Tasty Matches: 13 BEST Side Dishes for Butternut Squash Soup

Butternut Squash Soup is a soup that has been popular in the United States since colonial times and can be found across New England.

It generally contains milk or cream, onion, garlic powder (or fresh), butter/olive oil for sauteing vegetables, and herbs such as thyme.

The soup is a delicious dish for fall. It’s hard to decide what to serve with it, though.

With fourteen side dishes in this article, you’ll have the perfect recipe for your butternut squash soup every time.

Plus, these recipes are all healthy and gluten-free so that everyone can enjoy them.

What will you choose?

What to Serve with Butternut Squash Soup? 13 BEST Side Dishes

Although the butternut squash soup is already a great dish on its own, you may want to consider serving side dishes with it.

Side dishes can turn the simple butternut squash soup into a full-course meal for guests and family members alike.

The best part about these recipes? Every single one of them is healthy and gluten-free so that everyone can enjoy it.

As a result, you’ll be able to prepare several options for your next dinner party or get-together without having any concerns over food allergies or dietary restrictions.

1 – Rosemary-Parmesan Breadsticks

Butternut Squash Soup is traditionally served with bread, so why not serve it alongside Rosemary-Parmesan Breadsticks for a delightful and refreshing twist on the traditional side dish? It’s fragrant, flavorful, and pairs great with the soup.

Almost as easy to prepare as the soup itself, these breadsticks are all you’ll need for an excellent appetizer or side dish on a calm autumn night.

You can prepare the dough ahead of time and let it rise for a couple of hours, so all you have to do is bake them off when you’re ready.

2 – Maple-Glazed Carrots

Carrots are a crowd-pleasing vegetable. With their sweet taste and soft texture, they’re perfect for cooking with kids.

And this recipe is ideal because it’s swift to make – brown the carrots in butter until golden on all sides, then add maple syrup and continue cooking till caramelized.

It will take less than 10 minutes from start to finish, so you can get back to your soup without missing out on any flavor while those delicious side dishes cook up nice and tender.

You can also sneak in some extra vitamins by adding a couple of tablespoons of orange juice to the bowl.

3 – Brussels Sprouts and Bacon

It’s that time of year when Brussels sprouts are in season.

Brussels sprouts are versatile vegetables that can be eaten raw, boiled, and roasted in the oven.

If you’re not a fan, this recipe might change your mind.

Here’s the best way to cook them – bring a pot of water (or broth) to boil and add some salt, and then fry up bacon until crisp on both sides.

Add brussels sprouts to the pan with olive oil cooking spray so they can brown nicely without sticking.

Move vegetables around occasionally with tongs till cooked through about 12 minutes or according to a preference for crispiness.

You can substitute the bacon with chopped red onion or shallots if desired.

4 – Fried Okra

Okra is a vegetable that can be fried, boiled, or microwaved.

It’s commonly served as an appetizer in South Carolina and Louisiana with cornbread crust sprinkled with Parmesan cheese on top of it.

If you’re hosting Thanksgiving this year but don’t know what to serve your guests for the side dish, then consider frying up some okra instead.

Fried okra is low in calories and carbohydrates, so it’s perfect as an appetizer or healthy snack to eat with the main course of this savory meal.

5 – Roasted Cauliflower and Sweet Potatoes

Want to add a little more color and flavor into the recipe? Try adding roasted cauliflower or sweet potatoes.

Roasted veggies are always tasty, but this dish offers a bonus of vitamin A.

It’s also low in fat and has no cholesterol.

Both roasted cauliflower and potatoes are simple to make.

First, coat them in olive oil or vegetable oil, then spread them on a baking sheet before putting them into the oven for about 45 minutes at 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

For those that can’t stand cauliflower, this side dish is also great with broccoli.

6 – Honey-Mustard Greens

Honey-mustard greens are a traditional side dish for butternut squash soup in many countries.

The rich and creamy texture of the vegetable lends itself well to this type of hearty, autumnal meal that is perfect when served piping hot with freshly baked breadsticks.

Sweet honey mustard perks up earthy flavors while bringing out some sweetness from various other ingredients used in preparing it, such as onions or garlic cloves.

It’s also pleasantly soft on your palate, so you can have more than one serving without feeling bloated.

7 – Honey Baked Apples with Raisins and Walnuts

Kids are always picky eaters, but honey-baked apples can help make them more likely to try new dishes.

Perhaps you’re making a soup for dinner like Butternut Squash Soup and want some extra good nutrition with it.

