Butternut Squash Soup

Nutrition · per serving

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 220°C. Line a baking tray or roasting tin for easier cleanup. Prepare the squash, apple, onion, and garlic so they cook evenly and roast quickly.

2. 2

   On the tray, toss the butternut squash, apple, onion, and garlic with the olive oil, 4 g fine salt, and 1 g black pepper. Spread everything in a single layer; crowded vegetables steam instead of caramelising.

   700 g butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 2 cm cubes120 g apple, peeled, cored, and chopped120 g onion, roughly chopped2 cloves garlic cloves, peeled15 ml olive oil4 g fine salt1 g black pepper
3. 3

   Roast for 22-25 minutes, turning once halfway, until the squash is very tender and the edges are lightly caramelised. The garlic should feel soft when pressed and the onion should show golden spots.

   700 g butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 2 cm cubes120 g apple, peeled, cored, and chopped120 g onion, roughly chopped2 cloves garlic cloves, peeled
4. 4

   Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the chopped sage and cook for 20-30 seconds until fragrant but not browned, then stir in the nutmeg. Briefly blooming the spices in fat deepens the flavour.

   20 g unsalted butter4 g fresh sage leaves, chopped0.5 g ground nutmeg
5. 5

   Add the roasted vegetables to the saucepan and pour in the hot vegetable broth. Bring to a gentle simmer for 3-4 minutes so the flavours combine.

   700 g butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 2 cm cubes120 g apple, peeled, cored, and chopped120 g onion, roughly chopped2 cloves garlic cloves, peeled500 ml vegetable broth, hot
6. 6

   Blend until completely smooth using an immersion blender, or carefully transfer to a blender in batches. Stir in the heavy cream and return to low heat just until hot; do not boil after adding the cream or the texture can become slightly grainy.

   80 ml heavy cream
7. 7

   Taste and adjust with salt and black pepper as needed. If the soup is thicker than you like, loosen it with a small splash of hot water or extra broth.

   to taste fine saltto taste black pepper
8. 8

   Ladle into warm bowls, scatter over the fresh sage leaves, and serve immediately.

   2 g fresh sage leaves

Origin & History

Butternut squash soup is a modern American cold-weather staple, especially popular in autumn when winter squash is abundant. Versions with apple, cream, and herbs reflect the blend of farm-stand produce and comforting dairy-rich cookery common in many regions of the United States.