Homemade Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Homemade Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

We were in the midst of an arctic vortex yesterday with temperatures nearing record lows in Boston! It’s not even Christmas yet, and it was 3 degrees yesterdays…THREE! This kind of weather calls for hearty soup, and one of my favorites to make during the fall and winter is this Homemade Roasted Butternut Squash Soup. The reason I love this classic recipe so much is that all you need to have on hand is literally the butternut squash, which I tend to buy very often in the winter anyways. The rest of the ingredients are simple pantry items that you probably have on hand anyways.

This recipe is creamy and smooth, but it actually doesn’t contain any cream, milk or butter. I know I’m cheating by adding the dollop of Greek yogurt on top, but I’m not vegan myself, and love the richness that the Greek Yogurt adds to the soup. By all means, that’s not necessary, and you can just drizzle some olive oil on top, or enjoy as is.

For once, I’m not serving a soup with bread. I know my husband loves having soup with a side of bread because it feels good to have something to bite on between the soup slurpage (my new made-up word of the day!). But I find that when I add the bread, I end up consuming way more calories that I intentionally prepared for because the bread makes me want more and more and more! A great substitute is adding nuts and seeds, like pumpkin seeds (pepitas) on top of soups. It gives it that bite you want, adds a salty factor and slows down the soup slurpage.

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Hope you try this recipe for Homemade Roasted Butternut Squash Soup. Please tag me #feelgoodfoodie so I can see all your fabulous recreations on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter!

• 1 large butternut squash, halved vertically and seeded
• 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Freshly ground black pepper and salt, to taste
• Garnished with Greek yogurt, pumpkin seeds and parsley (can omit Greek yogurt to make vegan)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 F and fill a baking dish wish enough water to coat the bottom. Drizzle the two halves of the butternut squash with half the olive oil and rub all over the inside of the squash. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Turn the butternut squash over onto the pan with water face side down. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes until the squash is tender and completely cooked through.
2. While the squash is roasting, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large soup pot, then add the onions and season with salt and pepper. When the onions are softened and start to turn golden, add the garlic and stir frequently for 30 seconds to one minute, until fragrant.
3. When the butternut squash is cooked through and cool enough to handle, scoop the flesh into the pot and discard the remaining squash skin.
4. Stir the butternut squash with the onions and garlic mixture, then add the vegetable broth, maple syrup and nutmeg, and pepper to taste. Bring the contents of the soup to a simmer and cook on medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. This allows all the flavors to blend well together.
5. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup to the consistency of your choice, then add more salt/pepper as necessary. You can also add an additional tablespoon of olive oil if you’d like to at this point. Serve immediately while the soup is hot and enjoy!