Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Butternut Squash! I love it so much that I even have a Pinterest board dedicated to it.

I had been in the mood for butternut squash soup for awhile. If you know me, you know this is a pretty common occurrence – most probably having something to do with the “Tuesday Butternut Squash Soup Special” at one of my favorite restaurants in town.

This soup is the perfect mix of savory and a little sweet. It is both creamy (without any cream!) and thick – perfect for a cozy and comforting dinner.

Annnnnndddd… It has one of my favorite “secret” soup ingredients. Apples!

They add a bit of sweetness to the soup. The good kind of sweetness.

Wait, is there a bad kind of sweetness…?

I could honestly eat these vegetables right out of the oven. They are so tasty and roast-y.

The roasting definitely adds to the complexity of the soup.

I would know. I felt super complex after eating it.

Typically, I make broth using bouillon and water. For this recipe, I spiced up my regular bouillon broth with some finely diced onion, thyme, and rosemary. I think that took an okay broth to an excellent, more homemade tasting broth. Plain broth will also work well, though.

Yay for immersion blenders!

It made this recipe 10,000 times easier (thank you, thank you, thank you, Roomie!). But if you don’t have an immersion blender ~~you should get one~~ you can definitely make it using a blender or a food processor. It just takes a bit more steps.

This soup is incredibly adaptable. It is great with a bit of curry or a dab of pesto. Sage is also an excellent addition.

It also goes really well with chocolate.

And peanut butter.

Not in the soup, of course…

Other “Squashy” Soup Recipes

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Apples (lightly adapted from Ina Garten)

Makes 4 large bowls

Ingredients

3 to 4 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-in. cubes (I show how I dice butternut squashes here)
1 yellow or white onion, cut into 1-in. cubes
2 Granny Smith Apples, peeled and cut into 1-in. cubes
4 cloves of garlic, peeled
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 to 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock

Heat oven to 400°F. Line two large baking sheets with foil and divide butternut squash, onion, apple chunks, and garlic among both sheet pans. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste. Roast 35-45 minutes, stirring the veggies around about halfway through, until very tender.
Meanwhile, heat stock to a simmer.
When vegetables are tender, place them in a large soup pot over medium-low heat and begin adding broth 1/2 cup at a time while also pureeing with an immersion blender. Continue adding broth and pureeing until desired consistency is reached.
Alternatively, if you don’t have an immersion blender, place the vegetables in a blender or food processor and add 1/2 cup broth at a time until vegetables become like a thick puree. This may have to be done in batches. Place puree a soup pot over medium-low heat and add remaining broth until desired consistency is reached.
Serve immediately with yummy bread or a drizzle of truffle oil. This soup freezes well and can remain in the refrigerator for up to 1 week