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Simple, creamy, and comforting, this homemade, healthy butternut squash soup is the ideal weeknight dinner. This classic cup of soup features a delicate, earthy flavor with a rich and velvety texture. Bring this autumn squash soup recipe into your rotation year-round! Try serving it with fresh microgreens or steak bites on the side.
How to Make Butternut Squash Soup
Skip the store-bought squash soup or the overpriced bowl at the lunch counter and make butternut squash soup right at home.
Tip: you’ll need a blender or food processor to make sure your soup has the right consistency.
How to Peel Butternut Squash
Starting with a whole squash can be daunting if you don’t know how to handle this oddly shaped gourd, but it’s simple:
- Start by using a vegetable peeler to remove the hard outer peel.
- Next, use a large, very sharp kitchen knife to cut off the stem end and the bottom.
- Cut off the neck of the squash, right above where the squash starts to become round.
- Stand each piece on end and carefully slice lengthwise through the middle.
- Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds.
Now that your squash is cut into quarters, you can chop it into whatever shape you want. For this recipe, you’ll want 3/4-inch to 1-inch cubes.
Can you Freeze Butternut Squash Soup?
Yes! This soup is perfect if you like to meal prep. To freeze: let it cool, separate it into freezer-safe glass or silicone containers (like Souper Cubes) and place it in the freezer. It’ll last in the freezer for up to three months.
Butternut Squash Soup Recipe
Makes: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp. olive or avocado oil
- 1/2 minced onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 chopped medium butternut squash (about 7 cups)
- 4 cups broth of choice (I used a low sodium chicken broth)
- 2/3 cup milk of choice
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp. smoked paprika
- 1 Tbsp. butter
- handful of fresh sage leaves
Directions
Heat the oil in a pot on your stovetop over medium heat. Once hot, add the minced onion and saute for 3 to 5 minutes, or until it begins to soften. Add the garlic and stir until fragrant, then add the butternut squash chunks. Use a spoon or spatula to stir the butternut squash so it is coated in the oil and cooks for a minute or two.
Add the broth to the pot and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover the pot and allow it to cook for about 20 minutes, or until the squash is tender. Add the pepper, salt, ginger, and paprika and stir.
Remove the pot from the heat and add the milk slowly, stirring as you go to prevent it from curdling.
Use an immersion blender to blend until smooth, or carefully transfer to a high-speed blender or food processor and blend. Adjust seasoning to taste. Set aside.
Heat the butter in a small pan. Once melted and bubbling, add the sage leaves. Fry the sage in the butter for a few minutes until it browns and becomes crispy. Carefully remove the sage from the pan and blot it on a piece of paper towel or a cloth. Crumble on top of the bowls of soup and/or place a few whole sage leaves on top.
Tips:
- The amount of salt you add will vary based on the sodium content of your broth. I always recommend adding less salt at the beginning. You can add more after you blend it up and season to taste!
- This soup would also be delicious with some crispy bacon on top. Feel free to use bacon drippings or animal fat in lieu of the oil.
- I highly recommend roasting a head of garlic (recipe coming soon!) and adding at least half of the head of roasted garlic to the soup before blending. It adds a wonderful flavor!
- Don’t have butternut squash? You can make this soup with a variety of autumn/winter squash and root veggies, including a combo of acorn squash, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, or carrots.
Butternut Squash Soup Recipe
Total Time: 35-40 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
Description
Simple, creamy, and comforting, this homemade healthy butternut squash soup features a delicate, earthy flavor with a rich and velvety texture. It is ideal for a weeknight dinner. Freeze leftovers for up to three months.
Ingredients
2 Tbsp. olive or avocado oil
1/2 minced onion
3 cloves garlic
1 chopped medium butternut squash (about 7 cups)
4 cups broth of choice
2/3 cup milk of choice
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. smoked paprika
1 Tbsp. butter
Handful of fresh sage leaves
Instructions
Heat the oil in a pot on your stovetop over medium heat. Once hot, add the minced onion and saute for 3 to 5 minutes, or until it begins to soften. Add the garlic and stir until fragrant, then add the butternut squash chunks. Use a spoon or spatula to stir the butternut squash so it is coated in the oil and cooks for a minute or two.
Add the broth to the pot and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover the pot and allow it to cook for about 20 minutes, or until the squash is tender. Add the pepper, salt, ginger, and paprika and stir.
Remove the pot from the heat and add the milk, slowly and stirring as you go to prevent it from curdling.
Use an immersion blender to blend until smooth, or carefully transfer to a high-speed blender or food processor and blend. Adjust seasoning to taste. Set aside.
Heat the butter in a small pan. Once melted and bubbling, add the sage leaves. Fry the sage in the butter for a few minutes until it browns and becomes crispy. Carefully remove the sage from the pan and blot it on a piece of paper towel or a cloth. Crumble on top of the bowls of soup and/or place a few whole sage leaves on top.
Notes
- The amount of salt you add will vary based on the sodium content of your broth. I always recommend adding less salt to start. You can add more after you blend it up and season to taste!
- This soup would also be delicious with some crispy bacon on top. Feel free to use bacon drippings or animal fat in lieu of the oil.
- I highly recommend roasting a head of garlic and adding at least half of the head of roasted garlic to the soup before blending. It adds a wonderful flavor!
- Don’t have butternut squash? You can make this soup with a variety of autumn/winter squash and root veggies, including a combo of acorn squash, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, or carrots.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Soup
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe
- Calories: 213
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 247mg
- Fat: 11g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 29g
- Fiber: 8g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 5mg
- Net Carbs: 20g
Keywords: Butternut squash soup
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Filed under: Fitness