaf and broth and let the soup simmer for 20-30 minutes more. The longer it simmers the more flavor will build. Continue to stir occasionally to break up the squash pieces. The soup should be chunky but thick. Taste, season with salt and pepper, and remove from the heat.
Finished Fennel & Butternut Squash Soup

Looking for more soups for the season?

Look no further! Here are some of my favorites on the blog.

Caramelized Gochujang Tomato Soup
This Caramelized Gochujang Tomato Soup is unlike any you've had before – it's slightly spicy from a hit of carmelized gochujang paste and is deeply rich from slowly simmered tomatoes and just a touch of coconut milk. It's fully plant-based, easy to make and ready in minutes, making it one of the best tomato soups out there.
Check out this recipe
Charred Fennel Soup
This soup is a simple, brothy and tomatoey amalgamation of all of the best things cold-weather soups have to offer. It's smokey, slightly spicy, rich in flavor and easy to make. Add brown rice for substance and you have a perfect cozy meal.
Check out this recipe
Honeynut Squash Brothy Beans
Half brothy beans, half hearty vegetable stew – this soup is an easy to make, slightly spicy, highly comforting soup that truly is the whole meal.
Check out this recipe

And that’s everything for this Fennel & Butternut Squash Soup!

If you make it, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! It’s my favorite thing to scroll through stories and see what you all are making.

And of course feel free to leave any questions, comments or reviews! This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you <3

Watch the recipe here

The video may not fully represent the recipe. For best results, follow the instructions as written.

Fennel & Butternut Squash Soup

5 from 3 votes
This textured, hearty and creamy butternut squash soup is topped with the fennel salad of my dreams. It's soup and salad in the best possible way. The salad has a creamy dressing that melts into the soup the same way a drizzle of heavy cream would. It makes this soup satisfying and packed with vegetables. It's one of my favorite things!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time:20 minutes mins
Cook Time:40 minutes mins
Total Time:1 hour hr
Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish, Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: butternut squash, fennel, salad, soup
Servings: 4 servings

Equipment

  • 1 mandolin slicer
  • 1 large dutch oven

Ingredients

  • 1 large fennel bulb stalks and fronds included
  • 2 tablespoons yogurt or skyr
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1/2 of a lemon
  • 5 garlic cloves divided
  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • Diamond Crystal kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon salted butter
  • 1 medium yellow onion thinly sliced
  • 1/4 pound celery stalks 3 stalks, thinly sliced
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 heaping teaspoon nutmeg
  • 2 pounds butternut squash peeled and cubed into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 cups vegetable broth
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  • Prepare the fennel salad. Remove the fronds and finely chop them. Discard the stalks. Add the fronds to a large bowl. Mandolin the fennel bulb into razor-thin pieces and set aside.
  • To the bowl with the fronds, add the yogurt, lemon juice, two grated garlic cloves and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Whisk into a thick dressing and season liberally with salt.
  • Add in the fennel bulb pieces, toss to coat in the dressing, and place this in the fridge while you prepare the soup.
  • Set a large dutch oven over medium heat and add the butter and six tablespoons of olive oil. Allow the butter to fully melt, then add the onion and celery. Cook until softened, 5-6 minutes. Season with salt.
  • Add in the garlic, cayenne and nutmeg. Stir to combine. Add in the butternut squash. Stir to combine and season with salt.
  • Cook this mixture down for 20 minutes, or until the squash is fully soft. Stir the mixture every five minutes, covering the dutch oven with a cracked lid in between. When the squash is soft, use your spoon to break up most of the pieces, mashing many and leaving some whole.
  • Add the bay leaf and broth and let the soup simmer for 20-30 minutes more. The longer it simmers the more flavor will build. Continue to stir occasionally to break up the squash pieces. The soup should be chunky but thick. Taste, season with salt and pepper, and remove from the heat.
  • To plate, add the soup, then top with a pile of the fennel salad. Top with a few more cracks of black pepper and drizzle with any remaining fennel dressing left in the bowl. Eat right away with crusty bread.

Posted In: Gluten Free, Recipes, Salads + Soups, Special Diets, Vegetarian

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Samantha Huff says

    September 16, 2023 at 1:40 pm

    any dairy free yogurt subsitution recommendations?

    • Justine says

      September 18, 2023 at 1:19 pm

      I do love coconut yogurt as my favorite DF sub!

  2. Natasha Esch says

    September 17, 2023 at 12:16 pm

    How much cayenne? You didn’t include cayenne in your receipt…

  3. Natasha Esch says

    September 17, 2023 at 12:17 pm

    Sorry disregard my comment about the cayenne. I see it’s there. Apologies

  4. Rachel Van Kirk says

    September 18, 2023 at 1:50 am

    Delicious! Absolutely will be making this again. Even my husband who is not the biggest butternut squash fan loved it. Did everything exact to recipe, only addition was some soy sauce in the soup for more depth.

  5. Faye says

    September 18, 2023 at 8:37 pm

    5 stars
    I made this today for lunch and it is delicious! The fennel salad on top is *chefs kiss*
    This was the first recipe I’ve made of yours and I look forward to trying more!

  6. Chris says

    September 29, 2023 at 5:02 am

    5 stars
    Made this recipe this week and it was fantastic! The soup was so delicious with a lovely depth of flavors, and the fennel salad brought it over the top in the perfect way. Thanks for this wonderful recipe!

    • Justine says

      September 29, 2023 at 2:02 pm

      Ah thank you!! I’m so thrilled you like it!

  7. Alyssa Willis says

    October 4, 2023 at 12:14 am

    The ingredients here are simpler than other butternut soup recipes I’ve tried but they meld together perfectly and let the squash shine. The salad is the perfect addition. New fave butternut squash soup recipe.

  8. Rhonda says

    October 8, 2023 at 6:19 pm

    Do you peel the squash?

    • Justine says

      October 9, 2023 at 1:38 am

      Yes!

  9. Meg says

    October 9, 2023 at 11:23 pm

    Make sure to peel your squash so you don’t end up like me, peeling each individual piece 🙂

    • Justine says

      October 11, 2023 at 1:32 am

      Words of the wise – and something I’ll add to the recipe notes!

  10. J says

    October 11, 2023 at 4:06 pm

    5 stars
    Love this recipie! The soup is so flavorful and warming for this chilly autumn! I meal prepped the soup for my lunches this week and I wasn’t sure how the salad would last so I just cut up all my fennel and mix with dressing day of. I have also been topping with crispy chickpeas for extra protein! Will definitely be making this again and checking out more soup/stew/slop recipies on here.

    • Justine says

      October 13, 2023 at 7:11 pm

      Team Slop 2023 🙂 I’m so so thrilled you liked this, and thank you for taking the time to leave such a kind rating and review!

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