What To Serve With Butternut Squash Soup: 13 Satisfying Side Dishes

Butternut squash is one of these vegetables that appears in our grocery stores in fall and winter.

When you turn your butternut squash veggies into a delicious soup, then you are set for a nicely warming meal.

If you want more than just the soup, there is a great variety of tasty side dishes that pair well with butternut squash soup, including roasted vegetables, sautéed mushrooms and focaccia.

In this article, we take a closer look at the 13 best side dishes that go well with butternut squash soup.

1. Green Beans Wrapped In Bacon

Green beans are rich in vitamins and nutrients. But not everyone loves green beans, so it makes sense to wrap them in super tasty bacon.

As the bacon can be prepared in the way you like, you simply need to steam the green beans and roll them into small bundles with the meat.

This makes this delicious side dish ideal for parties and anytime when you want to serve a quick snack. They don’t take long to prepare and you can even vary the recipe.

If you don’t like the green beans, then you can also try some other green vegetables, such as peas, asparagus, broccoli or any of your favorite veggies.

2. Crispy Mac And Cheese Bites

Who could resist macaroni and cheese, especially when they come as small finger food. 

Crispy and simply oozing with cheese, these small bites are the perfect side dish for butternut squash soup, meat and vegetarian dishes.

It’s worth making a few more of these savory treats as they are guaranteed to be quickly gone. Plus, they are going to become a firm favorite with kids.

In addition to a weekend dinner side, you can also serve them at a party just on their own.

3. Sandwiches 

As classic butternut squash soup doesn’t contain any meat or animal-based products, it’s ideal for vegans.

However, a plain soup is often not very exciting in taste and texture. That’s where sandwiches come in.

You can make any type of sandwich you like and have it as a side with your warm butternut squash soup.

You can create a meaty sandwich with turkey or ham. Alternatively, you can also a tasty vegan sandwich with hummus and roasted vegetables.

There are also a range of different breads that you can try for your sandwich, from classic white toast to seeded sandwich slices.

4. Focaccia

Almost any type of bread is a good choice when it comes to butternut squash soup and other types of soup.

Focaccia bread is perfect for stews and soups because it’s soft and fluffy. The light texture means that you can soak up your soup nicely.

The magic of a good focaccia recipe is to let it rest for up to two days in the fridge. This will turn your dough into a beautifully airy bread.

Plus, you can also add any other ingredients that you like, from spicy turmeric to classic rosemary and garlic.

Focaccia is so versatile that you can even use it as part of a sandwich.

5. Cilantro Lime Rice

Rice is one of the most popular side dishes around the world, and there is a good reason why. It’s packed with carbohydrates and protein.

You can pair it with almost anything you like, from fish and meat dishes to stews and soups.

You can also eat it any way you like. Put it all into your soup for a single pot meal or serve it on the side, so everyone can dip in.

In addition, rice doesn’t really have much flavor on its own. This means, you can pair it with vegetables, spices and herbs to create an unusual flavor.

Adding some lime or lemon to rice is very popular when you want to make a more zesty meal.

The lime in the rice will give your butternut squash soup a stronger taste.

6. Jalapeno Cheddar Sourdough Bread

Besides the traditional sandwich and focaccia, there are also plenty of other bread variations that you can have with your vegetable soup.

A crusty bread is a big favorite with many. Add in some spicy jalapeño slices together with rich cheddar cheese, and you created a hearty meal.

As butternut squash makes a very sweet soup, it’s a good idea to use other strong flavors, such as spicy chili, zesty lime or lemon, or creamy cheese.

Plus, bread is ideal for mopping up even the last spoonful of your soup.

7. Roasted Chicken

If you want to make a big weekend dinner, then butternut squash soup is not going to satisfy everyone.

Roasted chicken goes very well with squash and vegetable dishes. 

You can either serve it as a side dish with your soup, or serve your soup as a starter and then the roast chicken as a main.

Chicken is lean but hearty. Plus, it adds plenty of flavor to your squash soup which makes it a great comfort food for a dinner party or weeknight dinners.

