Let your oven do all the work with this creamy, delicious, roasted butternut squash soup. Hearty, cozy, and healthy. Don't forget the crusty bread!
Ingredients
2medium butternut squash (5-6 pounds total)peeled, seeded, and cubed
4stalks of celerychopped
1medium yellow onionchopped
3carrotspeeled and chopped
6garlic clovespeeled and whole
10-12fresh sage leaves
1/2teaspoondried thyme
1/2teaspoonkosher salt
pinchof cayenne pepper
freshly-ground black pepper to taste
3tablespoonsextra virgin olive oil
4cupschicken or vegetable broth
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Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Add cubed squash, celery, onion, carrots, garlic, sage, thyme, salt, cayenne, and black pepper to a large rimmed sheet pan. Drizzle olive oil on top and toss to coat everything evenly.
Roast for 30 minutes, then begin checking the veggies every 10 minutes or so, until they are soft enough to be pierced easily with a fork. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly.
Transfer roasted veggies and herbs to a large blender and add 2 cups of the broth. Puree until smooth, then pour mixture into a large stockpot and stir in remaining 2 cups broth. Simmer on low heat for 10-15 minutes, or until ready to serve. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.
Alternatively, you can transfer the roasted veggies and herbs directly into a large stockpot, add all 4 cups of broth, and blend with an immersion blender. This saves some effort, but usually doesn't get the finished soup quite as smooth and velvety.
Notes
Shortcut: Use pre-peeled and cubed butternut squash! It's available with other convenience produce in most major grocery stores when squash is in season. You'll need about 8 cups. Don't sweat the exact amount, the recipe is flexible if you have a little more or less.
Garnish: We love a sprinkle of fresh thyme and a little more black pepper, or for a little crunch, try pepitas (toasted green pumpkin seeds). So good!
Storage: This soup keeps well in the fridge for 3-4 days. It can be frozen for 3-4 months. Freeze in an airtight container and leave some room, the soup will expand as it freezes. Defrost in the fridge overnight and re-warm on the stove as needed.