Description
A delicious and creamy butternut squash soup that’s perfect for fall.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded cut into 1-inch pieces (5 cups)
- 1 fennel bulb, trimmed, chopped
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and chopped into 1” chunks
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 4–6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- Pinch-1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 3 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- Coconut milk or heavy cream
- Toasted pine nuts or pumpkin seeds
Instructions
- Melt 2 tablespoon butter with 1 tablespoon olive oil in a Dutch oven/soup pot over medium-low heat.
- Add squash, onions, fennel, and apple, and season with salt and pepper. Increase the heat to medium and cook for 10 minutes, stirring often (we are sweating the vegetables – they will not turn golden).
- Add garlic and all seasonings; sauté 1 minute or until fragrant.
- Add chicken broth, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen up the browned bits. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 5-10 minutes or until the vegetables are fork-tender.
- Working in 2-3 batches, transfer soup to a high-powered blender to puree, taking care to let smoke escape or it will explode (I leave a corner open and cover with a paper towel). I find my blender gives a smoother, more desirable consistency than an immersion blender.
- Transfer pureed soup back to the pot. Stir in maple syrup to taste. Season to taste with additional salt & pepper if desired.
- Ladle into bowls, garnish with toasted, salted pepita seeds, and drizzle with heavy cream or coconut milk (optional).
Notes
- This soup can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- For a vegan version, substitute butter with olive oil and use vegetable broth.
- To freeze, make the soup and let it cool completely, then transfer to airtight containers.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 250 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 10 mg