8. Corn Muffins

Similar to bread, corn muffins are just a fantastic side dish that goes well with every meal. You can serve it with your stew, squash or even meat dishes.

The light sweetness of corn muffins works well with the sweetness of butternut squash. But you can also add vary your corn muffin recipe for a little contrast.

Simply add some herbs or spices, such as chili peppers, into the muffin batter. This will give your corn muffins a tasty kick that pairs nicely with your squash soup.

9. Sautéed Brussels Sprouts

Brussels sprouts aren’t just for Christmas. You can get these tasty vegetables almost all year round.

While Brussels sprouts are typically served for Christmas dinner, you can enjoy these green veggies throughout fall and winter.

Sautéed Brussels sprouts are beautifully crispy with a caramelized glaze. This makes them the perfect side dish for butternut quash soup.

For some additional flavor, you can also add rich cheese, nuts or a little lemon dressing on your sautéed Brussels sprouts.

For all meat lovers, sprouts are also ideal wrapped in bacon. 

10. Salad

Salad simply goes with everything. It is the most iconic side dish that is not just served in restaurants but anywhere around the world.

As butternut squash soup is already packed with warm vegetables, a veggie salad can add a little bit of freshness and crunch to your dish.

Plus, tasty salads are light enough, so you don’t feel overfull at the end of the meal.

You can choose any type of salad that you like. Spinach, cheese and some sweet dried fruits, like cranberries, works particularly well with butternut squash soup.

Add some olive oil or your favorite dressing on top, and you have a super delicious meal that is healthy and tastes great.

11. Sautéed Mushrooms

Mushrooms are one of the most popular meat substitutes for vegetarians. This makes them the ideal pairing with your soup, stew or other veggie dishes.

While sautéed mushrooms are super simple to make, they can add a surprising amount of texture and flavor to your soup.

You can get mushrooms from your local grocery store or forage fresh mushrooms. Just make sure that they are definitely edible.

Sauté the mushrooms in some garlic butter and serve them with warm squash soup.

12. Cheese And Garlic Crack Bread

Crack bread is simply sourdough bread topped with fresh garlic and gooey cheese. It makes a great side dish when you want to feed a group of people.

Everyone can just grab a piece from this loaf and dunk it into their butternut squash soup.

13. Avocado Toast

If you don’t want to go with the classic sandwich, then toast is always a great alternative. This avocado toast recipe has plenty of flavor and it’s even super healthy.

You can make the avocado topping for this toast in just a few minutes. Whisk avocado, ground pepper and salt together, and cover your favorite toasted bread with it.

The avocado paste is so versatile that you can also use it as a dip or spread it on your sandwich.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Healthy Is Squash Soup?

Squash is a super healthy vegetable. This means that squash soup contains a large amount of vitamin C and A as well as potassium and magnesium.

Butternut squash also has a lot of antioxidants that are said to help with inflammation, improve your immune system and reduce the risk of heart disease.

Can You Leave The Skin On When Making Butternut Squash Soup?

Yes, you can leave the skin on your butternut squash when you make it into soup. Just halve the squash, remove the seeds and cut the vegetable into small chunks.

You can then use the squash pieces in a delicious salad or add them to your soup, stew or curry.

What Main Dish Goes Well With Squash?

If you use tasty butternut squash soup as a starter or side dish, then you can serve a variety of delicious mains, including pork, roasted thicken, pasta and beef stew.

Is Squash And Chicken A Good Combination?

Yes, chicken and squash pair very well together. You can have butternut squash soup with roasted chicken on the side.

Alternatively, you can also make roasted chicken your main dish and serve butternut squash soup or squash vegetables as a side dish.

Final Thoughts

Butternut squash soup is a nutritious meal. However, it can be a bit bland on your own. That’s where all our satisfying side dishes come in.

Just enjoy your warm butternut squash soup with some crusty bread, tasty vegetables, chicken or a salad on the side.