Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
Ingredients
- 3 ½ lbs butternut squash
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- fresh sage
- ½ cup sliced white onions
- 4 garlic cloves sliced
- ¾ cup sliced shallots
- ¾ cup sliced carrots
- 1 ½ cups sliced leeks
- fresh thyme
- fresh Italian parsley
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 8 cups vegetable stock
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a small baking tray with parchment paper
- Cut the neck off butternut squash and reserve.
- Cut the body of the butternut squash lengthwise, and scrape the seeds out
- Brush cut sides with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, sprinkle with salt & pepper, and place sage sprig in each cavity.
- Place cut side down on the baking tray and roast for approximately 1 hour (or until the flesh feels soft when pierced with a fork).
- Remove from oven, take out sage, and let cool. Scoop the flesh out into a small bowl and set aside.
- Peel the neck portion of the butternut squash and cut into cubes (about ½” in size)
- In a heavy-bottomed pot, heat the remaining olive oil on medium/high heat, and add sliced onions, garlic, and shallots. Sauté until translucent and soft (about 2 minutes)
- Add the chopped squash, sliced carrots, and leeks, and let cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Place parsley, thyme, sage, and bay leaves on a square of cheesecloth and tie with kitchen string
- Add the honey and 7 cups of stock to the pot along with the cheesecloth herb packet.
- Simmer on low for about 35 mins (or when squash feels soft when pierced with a fork)
- Add the reserved flesh of the roasted squash to the pot
- Place an immersion blender into the pot and pulse the liquid and softened vegetables until smooth.
- Adjust seasoning to your liking by adding more salt and/or pepper.
- Thin the soup out by adding ½ cup of stock at a time until desired consistency is reached.
- If you wish, garnish with chopped chives and a dollop of sour cream
Notes
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Special Ingredients/Supplies: cheesecloth, kitchen string, parchment paper, baking tray, immersion blender
Notes:
A nice fresh baguette or sourdough bread and green salad pair well with this soup.
Or a store-bought rotisserie chicken is also a great accompaniment. Why does the recipe call for 8 cups of stock when only 7 cups are used?
The extra cup is there in case you need to thin the soup out. Add ½ cup at a time until desired consistency is reached. Can I substitute canned squash and save time instead of roasting the squash?
If you are pressed for time, you can certainly substitute the roasted squash for canned, however, it is the roasting that gives the soup its depth of flavor by allowing the squash to caramelize while roasting
- The beauty of this soup is that it’s a one-pot recipe, so clean-up is a breeze
- This soup can be made ahead of time and kept in the fridge for up to 5 days. To reheat, simply place the pot on the stove on low until heated through. Be mindful of the fact that cold soup always appears thicker, however, once it has reheated, it will thin out to the proper consistency
A nice fresh baguette or sourdough bread and green salad pair well with this soup.
Or a store-bought rotisserie chicken is also a great accompaniment. Why does the recipe call for 8 cups of stock when only 7 cups are used?
The extra cup is there in case you need to thin the soup out. Add ½ cup at a time until desired consistency is reached. Can I substitute canned squash and save time instead of roasting the squash?
If you are pressed for time, you can certainly substitute the roasted squash for canned, however, it is the roasting that gives the soup its depth of flavor by allowing the squash to caramelize while roasting