This delectable butternut squash soup recipe boasts a velvety texture and a delightful balance of sweetness and savory notes, achieved by first roasting the squash, enhancing its flavor with caramelized richness.
When selecting soups, my preference typically leans towards heartier options, ones that almost require chewing. Soups such as my creamy bean soup featuring sausage, taco soup, or the timeless homemade chicken noodle, all stand as fulfilling and substantial meals on their own. However, for a starter soup or a complement to grilled cheese, nothing satisfies me more than a velvety smooth creation like this roasted butternut squash soup. The secret lies in roasting the squash before simmering it in the broth, ensuring a seamlessly balanced blend of savory and sweet notes. Its inherent caramelized sweetness is elevated further with the addition of carrots, imparting an extra layer of richness. Yet, what truly elevates this soup is the infusion of fresh herbs—sage, rosemary, and thyme—imbuing the broth with savory undertones that transform this soup into a multifaceted delight, far from a mere one-dimensional dish.
Ingredients in Butternut Squash Soup
This luscious, smooth soup is crafted from the sweetness of roasted butternut squash and carrots, enhanced further by a drizzle of honey for an added touch of sweetness.
To prepare:
Roasted butternut squash (roast in advance for convenient preparation)
Canola oil or olive oil
Butter
Yellow onion
Carrot
Garlic
Chicken stock or vegetable broth
Bouquet garni featuring fresh herb sprigs like sage, thyme, rosemary, and parsley
Cream or whole milk
Optional: Honey (or experiment with maple syrup)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Sour cream or crème fraîche
Enhancing Butternut Squash Flavor through Roasting
To achieve a richer, caramelized taste that elevates the soup's depth, start by roasting the butternut squash.
Instructions:
Coat peeled butternut squash cubes with oil on a foil-lined baking sheet and season generously with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Using pre-cut butternut squash is perfectly acceptable for convenience.
Roast in a 425°F oven for about 15 minutes or until the squash turns tender.
Alternatively, if you prefer to skip the peeling process:
Halve the squash without peeling, season the halves with kosher salt and black pepper, and then roast them for 15-20 minutes at 425°F until they become fork-tender.
Once roasted, scoop out the squash from the peel, and it's all set for the subsequent steps.
How to Prepare Butternut Squash Soup
Begin by roasting the butternut squash, as detailed earlier. This crucial step brings forth a deep, caramelized sweetness that raw squash simply can't deliver.
Next, in a large pot, sauté diced onion and garlic along with chopped carrot using a mixture of oil and butter. This combination not only elevates the butter's richness but also raises its smoke point. The addition of carrots contributes an extra layer of sweetness. Cook until the vegetables soften without browning, preserving the soup's true color.
Introduce the roasted butternut squash, stock, and bouquet garni to the pot. Allowing the herbs to simmer with the squash imparts their earthy essence into both the squash and the stock. Remove and discard the herbs once the stock reduces by approximately a quarter to a third. Finally, stir in the honey for a touch of sweetness.
Achieving a Perfectly Smooth Soup Texture
When aiming for a flawlessly smooth soup, the choice of blender matters. I experimented with both an immersion blender and a traditional blender, favoring the convenience and easy cleanup of the immersion blender. However, it occasionally left behind small chunks, unlike the traditional blender, which produced a consistently silky texture. Hence, opting for a traditional blender when making this soup is well worth the additional cleaning effort.
It's important to note a precaution when using the blender with hot liquids: avoid using the lid's plug. Instead, cover the lid's opening with a dish towel to prevent any splattering. I learned from experience that sealing the hole can lead to the liquid expanding and causing potential blender mishaps during blending.
Further Enhancing Soup Thickness and Sweetness
Once the blending process is complete, return the soup to the pot and incorporate a portion of cream. Allow the soup to warm through over medium heat. Taste and adjust the salt level if necessary, as doing so can further heighten the soup's inherent sweetness.
Serve the soup in bowls and embellish it by drizzling a mixture of thinned sour cream or crème fraiche with water or milk. For an added visual element, a sprinkle of fresh thyme can contribute a touch of color, or consider adding roasted pumpkin seeds for a delightful crunch.
Further Enhancing Soup Thickness and Sweetness
Once the blending process is complete, return the soup to the pot and incorporate a portion of cream. Allow the soup to warm through over medium heat. Taste and adjust the salt level if necessary, as doing so can further heighten the soup's inherent sweetness.
Serve the soup in bowls and embellish it by drizzling a mixture of thinned sour cream or crème fraiche with water or milk. For an added visual element, a sprinkle of fresh thyme can contribute a touch of color, or consider adding roasted pumpkin seeds for a delightful crunch.
Butternut Squash Soup
Ingredients
- 3 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed
- 3 tablespoons canola oil, divided
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 carrot, peeled and diced
- 3 cloves garlic, pressed
- 1-quart bouquet garni chicken stock, 4 cups
- 1 bouquet of garni, sage, thyme sprigs, rosemary, parsley
- 2 tablespoons honey
- ½ pint cream or whole milk, 1 cup
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ cup sour cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Place the cubed butternut squash on a baking sheet lined with foil and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of canola oil. Season with ½ teaspoon kosher salt and freshly ground pepper and toss well to coat. Roast the squash for 15 minutes or until caramelized but not browned. Set aside.
- In a Dutch oven or heavy bottom pot, melt the butter with 1 tablespoon of canola oil over medium. Add the onion, carrot, and garlic and cook until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes, stirring often so the vegetables don't burn.
- Add the roasted butternut squash to the pot, along with the chicken broth and herb bouquet garni. Bring to a boil then reduce to a bubbling simmer and cook for 15 minutes or until the carrots are softened and the broth has reduced by ⅓. Stir in the honey. Remove the herbs and transfer the vegetables and broth to a blender (do so in batches if needed). Top the blender with the lid minus the center plug so that the hot liquid breathes (otherwise the heat will cause the mixture to explode when blending). Cover the lid with a dishtowel and blend the mixture until smooth. Add back to the pot and stir in the cream or milk. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper if needed, then cook over medium for another 5 minutes or until warmed through.
- To serve, thin the sour cream with 1-2 teaspoons of water or milk and drizzle over the soup. Garnish with herbs or toasted pumpkin seeds.
