There’s nothing better than tucking into a warm bowl of soup when the weather turns chilly. This butternut squash soup is creamy, decadent, and sure to hit the spot.
Butternut Squash Soup
You’ll need:
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 butternut squashes, sliced in half lengthwise with seeds removed
- 1 large yellow onion, sliced in half
- 1 garlic bulb, with the top sliced off (remove as much paper as you can, but it’s okay of there is still some left on the bulb – you can remove it later)
- 1 cup sliced carrots
- 2 cups milk (I used 1% in this recipe)
- 3-4 cups chicken broth (amount will vary depending on how thin you want the soup)
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon ground paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Place squash cut side up on a foil-lined baking sheet. Arrange onion, garlic, and carrots on the squash by nestling them into the holes where the seeds once were. Brush everything with oil.
Once oven is preheated, place baking sheet in oven and roast for 1 hour, or until squash is fork-tender. Remove baking sheet from oven and let cool until safe to handle.
Use a spoon to scoop the flesh of the squash, along with the onions, garlic, and carrots from the skin. Place in a food processor (in batches), and blend well. Slowly add milk and broth to food processor (again, in batches) until creamy and desired consistency is reached. Transfer everything to a large Dutch oven. Add seasonings and let simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until ready to serve.
Chop a toasted baguette into croutons, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with pumpkin or sunflower seeds for a soup topping if desired. Serves 6-8. Enjoy!
Chef’s note: to make this soup vegan and dairy-free, swap out the chicken broth for a vegetable broth, and use coconut milk in lieu of cow’s milk.
