---
title: The Seasonal and Savory Warmth of Sweet Potato and Butternut Squash Soup
description: Warm up your fall with this delicious sweet potato and butternut squash soup. Its creamy texture and golden hue will keep you coming back for more.
image: https://blog.silverandfit.com/hubfs/blog_180_feature%20final.jpg
---
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[Nutrition](https://blog.silverandfit.com/tag/nutrition)
# The Seasonal and Savory Warmth of Sweet Potato and Butternut Squash Soup
By [The Silver&Fit® Team at American Specialty Health](https://blog.silverandfit.com/author/american-specialty-health) on October 6, 2025
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Warm up your fall with this delicious sweet potato and butternut squash soup. Its creamy texture and golden hue will keep you coming back for more.
[Jump to recipe](https://blog.silverandfit.com/tag/nutrition/sweet-potato#jump-to-recipe)
As fall arrives, there is a crispness to the air. The days shorten, and the leaves turn from lush green to shades of red, yellow, and orange. With the season’s shift, our cravings turn from light summer fare to warm, comforting meals. Cue sweet potato and butternut squash soup. This velvety, golden-hued soup combines satisfying flavors with nourishing ingredients. It has vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that support overall health. So, pick up your spoon and dive into this warm bowl of delicious soup.
The history of sweet potatoes
The earliest records of sweet potatoes are from Peru and date to 750 BCE. Yet some evidence shows that the cultivation of sweet potatoes could have begun as early as 2500 – 1850 BCE.
When Columbus came to the New World, he encountered the sweet potato and brought it back to Spain. In 1597, England’s John Gerard wrote about the sweet potato and how it was eaten: “...roasted and infused with wine, boiled with prunes, or roasted with oil, vinegar, and salt.” It was even said that the sweet potato “comforts, strengthens, and nourishes the body..."
By the 1880s, sweet potatoes were being used in American cuisine. Fannie Farmer's recipe for glazed sweet potatoes, while not the healthiest of recipes, was included in the 1896 edition of [The Boston Cooking-School Cook Book](https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=hvd.rsmcuq&seq=320).
The history of squash
Although accounts vary, squash dates back as far as 3000 BCE. It was cultivated by the ancient Native Americans and was said to originate on the American continent. The seeds were thought to increase fertility and were planted close to many homes.
In 1621, when the original Thanksgiving occurred, a group of pilgrims successfully cultivated squash with the help of the Wampanoag tribe. But this vegetable was not commonly used until the 19th century.
Profile
Sweet potatoes are root vegetables known for their copper-colored skin and vivid orange flesh. Although they vary in color from white, cream, yellow, and reddish purple, the orange flesh is the *richest* in vitamin A in the form of beta-carotene. This ingredient helps vision, immunity, and skin health.
Sweet potatoes have been shown to fight inflammation and oxidation, protect the liver and heart, help prevent cancer, boost brain and memory function, support metabolism, and improve gut health. Sweet potatoes are also a good source of fiber. This helps digestive health and can help control blood sugar levels. In fact, one sweet potato has more fiber than a bowl of oatmeal! They’re also naturally low in fat and sodium.
Other micronutrients that infuse this hearty vegetable are:
- **Vitamin C**, which helps the body absorb iron, fight infections, and heal wounds. It also acts as an antioxidant, protecting cells from damage.
- **Vitamin A**, which keeps your eyes sharp, boosts your immune system, and supports healthy growth and development. It also helps with reproduction and keeps your heart, lungs, and other organs working well.
- **Carotenoids**. Besides beta-carotene, sweet potatoes also contain other carotenoids such as lutein and zeaxanthin which also support eye health and are antioxidants.
- **Vitamin B6**, which supports metabolism and immune function.
Sweet potatoes are one of the most nutritious vegetables, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI). In addition to the goodness above, they’re also packed with iron and potassium—[nutrients that many people may be deficient in](https://blog.silverandfit.com/tag/nutrition/nutrient-deficiencies).
Butternut Squash
Butternut squash is a winter squash that is denser and more flavorful than summer squashes. Its firm flesh works well in hearty dishes like soups, stews, casseroles, breads, and desserts. You can eat the cooked flesh straight from the shell, and its seeds are both edible and nutritious.
Squash is packed with vitamins and fiber. Like sweet potatoes, it’s full of nutrients such as beta-carotene and vitamin C, both of which help keep your eyes healthy and may slow down age-related vision problems. (While carrots are known for supporting eye health, butternut squash actually has nearly twice as much beta-carotene as carrots!)
[Butternut squash is also full of antioxidants](https://lenoir.ces.ncsu.edu/2024/10/all-things-butternut-squash/) that help protect your body from damage and reduce inflammation. Eating squash *regularly* may lower your risk of heart disease, cancer, and memory problems as you age. Squash also helps with digestion due to its high fiber content.
In some cultures, winter squash has been used as a medicinal plant to treat diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer, high cholesterol, and inflammation.
This hearty veggie is also a good source of:
- **Vitamin A (as beta-carotene)**: Supports vision and immune health
- **Vitamin C**: Boosts immunity and acts as an antioxidant
- **Vitamin E**: Supports skin health and protects cells from oxidative stress
- **Magnesium and potassium**: Crucial for muscle function and cardiovascular health
- **Fiber**: Aids digestion and promotes a feeling of fullness
Soup as soul food
A hot bowl of soup on a cool autumn day brings more than just warmth—it brings comfort. Slow down as you savor the soup, so you can enjoy each bite while taking a break from the rush of daily life.
