Golden Winter Soup (Butternut Squash, Potato & Leek Soup)
This Golden Winter Soup is a creamy vegetarian soup recipe made with butternut squash, potato and leeks. It’s one of our favorite hearty winter soups, and it’s so easy to make!
Something magical happens when you combine butternut squash, russet potato and leeks in this winter soup. This is a puréed soup, so after you simmer the soup on the stove you will blend it until smooth. The butternut squash blends up nice and smooth, the potato adds creaminess, and the leeks give a mild onion flavor. You are going to love it!
This Golden Winter Soup is one of my all-time favorite soup recipes. I’ve been making this winter soup recipe for over ten years! This butternut squash, potato and leek soup is rich and flavorful yet still on the healthy side.
When it’s cold outside, you can’t beat a hot bowl of soup for dinner. This hearty, comforting soup is easy enough to make on a weeknight.
This winter soup is also fancy enough to serve when entertaining. If you are looking for a Thanksgiving soup recipe, this Golden Winter Soup would be perfect for your holiday meal. Also try my roasted butternut squash soup recipe.
How to Make this Golden Winter Soup
This is one of my favorite winter soup recipes because it’s made with just a few ingredients – only five ingredients if you don’t count the olive oil, salt and pepper!
Chop the butternut squash and potato
To make this soup, you’ll start by peeling, seeding and chopping your butternut squash. If you’re unsure how to peel and chop butternut squash, here is a video tutorial. Also see my easy roasted butternut squash recipe or Instant Pot butternut squash.
Time-saving tip: You can use pre-cut butternut squash in this recipe. You can also cut your squash up to four days ahead of time and store it in a covered container in the refrigerator.
You’ll also want to peel and chop one large Russet potato. Aim for 1/2-inch size pieces of squash and potato. It doesn’t have to be perfect! This soup recipe is very forgiving.
Don’t worry too much about using the exact right amount of squash, potato and leek in this soup. As long as you use approximately the right ratio of vegetables to liquid, your soup will be delicious.
Sauté the veggies
To bring out the flavor of the vegetables, you’ll sauté them in olive oil until they begin to get golden on the edges. You can use any large pot to make this soup recipe. I like to cook soups in my Dutch oven because it’s large and it conducts heat really well. This Dutch oven is a budget-friendly and highly rated option.
You’ll start the squash and potato cooking first and then add the leeks after a few minutes. You can wash and chop the leeks while the squash and potatoes cook. Cut off and discard the root and dark green part of each leek. Slice the leeks lengthwise and then chop them into 1/4-inch thick half moons. Place the leeks in a bowl of water and give them a good swish. Lots of dirt can hide in their layers! I like to wash the leeks in a salad spinner because it makes it easy to drain the water.
Simmer the soup
Once the veggies have softened and are just starting to brown, you will add some broth to the pot. Bring the soup to a boil and then reduce the heat so that the soup is simmering. Cover the pot and let the soup simmer for about 20 minutes, until the vegetables are soft.
Purée the soup
The final step is to purée the soup until it’s smooth. If you have an immersion blender, you can purée the soup right in the pot. If not, you can let the soup cool slightly and then transfer it in batches to a counter top blender. Be sure to remove the center piece from the blender lid and then cover the hole with a kitchen towel. This will allow some steam to escape and will ensure that you don’t end up with soup all over your kitchen!
Stir in some half and half or cream, if desired, and enjoy. Half and half is a combination of equal parts light cream and whole milk. I like to add half and half to this soup because it makes it extra smooth, creamy and comforting. If you can’t find half and half you can substitute cream, coconut milk, or leave it out. Your soup will be delicious either way!
Can I make this winter soup vegan?
For a vegan soup, omit the half and half called for in this recipe or substitute coconut milk.
Make Ahead Winter Soup
- This soup reheats well. I’ll often make a pot of soup on Sunday to enjoy for lunches or dinners the next few days. Reheat the soup in your microwave or in a pot on the stove over low heat, stirring occasionally.
- You can also freeze this soup. I recommend freezing it before adding half and half or cream, as dairy products have a tendency to “break” when frozen and thawed. I like to freeze individual portions of soup and then thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
More Winter Soup Recipes:
- Slow Cooker Wild Rice Vegetable Soup
- Easy Cauliflower Soup
- French Onion Soup Recipe
- 30 Minute Tuscan White Bean and Kale Soup
- Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup
- Potato Soup
- Crockpot Potato Soup
Golden Winter Soup (Butternut Squash, Potato, Leek)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces (5-6 cups)
- 1 large russet potato, peeled, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces (2 cups)
- 2 leeks, white and light green parts only, sliced and rinsed well
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- pepper
- 4 cups low sodium vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup half and half, see note
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat on the stove.
- Add the butternut squash and potato to the pot and cook, stirring often, 4-5 minutes or until the vegetables begin to lightly brown.
- Add the leek and cook, stirring often, for 2-3 minutes until the leek begins to soften.
- Season with the salt and pepper. Pour in the vegetable broth and stir.
- Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cover. Cook for 20 minutes or until the vegetables are soft.
- Remove from the heat. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth. Alternatively, you may transfer the soup in batches to a countertop blender.
- Stir in the half and half. Taste and season with more salt and pepper as needed.
Notes
- Half and half is a mixture of equal parts cream and whole milk. You may substitute heavy cream if half and half is not available. This soup is also delicious without the cream, or with coconut milk.
- Recipe adapted from Cooking Light.
I am SO in the mood for soup after seeing this post. Definitely a delicious recipe I need to make!
Yes, you really do! I’ve been making this one for years and it never disappoints!
Best soup all year, not only winter.
Can I use a different squash for this recipe?
You could try acorn squash but I’d recommend roasting it in the oven before simmering it in the soup.
My family and I enjoyed this soup; we made it without the half & half or cream which probably would’ve made it better. I also would add an apple next time. Could you add a more specific amount of leeks like you did with the potato and squash? I only used one leek which was 2.5 cups; I think using two would’ve been too much.
I was thankful to find your blog, because I have made this Golden Winter Soup from Cooking Light for decades at this point. Or at least 15 years or more. The original recipe also had little baguette and gruyere toasts on the side. Its actually tough for me to enjoy the soup without those, since I had always had it this way. Thanks for posting this recipe!