As of last week, it’s now officially autumn. The leaves are changing, the mornings are getting dark and cold. It sounds like soup time to me. Today I’m sharing an easy, delicious recipe for roasted butternut squash and apple soup. This soup will carry you from the fall to winter. Think of it as a great big hug after coming in from a long hike, or a day on the slopes. It’s great as is, but even better with a side of crusty bread and some whiskey on the rocks.
Chopping a butternut squash can be a bit daunting. Here are my tips to do it without putting your limbs in harm’s way:
Lay the squash sideways on a cutting board and slice off the top and the bottom with a large knife. Now stand the squash up and shave the sides down with a knife. Now the squash is completely peeled. Now slice the squash in half lengthwise. Now you can take a spoon and scoop out the seeds. The squash is ready to chop now (and hopefully you’re not missing any fingers).
The soup also freezes well, just defrost in the fridge for a couple hours then warm in a sauce pan. Hope you enjoy.
Ingredients
- 3 medium size butternut squash
- 4 large apples
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black or white pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- Optional: sweetener of your choice such as agave nectar
- Handful of toasted and salted pumpkin seeds
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 F.
- Chop the squash and apples into 1 inch cubes, and spread them evenly on 2-3 baking sheets.
- Add the salt, pepper and olive oil to the squash and apples, and toss to coat. Roast for 45-50 minutes, taking a couple quick breaks to stir them around between cooking time.
- When they're done, take them out and mix the fresh sage into the hot squash and apples. Let them sit on the sheet pan together for a few minutes to cool off slightly.
- Next add about 1/3 of the roasted squash and apples to a high speed blender along with 2 cups of the vegetable broth. Puree until smooth then pour into a soup pot on the stove. Repeat this same process with the rest of the squash, apples and broth.
- Heat the soup pot on medium and give it a taste. Adjust the seasoning with salt and or a sweetener of your choice (sugar, agave, syrup) until it tastes perfect and delicious. Heat for a few more minutes on the stove then it's ready to serve.
- Optional toppings: fresh sage, toasted pumpkin seeds, drizzle of olive oil, toasted nuts)
