Summer was good to us. Although we only planted one butternut squash plant, we ended up with over 15 pounds of butternut squash! What a treat.
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Every year, I try to improve my favorite butternut squash dish: Roasted Butternut Squash Soup. This year’s version is so far my favorite and that’s why I’ve decided to share it with you. It’s probably also the easiest and the one with the least ingredients.
👨🏻🍳 Why it works
Instead of traditionally peeling the butternut squash and sautéing the chopped pieces in oil, this time we simply cut the squash in half lengthwise, remove the seeds, and roast it in the oven.
Roasting the butternut squash brings out the flavors by lightly caramelizing it. The added salt, pepper, and olive oil will do the rest. And here’s the coolest thing: After you’ve roasted your butternut squash and let it cool off, simply scoop out the soft flesh with a spoon and chop. No peeling, no waste, easy clean up.
🧾 Less ingredients
Go ahead, try some of this scooped out squash. Right?! It’s already nearly perfect. So let’s make a soup out of it.
🍲 Cooking
Start by sautéing some chopped sweet onion in olive oil for a couple minutes over medium heat.
Once your pan starts smelling wonderful, add garlic for one minute, stirring frequently.
Add the chopped butternut squash, pour in most of the chicken broth, and stir in 1 tablespoon butter.
🧂 The balancing act
This is the part where your soup will either turn out good or turn out heavenly. Sometimes you’re in the zone and just feel how much salt to add, when to stop adding freshly grated nutmeg, and how much butter can be too much. And sometimes you don’t...but you’ll get another chance to perfect it at the end.
🥣 Blend the soup
First, we have to blend the soup. Either use a blender (work in batches if necessary) or I personally like an immersion blender used right in the soup pot. It might not always turn out as smooth as with a blender, but I don't mind some chunks in my soup at all.
🥄 Tasting
Once you’re happy with the consistency of your soup (add remaining broth if it’s too thick), pour it back in the pot and taste. Add salt and pepper as needed and at least ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg. Taste it again. I usually find that it wouldn’t hurt to add another tablespoon of butter. Hey, it’s called butternut squash for a reason!
You’ll know when you find the balance. It’s when you say “Oh my God, I’ve never had such a delicious soup!”
Because it’s a fall soup, garnish with sage before serving. Enjoy.
⭐ Butternut squash facts
- Butternut squash is interchangeable with the pumpkin in Australia, causing them to call it the butternut pumpkin.
- When planting butternut squash, it is important to have a large area for cultivation, as the seeds can send out vines up to 15 feet long.
- Although it may not taste good, the skin of the squash is edible! The seeds are edible, as well, and are best roasted.
- Eating butternut squash can improve lung health and studies have shown a decreased incidence of lung cancer.
- This vegetable is often used as one of the first foods for babies, since it’s tolerated by children because of the taste.
- Butternut squash may be high in carbohydrates, but studies have shown that since not all starches are the same, this vegetable brings a lot of key nutrients.
- It grows on a vine and when the vegetable turns to a deep orange, it becomes sweeter, richer, and more ripe.
- Butternut squash are often regarded as a winter squash, but are never grown in the winter. They are picked in the fall.
- This particular variety of squash was developed at the Waltham Experiment Station in Massachusetts.
- Consuming a small cup of butternut squash can provide an ample amount of vitamin A, which is important for eye health and immune functions.
Looking for more great fall recipes?
- Potato and Leek Soup
- Gougeres Gruyere
- Baked Cranberry Brie Bites with Sage
- No-Knead Bread
- Thanksgiving Stuffing with Fruit
- Chnöpfli – The Swiss Mac and Cheese
- Mini Apple-Pear Pies
- World’s Best Apple Pie
- Pumpkin Cheesecake
Did you make this Roasted Butternut Squash Soup recipe? Let us know in the comments below!
📝 Recipe
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
Ingredients
- 2 pounds butternut squash, cut in half and de-seeded
- 2 cup chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup chopped sweet onion
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, grated
- 1 (or 2) tablespoons butter
- Salt and pepper
- Sage for garnish
Instructions
- Cut butternut squash in half (lengthwise) and scoop out the seeds.
- Rub ¼ tablespoon olive oil on flesh and add salt and pepper.
- Bake (face down) at 425℉ for about 50 minutes or until flesh is soft.
- Sauté onion over medium heat in remaining olive oil until soft, about 3 minutes.
- Add garlic and 1 teaspoon of salt, stir frequently for about a minute.
- Add squash, about 1-½ cups chicken stock, nutmeg, 1 tablespoon butter, and season with freshly ground pepper and salt.
- Cook for about 10 minutes, so everything will blend together.
- Either transfer the soup to your blender or use an immersion blender directly in the pot (add the remaining stock if needed).
- Taste and season to perfection (in my case, I added another tablespoon butter).
- Garnish with sage and serve.
Notes
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Marji
Very easy and much lighter without the cream as most butternut squash recipes require. It was very tasty and even made enough for freezer.
maplewoodroad
So glad you enjoyed it! Thank you! 🙂