I love this time of year. Fall is my favorite season and it can’t get any better than sitting down by a cozy fireplace under a warm blanket, and eating my favorite butternut squash soup. I love this recipe so much and need to share it with you!
I love to support my local farms here in Pennsylvania and will stock up on any extra goodies that our garden doesn’t provide especially when it’s out of season. Butternut squash is one of my favorite stock-up items. Its sweet and nutty flavor with a touch of silky texture will leave you feeling warm and cozy. Butternut squash is a winter squash that’s packed with vitamins and antioxidants and tastes like a cross between sweet potatoes and pumpkin. It’s a great type of squash for so many different types of recipes.
Butternut squash is best when roasted in the oven. It enhances all of its naturally sweet and nutty flavors. This soup is easy to make and can be done ahead of time if you need an easy and quick recipe to get you going throughout your week.
I like to bake my butternut squash a day before when I have a day where there is a little extra time to plan.
You only need a few simple ingredients to make this soup.
Butternut squash
Roasted- cut butternut squash in half and scoop out all seeds. Drizzle with olive oil, salt, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and black pepper. Place on a baking sheet face down. Bake in oven at 425℉ until it is fork tender for about 30-40 minutes.
Tip – You can also roast frozen or precut butternut squash cubes the same way I described above. Season them and make sure to turn over the pieces mid-way through baking to get a nice even brown roast on your squash.
Once it’s roasted let it cool and peel off the skin of the butternut squash. This is easier to do when it’s completely cooled off. Place in a container and then in the fridge until ready to use. If you don’t prep this ahead of time then you can do the same thing this time placing it in a bowl and setting it aside until ready to place in the pot.
Other ingredients:
1-2 apples- any of your choosing, peeled and cubed
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
2-3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
fresh grated ginger
Spices
salt, black pepper, cumin, cinnamon, nutmeg and cayenne pepper
Dairy
I love dairy, but sometimes it doesn’t sit well with me. You can use any type of cream of your chosing, but I absolutely love using canned full fat coconut milk. It really enhances the flavors of this soup and its a healthier alternative to using dairy.
Chicken Stock
Using a lower sodium chicken stock is healthier as well and a great addition to this soup. If you don’t like chicken stock then vegetable stock will work fine too.
Check the recipe down below for more detailed instructions on how to cook this recipe, but here are some basic cooking details.
After baking butternut squash, take chopped onion and garlic and begin to sauté in your desired pot. I use a 7-quart dutch oven and I always make a big batch of this soup because I love to freeze any leftover soup for nights when I am short on time or when my husband wants a nice warm soup for his lunch. This soup freezes well too.
Then, add cubed apples and sauté some more until the onions appear to be translucent in color. Add in all spices and stir again. Add chicken stock and canned coconut milk. Once this is all mixed up bring to a boil and grab an immersion blender or food processor and blend it all up. Lastly, add roasted butternut squash.
Now, this is the part that can get tricky. I have noticed that roasted butternut squash can soak up a lot of liquid so this is where you need to pay attention. Once you add the butternut squash to your already boiling liquid, take your immersion blender and start blending. It might start to get thick, once this happens just keep adding chicken stock and use your blender until you get the desired consistency. I like it to be not too thick, but not too runny, just nice and silky smooth!
Bacon
A great tip, if you’re a bacon lover like myself and my family, take some bacon and dice it up. Fry it on a pan or place it in an air fryer. Sprinkle soup with some bacon to add some flavor to this sweet and nutty-flavored soup. Also, if you love some roasted pumpkin seeds feel free to add some as well.
Butternut squash soup is great served any time of year, but especially during the fall and winter months. This soup would also be a great addition to your Thanksgiving dinner.
Have fun with this recipe. Feel free to share what you have done in the comments below or share a picture of you enjoying this delicious meal!
Bom apetite! Enjoy your meal!
The Best Homemade Butternut Squash Soup
Equipment
- 1 5 quart Dutch Oven or bigger
- 1 Immersion Blender or food processor
- 1-2 Baking Sheets
- 1-2 sheets of parchment paper
Ingredients
- 2 medium-sized butternut squash
- 3 tbsp Coconut oil or Olive oil
- 1 medium onion diced
- 3-4 garlic cloves minced
- 3 tsp freshly grated ginger
- 1 medium apple, of your chosing peeled, cored, and diced
- 1-2 tsp salt add more if desired
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika, or regular paprika
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, or red pepper flakes
- 1 13.5 fl oz organic coconut milk unsweetened
- 32 oz chicken or vegetable stock have some extra on hand just in case you need to add more.
- 5-6 strips bacon of your choosing cooked
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 °F
- Line 1-2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Remove any dirt from butternut squash by simply rinsing it off. Pat dry and cut in half. Remove seeds by scooping them out with a spoon or ice cream scoop.
- On a lined baking sheet, place butternut squash upside and drizzle with olive oil. Then, season with salt, black pepper, paprika, and garlic powder. Turn butternut squash upside down and place in the oven. Bake 30-40 minutes until fork tender. Remove from oven and let cool.
- Once cooled peel the skin off the butternut squash and place the squash in a bowl and set aside. If you're making this ahead of time when the squash is completely cooled off place it in your refrigerator until ready to use. Butternut squash will hold in the fridge for no more than 2 days.
- After baking your butternut squash, take a large pot over medium heat and add coconut oil or olive oil. When the oil is ready add your onion and garlic and saute until you start to see the onion become translucent in color. Then, add your diced apple and saute until the apples are fork-tender.
- Add all of your seasonings listed above and stir making sure not to let onions and apples burn. Caramelization is what you're looking for. Then, add in coconut milk and chicken or vegetable stock. Bring to a boil.
- Lastly, add in your butternut squash and mix well.
- Take your immersion blender and or food processor and begin blending. Be careful not to get burned. I shut the heat off at this point while using my immersion blender because as it boils it looks like a volcano erupting and it could burn you.
- Butternut squash soaks up lots of liquid so add more stock if need be until you reach your desired consistency. I don't like it too thick but also not too runny. My rule of thumb is if its not running off my wooden spoon then its perfection.
- Once you have finished blending, crank up your stove back up to low heat, place a lid on your pot and let boil for another 10 minutes. Set your bowls up and ladle your soup into them.
- Take some bacon, any of your choosing, and fry some up either in a pan, baked in the oven, or your air fryer. And once it's all done sprinkle with some bacon and Bom apetite!
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