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Roasted Butternut Squash and Red Pepper Soup (13g protein)

This higher protein Roasted Butternut Squash and Red Pepper Soup is silky, light and full of fall flavors. Made with roasted vegetables, herbs and spices this gluten-free soup packs a punch of cream with cottage cheese for protein and richness. It's a wonderful easy recipe that's both simple and satisfying.
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A bowl of soup topped with basil, green onions, red pepper flakes and croutons with a spoon for serving.

My go to soup when I want a nutritional powerhouse comfort food at its finest. This beauty is light, creamy and perfect for cozy days. It’s a silky blend of roasted squash and red bell peppers, warmed with spices and thickened up with creamy cottage cheese for richness and protein. With roughly three times the amount of protein as your typical butternut squash soup, this is a perfect one if you’re looking for ways to add a little more protein to your diet.

This is one of my favorite soups because it not only tastes amazing but it takes minimal work. The roasting takes about 45 minutes, so give yourself some time, but the actual cooking is nice and light, just the way we like it! It reheats great too so it’s a perfect one to warm up with a grilled cheese throughout the week after the kids practice.

If you love soup, you’ll love these other high-protein soups like Creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup and Turkey Lasagna Soup.

Why you’ll love this recipe

  • 13 grams of protein per serving.
  • Made with simple ingredients.
  • Gluten-free.

Ingredients and Substitutions:

These are the main ingredients and substitutions for this butternut squash red pepper soup recipe. See the recipe card below for the full ingredient list and instructions. 

Butternut squash, red bell peppers, bone broth, garlic, salt, pepper, nutmeg, coconut aminos, olive oil, cottage cheese and onion powder for making soup.
  • Red Bell Peppers: roasting red peppers makes them soft enough to blend and makes a nice velvety soup. I never peel the red peppers when making this soup. I love the slightly charred taste with the sweetness of the peppers. Feel free to peel the peppers prior to roasting, if preferred.
  • Butternut Squash: I used frozen cubes to make this recipe super easy to make. If you prefer fresh butternut squash, peel and chop it into cubes, prior to roasting.
  • Garlic
  • Olive Oil
  • Chicken Bone Broth: this adds a ton of protein to our soup. You can use beef bone broth or chicken stock, vegetable stock or any broth.
  • Low Fat Cottage Cheese: You can use full fat cottage cheese or even heavy cream for a more creamy texture. Heavy cream will significantly alter your fat and calorie content.
  • Coconut Aminos: counteracts the sweetness of the red bell pepper and adds a ton of depth to the soup. You can use soy sauce.

Variations

  • Up the spice level by adding red pepper flakes.
  • Sautรฉ garlic cloves with different vegetables like kale or spinach and add them to your soup.
  • Add a sprinkle of pumpkin seeds and smoked paprika prior to serving.

Dietary Modifications

  • This recipe is gluten-free, as is.
  • For dairy-free, substitute the cottage cheese for creamy canned coconut milk

How to make this roasted red pepper butternut soup (a step-by-step visual guide):

Step 1: make roasted red peppers and squash

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Add the bell peppers, butternut squash and garlic to a baking tray or roasting pan. Drizzle the olive oil, salt and pepper over the top and mix to combine and coat (image 1). Roast in the oven for 40-45 minutes or until the bell peppers are charred and soft and the squash is fork tender (image 2).

Butternut squash, red bell pepper, onion, salt, pepper and olive oil on a baking sheet to roast for soup.

Step 2: blend roasted veggies with cottage cheese and broth

Remove the peppers and squash from the oven and scoop into a large high powered blender. Add 1 cup bone broth and the cottage cheese (image 3) and blend for approximately 5 minutes or until everything is smooth and the cottage cheese is well blended.ย 

Over medium heat, add the blended peppers and squash to a large dutch oven or large saucepan (image 4). Pour 2 cups of the broth into the blender and swish around, this is how youโ€™ll get all the blended mixture out, and pour into the dutch oven. 

Add the remaining broth, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, ginger, coconut aminos and lots of fresh cracked pepper to the soup (image 5). Bring to a simmer and simmer until itโ€™s warmed through while whisking to ensure the mixture incorporates into the broth (image 6)

Four images showing adding the roasted veggies, cottage cheese, broth, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, ginger, and coconut aminos in a food processor to blend until smooth then poured into a soup pot to warm, whisk and top with fresh cracked pepper.