Try adding Honey Baked Apples as the side dish: they’ll remind kids of their favorite snacks while providing great nutrients.

They taste amazing, too- wait until your family tries one; I bet everyone will love these sweet treats.

The recipe is easy to make, and you can even use a crockpot for the process, so it’s hands-free.

If raisins and walnuts aren’t your ideal topping, don’t fret.

Instead, experiment with your variations so that you can make a side dish that everyone in the family will enjoy.

8 – Roasted Beet, Feta, and Arugula Salad

One of the best ways to add a colorful and healthy side dish to any meal is a fresh salad.

Please choose your favorite ingredients and mix them in an easy-to-eat form, like strips or cubes.

I paired beets roasted to perfection with feta cheese crumbles for the perfect savory flavor balance.

The arugula adds some pop of green color, which makes it visually appealing – plus, it’s a great way to add more vitamin A into your diet, as well as quinoa that boosts energy levels.

Finally, my final touch was adding pistachios and pumpkin seeds for protein, healthy fats, fiber content (oats), and minerals such as zinc & iron.

These are all nutrients you’ll want if you’re on a strict diet or have various health goals.

You can garnish it with any other toppings you like, such as nuts or dried fruit, for a little bit of sweetness to balance out the beets and cheese I chose.

9 – Baby Kale Salad with Quinoa and Almonds

A healthy and refreshing salad to accompany your dinner tonight? We’ve got you covered.

Baby kale is a little different from its more mature counterpart because it’s usually a bit more tender, less bitter, and has a sweeter flavor.

We also added toasted almonds for crunch and quinoa as the base grain: not only is this protein-packed, but when mixed with olive oil, lemon juice, salt & pepper, you’ll be getting fiber content from the oats too.

It’s a new way to enjoy kale, and quinoa adds an interesting texture.

The almonds provide an added crunch that takes this salad over the top.

10 – Kale Caesar Salad

Kale Caesar Salad is one of the most popular side dishes on the blog.

It’s best made with a good quality Parmesan cheese, but you can substitute it for another type of hard cheese if needed.

Serving a salad in addition to soup adds even more depth and texture as well as some much-needed variety for your guests.

A favorite variation on this dish, especially if you’re looking for something healthier than standard croutons, is crispy roasted chickpeas that provide crunch without going too heavy or greasy as breadcrumbs might do.

If the idea of kale doesn’t appeal to you, try substituting it for chard or escarole.

11 – Wild Rice Pilaf

We haven’t mention rice yet, but it’s a great grain to serve alongside this soup.

Wild Rice Pilaf is one of my favorite side dishes with Butternut Squash Soup because the rice cooks in broth and milk, which perfectly complements the sweetness of the squash.

Of course, it goes well with roasted chicken as well.

This dish can also be made gluten-free by substituting wild rice for quinoa or brown basmati rice.

Unfortunately, this will change the color from orange to more tan, so keep that in mind if you’re looking for something specific.

If you want to mix up your grains even further, try an easy arborio risotto variation where diced onion is first cooked over low heat with butter before adding in the rice and cooking until it is just tender.

This dish is perfect if you want something on the lighter side but still filling enough to stand up to a hearty soup like this one.

12 – Grilled Asparagus with Parmesan

Asparagus is a delicious vegetable that can be grilled to perfection to pair with the delicate taste of butternut squash.

Grilled asparagus has such an intense flavor without being too overpowering, and it also provides some extra texture for your soup dish.

So it’s not surprising why many restaurants are now serving this side dish alongside their soups.

However, asparagus cooks very quickly. So it’s best to grill them only for a few minutes.

Otherwise, they can end up tasting too tough and chewy.

13 – Spicy Roasted Chickpeas

Chickpeas are a versatile and hearty legume that is often overlooked as an ingredient.

Roasting them in olive oil with spices like cumin, coriander, paprika, and chili powder will give the beans more flavor and a bit of spice.

They are a great way to get in lots of protein, fiber, and complex carbohydrates without feeling heavy.

They are easy and quick to make, with only five ingredients you probably already have in your pantry.

You can’t go wrong when using this simple recipe.

Conclusion

To sum up, butternut squash soup is a great vegetarian soup option that you can make quickly and easily.

It’s packed with nutrients, low in calories, and high in flavor.

We hope these ideas will give you some inspiration in planning your next dinner party or family meal.

So, what are your favorite sides to eat with butternut squash soup?

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