Dairy-Free Roasted Delicata Squash and Sweet Potato Soup with Italian Sausage
A creamy, dairy-free roasted delicata squash and sweet potato soup made with coconut milk and topped with savory Italian sausage and pecans. Easy, comforting, and delicious!
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Why You Will Love this Dairy Free Sweet Potato and Squash Soup
This Creamy Dairy-Free Roasted Delicata Squash and Sweet Potato Soup with Italian Sausage is so comforting and delicious!
Creamy Without the Dairy: Full-fat coconut milk and velvety roasted sweet potatoes give this healthy dairy free squash soup recipe a rich texture without relying on heavy cream or butter.
Easy Prep & Great Flavor: Roasting the delicata squash with seeds intact makes scooping them out a breeze while caramelizing the natural sugars.
Hearty & Protein-Packed: A savory topping of mixed pork and chicken Italian sausage turns a light vegetable soup into a satisfying, crowd-pleasing complete meal.
Naturally Gluten-Free & Meal-Prep Friendly: Naturally gluten-free and easy to adjust, this soup stores and reheats beautifully for easy weekday lunches or dinners.
A Note about the Baking Dish:
I love using our Lodge Essential Enamel Cast Iron Braiser. Dishes like this creamy, dairy free delicata squash soup with sausage heat so evenly and the braiser is so really easy to clean. It usually requires a quick 5-10 minute soak with dish soap, and all the browned bits wash off easily!
Check out Shop My Kitchen Essentials for other great gluten-free cooking products and non-toxic kitchenware I use in my home.
Frequently Asked Questions: Creamy Dairy-Free Delicata Squash Soup with Sausage
How do I make this soup completely vegetarian or vegan?
The base recipe uses chicken broth; to make it completely plant-based or vegan, simply swap the chicken broth for an equal amount of high-quality vegetable or mushroom broth. You can omit the pork/chicken sausage and stir in roasted cauliflower, chickpeas, or plant-based sausage crumbles.
Do I need to peel delicata squash?
Delicata squash skin is thin and edible! However, scooping the meat from the peel after roasing (as in this recipe) results in an extra silky, smooth soup texture without any skin flecks after blending.
Why should I leave the seeds in when roasting the delicata squash?
The seeds are naturally very embedded into the raw, hard delicata squash. I find that roasting with the squash with the seeds in softens the pulp around the seeds, making them so much easier to scoop.
How should I store and reheat leftovers?
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4–5 days. When reheating on the stove or in the microwave, add a splash of broth or water to loosen the soup back to your desired consistency.
What should I do if my soup becomes too thick?
If you make this ahead of time or store leftovers, the soup will continue to thicken significantly in the fridge. A simple splash of broth or water when reheating brings it right back to the perfect consistency.
Will the soup taste strongly like coconut?
No! While full-fat coconut milk creates a luxurious dairy-free creaminess, its flavor is balanced out by the savory chicken stock, roasted garlic, sage, oregano, and seasoned sweet potatoes.
What type of blender do you use to get a velvety, smooth consistency in this soup?
I use my Vitamix 5200 Blender. This blender is such a work horse. I have had the blender base for over 10 years and it still purees soups to a velvety smooth creamy texture (it's great for smoothies as well!)
Substitutions & Customizations
Squash Swap
If delicata squash isn't available, butternut squash, acorn squash, or honeynut squash make excellent substitutes.
Make It Vegetarian / Vegan:
Omit the sausage topping (or substitute with crispy seasoned chickpeas, cauliflower, or plant-based sausage) and use vegetable broth instead of chicken stock.
Sausage Swap
You can use 100% pork sausage, 100% chicken sausage, or turkey Italian sausage depending on your preference. For a kick of heat, swap one of the mild sausages for spicy Italian sausage.
If you love this Roasted Delicata Squash Soup with Coconut Milk, check out our full collection of Dinner Recipes. Check out other great gluten-free, dairy free recipes to add to your family's meal rotation:
Creamy Coconut Lime Chicken
If you try this Roasted Delicata Squash and Apple Soup recipe, leave a comment below👇 and let me know how it turned out—I absolutely love hearing from you!
How to make this Dairy Free Delicata Squash Soup
Ingredients You Will Need for this Dairy-Free Roasted Delicata Squash and Sweet Potato Soup with Italian Sausage
Equipment You Will Need
Equipment Notes:
High Speed Blender: I love our Vitamix 5200 Blender. This blender is such a work horse. I have had the blender base for over 10 years and it still purees soups to a velvety smooth creamy texture (it's great for smoothies as well!)
Shallow Dutch Oven: I am constantly using our Lodge Essential Enamel Cast Iron Braiser. Dishes like this creamy, dairy free delicata squash soup with sausage heat so evenly and the braiser is so really easy to clean. It usually requires a quick 5-10 minute soak with dish soap, and all the cooked bits wash off easily!
Step 1: Preheat Oven and Prep:
Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, dried oregano, dried thyme, ground sage, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Place the peeled delicata squash halves (with seeds intact), cubed sweet potatoes, and 2 garlic cloves onto the sheet pan.
Step 2: Toss and Coat:
Drizzle the olive oil spice blend evenly over all the vegetables. Toss to coat well, placing the squash halves seeds-side up on the pan. Roast in the preheated oven for 40–45 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes and squash are tender and lightly caramelized.
Step 3: Cook the Sausage Topping:
While the vegetables are roasting, add 1 tbsp of olive oil to a skillet over medium heat (we love this Lodge Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet). Add 1 lb mild pork Italian sausage and 1 lb mild chicken Italian sausage to the pan. Cook for 8–10 minutes, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until cooked through and nicely browned. Remove from heat. I like to scoop my ground meat onto a plate lined with a paper towel to absorb any excess grease. Let cool while your veggies cook.
Step 4: Scoop & Blend:
Remove the sheet pan from the oven and let cool slightly so it's safe to handle. Using a spoon, scoop out and discard the seeds and pulp from the roasted delicata squash. Transfer the roasted squash flesh (I scrape the squash away from the skin and discard the skin), sweet potatoes, and roasted garlic cloves, and apple slices to a powerful high-speed blender.
Pour in chicken stock and blend on high until smooth and creamy. (Blend in batches if necessary to avoid overflowing).
Step 5: Simmer & Serve:
Pour the blended soup mixture into a shallow dutch oven (this one works graet: Lodge Essential Enamel Cast Iron Braiser) set over medium heat. Stir in 1 can of coconut milk until fully incorporated into a rich, dairy-free finish. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low and let simmer uncovered for 10–15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together. Taste and adjust seasoning with extra salt or pepper as needed. Ladle the soup into bowls and top generously with the warm cooked sausage mixture, roasted pecans, and an additional drizzle of coconut milk before serving.
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