Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

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This rich and creamy Roasted Butternut Squash Soup is perfect for those evenings when it starts to get chilly and you need a meal to warm you up!

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup - This rich and creamy Roasted Butternut Squash Soup is perfect for those evenings when it starts to get chilly and you need a meal to warm you up!

This is one of my all time favorite soup recipes! I first made it many years ago when I was newly out of college and trying my hand at being a “real adult.”  The recipe seemed so sophisticated, yet upon closer look it was actually quite easy to make.  It was just what my younger self needed to move from spaghetti or the occasional cereal dinner to a more confident cook in the kitchen.

Do you cook with squash very often?  This was the recipe that really started me on my love for this vegetable. Even though it’s a little time consuming to peel and chop, it’s definitely worth it in the end.  I usually see pre-cut squash at the store, although I’ve never tried it.  For this recipe, I always save the money and spend the 10 minutes to prep it myself.  If you need directions, this tutorial is really helpful.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup - This rich and creamy Roasted Butternut Squash Soup is perfect for those evenings when it starts to get chilly and you need a meal to warm you up!

This soup is the perfect meal right now too when the nights are starting to turn chilly and you want a meal to warm you up!  I know in the fall my family so often turns to dishes like chili or a hearty casserole, but I really like how this soup gives me the same comforting feel, without the extra calories. 

At first glance or even after a spoonful, you might think this soup is full of something like heavy cream to give it its silky texture, but that is all squash, my friends.  When roasted, it turns this humble vegetable into something completely delicious!  It’s creamy and slightly sweet, but still has that earthy vegetable flavor.

Now that I have a daughter who’s under two, I love this soup even more.  Although she’s pretty skilled with a spoon, something like chicken noodle or vegetable soup doesn’t quite work for her yet.  However, because this soup is blended and thicker than most, it’s easier to eat.  Also, a plus is that it doesn’t need to be piping hot for her to eat.  She can have it lukewarm and be perfectly content.  This is one meal I can make that everyone at the dinner table enjoys, which I consider a dinnertime win for mama.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup - This rich and creamy Roasted Butternut Squash Soup is perfect for those evenings when it starts to get chilly and you need a meal to warm you up!

If you’re looking for a new recipe to try this fall, one that is healthy yet still gives that comfort food feeling, give this recipe a try.  You’ll become a butternut squash lover after just one spoonful!

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
Serves: 4-6

Ingredients
1 large butternut squash (about 3 lbs), peeled, seeded and cut into 1½” pieces
3 shallots, peeled and cut in half 
3 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 tsp. kosher salt
3.5-4 cups chicken broth
1 Tbs. maple syrup (or pancake syrup)
1 tsp. cider vinegar
⅛ tsp. nutmeg

Directions
1. Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Place cut up squash and shallots in a 9 x 13 pan. Drizzle with the oil and kosher salt and stir so all pieces are coated. Roast for 45 minutes, stirring the mixture every 15.
3. After 45 minutes, add ½ cup chicken broth to the pan. Scrape up the brown bits on the bottom of the pan and roast for another 5 minutes. Squash should be very soft at this point.  Remove from oven and let cool for about 5-10 minutes. 
4. Place roasted squash, shallots and other liquid from pan into a food processor, along with 1 additional cup of chicken broth.  Puree until smooth, adding more broth if needed.  If you have a small food processor, you may need to do this in 2-3 stages.  
5. Place a large Dutch oven or other large pot on your stovetop.  Pour pureed squash mixture into pot and turn on to medium heat.  Add the additional ingredients (maple syrup, cider vinegar and nutmeg) and stir to combine.  Add additional chicken broth to bring soup to your desired consistency – more if you like it thinner, less if you want it thicker. 
6. Cook over low heat until mixture is warmed throughout – about 10 minutes.  Serve soup topped with sour cream, croutons or parsley, if desired

*Recipe adapted from Cooks Country (October/November 2008 issue)