Recipe: Creamy Butternut Squash Soup

By To Your Health and Mark Hubbard

There’s nothing like a warm bowl of hearty soup on a cold winter day. This recipe hits the spot with sweet, caramelized butternut squash, roasted garlic, and a swirl of nutty sage brown butter that makes every spoonful feel a little indulgent. A touch of maple syrup adds warmth, a splash of apple cider vinegar brightens it up, and a pinch of cayenne delivers just the right amount of cozy heat. Top it off with crème fraiche or crunchy pepitas, and you’ve got a nourishing bowl that’s simple enough for a weeknight but impressive enough for company.

Butternut Squash Soup

6 servings

Ingredients 

For the sage brown butter:

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 6-8 large sage leaves (or a lot of tiny leaves – 12 to 16)

For the soup:

• 3 1/2 pound butternut squash, cut in half, seeds removed
• 1 -2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, cut into 8 chunks
• 1 large sliced carrot, cut into 4 chunks
• 6 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
• ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper, plus more to taste
• 6 cups low-sodium chicken stock, plus more if needed
• 2 tablespoons good quality maple syrup or honey
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• Cayenne pepper to taste
• Optional:  creme fraiche, chives, pepitas (pumpkin seeds) or crouton to garnish

Instructions

1. Melt the butter on medium heat until it develops a foamy consistency.  Stir until the butter turns light brown.  Remove from heat and stir in the sage leaves.  Set aside to cool.
2. On a cookie sheet, place the squash, carrots, onion and garlic. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. Roast at 400 degrees for 1 hour or until the squash is tender
4. Let cool for 15-30 min.  With an ice cream scoop, scoop out the squash.  It’s OK if you get a few bits of skin. 
5. Put roasted veggies and squash into a soup pot, add butter, chicken broth and maple syrup.  Simmer for 30 minutes.  
6. Use an immersion blender to blend all ingredients.  Strain if you like a very smooth soup consistency.  (If using a standard blender, be sure to fill the blender no more than 1/3 due to the soup being hot.)
7. Add vinegar (add 1 tablespoon – taste, then add 2^nd tablespoon if desired), 2-3 pinches of salt and a dash of cayenne to taste.
8. Add additional chicken stock if the soup is too thick. 
9. Garnish with crème fraiche, chives, croutons, or pepitas if desired.

Nutrition per Serving

Calories 225 kcal  /  Protein 5g  /  Fat  9g /  Carbs 34g  /  Fiber 5g  /  Sodium 160 mg

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 Linda Hubbard is an RN, Nutrition Specialist & Founderof To Your Health, a national nutrition and wellness coaching firm based in Wallingford, CT. 

Mark Hubbard, is a writer and editor with years of experience in the health and science sectors. He specializes in distilling complex topics into understandable, engaging text.