Step 3: serve with desired toppings

Serve topped with blended cottage cheese for extra creaminess, or cream, croutons, fresh basil or chopped green onions with a side of crusty bread for dipping.

Expert Tip!

Use an immersion blender for a chunkier soup. It will still be a smooth and creamy soup but will have more texture.

A bowl of butternut squash soup topped with basil, green onions, red pepper flakes and croutons with a spoon taking a spoonful out to enjoy.

Recipe FAQs

Can I use fresh butternut squash for this winter soup recipe?

Yes, you wild soul. Be sure to remove the skin and chop into bite-size pieces to ensure it roasts at the same rate as the red bell peppers.ย 

Can I add extra cottage cheese?

You bet. Use 1 cup in the blender and adjust the spices, as needed. The more cottage cheese you add the more spices you’ll need to mask the added cottage cheese.ย 

How can I up the protein to my soup?

The classic protein addition? Meat! Add cooked ground chicken, turkey or beef. You can also top with crumbled cooked turkey, pork bacon or cooked chicken breast or steak.ย Basically, any cooked meat can be tossed right in.

How do I store leftover soup?

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Do I have to peel my bell peppers?

I never do. I love the slightly charred taste in the soup because it adds a depth of flavor and balances out the sweet. If you prefer to peel them, peel them after roasting and before adding to the blender.

A bowl of soup topped with basil, green onions, red pepper flakes and croutons with a spoon for serving.

Butternut Squash and Red Pepper Soup

Danielle Lima
This higher protein Roasted Butternut Squash and Red Pepper Soup is silky, light and full of fall flavors. Made with roasted vegetables, herbs and spices this gluten-free soup packs a punch of cream with cottage cheese for protein and richness. It's a wonderful easy recipe that's both simple and satisfying.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings
Calories 228 kcal

๐Ÿ“ฑ MyFitnessPal & MacrosFirst App Users

You can find this recipe and many others on MyFitnessPal and MacrosFirst by searching: Ohsnapmacros – Butternut Squash and Red Pepper Soup

Ingredients
  

  • 2 red bell peppers chopped, 2' pieces
  • 20 oz. frozen cubed butternut squash or fresh
  • 6-8 cloves garlic peeled
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • fresh cracked black pepper
  • 4 cups chicken bone broth 32 oz
  • 1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese 110g
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. onion powder
  • 2 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
  • 2 Tbsp. coconut aminos
  • fresh cracked pepper

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit. Add the bell peppers, butternut squash and garlic to a large sheet pan. Drizzle the olive oil, salt and pepper over the top and mix to combine and coat. Roast in the oven for 40-45 minutes or until the bell peppers are nice and chared and soft.
  • Remove the peppers and squash from the oven and scoop into a large high speed blender. Add 1 cup bone broth and the cottage cheese and blend for approximately 5 minutes or until everything is smooth and well blended.
  • Over medium heat, add the blended peppers and squash to a large dutch oven or soup pot. Pour 2 cups of the broth into the blender and swish around, this is how youโ€™ll get all the blended mixture out, and pour into the dutch oven.
  • Add the remaining broth, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, ginger, coconut aminos and lots of fresh cracked pepper. Bring to a simmer and simmer until itโ€™s warmed through while whisking to ensure the mixture incorporates into the broth.
  • Serve topped with blended cottage cheese for extra creaminess, or cream, croutons, fresh basil or chopped green onions and a dash of red pepper flakes for some heat is desired.

Notes

  • You can also use fresh butternut squash. Be sure to peel and chop the squash into large chunks before roasting.ย 
  • Nutritional information is an estimate and will vary with substitutions.ย 

Nutrition

Serving: 363gCalories: 228kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 13gFat: 4.4gSaturated Fat: 0.9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.5gMonounsaturated Fat: 2.5gTrans Fat: 6gCholesterol: 4mgSodium: 1479mgPotassium: 461mgFiber: 3gSugar: 10g
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One Comment

  1. 5 stars
    I have been waiting for this one and I was so excited to try! This one will be a repeat in my household for meal prep! Welcome back soup season!!!

5 from 1 vote

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