In many cultures, soup is seen as healing and caring—like chicken soup for a cold or a vegetable stew shared with family. Making soup can also be calming, with its simple steps of chopping, simmering, and stirring. It’s a nourishing act, both for the body and the soul.
Fall is a time of change, when nature and our bodies prepare for respite. We often crave warm, comforting foods, and sweet potato and butternut squash soup is perfect for that. Its rich orange color matches the season, and each spoonful feels like fall.
Whether you have it for lunch, as a holiday starter, or with bread for dinner, this soup is a cozy, seasonal treat.
Sweet potato and butternut squash soup recipe
Fill your fall days with the taste of nutrient-rich sweet potato and butternut squash soup.
Ingredients
- Vegetable oil cooking spray
- 1 cup onion, chopped
- 1 cup sweet potato, peeled and cubed
- 1 ½ cups 1% low-fat milk
- 1 (13 ¾ oz) can no-salt-added chicken broth
- 3 cups butternut squash, peeled and cubed
- ¼ tsp. salt
- 1 cup low-fat Monterey Jack cheese
- 3 tbsp. parsley, chopped
Directions
Coat a large saucepan with cooking spray; place over medium heat until hot. Add onion; sauté 5 minutes. Add sweet potatoes, squash, milk, and broth; bring to a boil. Partially cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 25 minutes.
Transfer 1 cup of the sweet potato and squash mixture to a blender, cover, and blend until smooth. Return sweet potato and squash purée to pan; stir in salt and pepper. Partially cover and cook over medium heat for 8 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; add cheese, stirring until cheese melts.
Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Difficulty: 2
| Nutrition Facts |
| --- |
| **Calories** 148 |
| Fat calories 43 |
| **Total fat** 4.8g |
| Saturated fat 3.1g |
| **Cholesterol** 15.3mg |
| **Sodium** 257.3mg |
| **Total carbohydrate** 18.1g |
| Dietary fiber 2.1g |
| Sugars 5.2g |
| **Protein** 9.3g |
[Planning ahead for the winter months? Another great option is a bowl of this warm, nutritious split pea soup. ](https://blog.silverandfit.com/tag/nutrition/split-pea-soup)
Not a Silver&Fit® member? Learn more about everything the program has to offer, including more helpful healthy living tips like this, [here on our website](https://www.silverandfit.com/).
*This information is not intended to take the place of regular medical care or advice. Please check with your doctor before using this information or beginning any self-care program. Images used for this article do not depict any members of the Silver&Fit program. *
References
ABlue, C. (2022). Butternut squash vs sweet potato: Nutritional showdown. KitchenGuides.org. [https://kitchenguides.org/butternut-squash-vs-sweet-potato/](https://kitchenguides.org/butternut-squash-vs-sweet-potato/)
Harbster, J. (2010, November 24). A sweet potato history. Library of Congress Blogs. [https://blogs.loc.gov/inside\_adams/2010/11/a-sweet-potato-history/](https://blogs.loc.gov/inside_adams/2010/11/a-sweet-potato-history/)
Hartford HealthCare, St. Vincent’s Medical Center. (2024, September 30). 5 reasons to eat more squash. [https://stvincents.org/about-us/news-press/news-detail?articleId=58810&publicid=395](https://stvincents.org/about-us/news-press/news-detail?articleId=58810&publicid=395)
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. (2017, November 17). Sweet potatoes. The Nutrition Source. [https://nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu/food-features/sweet-potatoes/](https://nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu/food-features/sweet-potatoes/)
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. (2017, December 15). Winter squash. The Nutrition Source. [https://nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu/food-features/winter-squash/](https://nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu/food-features/winter-squash/)
Klingaman, G. (2005, December 9). Plant of the week: Squash, butternut. University of Arkansas, Division of Agriculture, Research & Extension. [https://www.uaex.uada.edu/yard-garden/resource-library/plant-week/squash-butternut-12-9-05.aspx](https://www.uaex.uada.edu/yard-garden/resource-library/plant-week/squash-butternut-12-9-05.aspx)
Laveriano-Santos, E. P., López-Yerena, A., Jaime-Rodríguez, C., González-Coria, J., Lamuela-Raventós, R. M., Vallverdú-Queralt, A., Romanyà, J., & Pérez, M. (2022). Sweet potato is not simply an abundant food crop: A comprehensive review of its phytochemical constituents, biological activities, and the effects of processing. Antioxidants, 11(9), 1648. [https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox11091648](https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox11091648)
National Institutes of Health. (2022). Vitamin A and carotenoids. Office of Dietary Supplements. [https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminA-Consumer/](https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminA-Consumer/)
Pankau, R. (2017, November 22). The history of squash. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, College of Agricultural, Consumer & Environmental Sciences, Illinois Extension. [https://extension.illinois.edu/blogs/garden-scoop/2017-11-22-history-squash](https://extension.illinois.edu/blogs/garden-scoop/2017-11-22-history-squash)
University of California, Davis Health. (2023, November 02). Health benefits of winter squash and ways you can cook them. Good Food Is Good Medicine. [https://health.ucdavis.edu/blog/good-food/health-benefits-of-winter-squash-and-ways-you-can-cook-them/2023/11](https://health.ucdavis.edu/blog/good-food/health-benefits-of-winter-squash-and-ways-you-can-cook-them/2023/11)
This article was written by Kimberley Reynolds, edited by Jason Nielsen, and clinically reviewed by Elizabeth Thompson, MPH, RDN, on July 31, 2025.
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