Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
School is out for the holidays, so we're cozying up with soup and hot chocolate (not at the same time - ick!) and pretending like it's cold outside here in Southern California.
Butternut squash always feels like dessert to me. It's sweet, rich, and creamy. This is an effortless and comforting fall/winter soup that doesn't taste nearly as healthy as it is and will make your home smell incredible. If you want to play with your food like I do, you can decorate with creme fraiche in a squeeze bottle.
This soup starts out the same way I cook the squash as a side dish - cubed, tossed with olive oil and salt and pepper, and roasted until tender with golden brown crunchy bits. Feel free to add carrots, other hard squash (delicata, kobacha, sugar pumpkin), and fresh sage to the mix. I threw in some chopped turnips, a shallot, an apple, a couple garlic cloves and a sprig or two of thyme. After simmering with vegetable stock and getting pureed this simple soup is done.
B (4) loved decorating her soup with a smiley face. Okay, I loved decorating mine too.
Happy holidays, my friends! Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed
1 large turnip, peeled and cubed
1 apple, peeled and cubed
1 shallot, peeled and cut into large slices
2 garlic cloves, peeled
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 quart vegetable broth
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Place squash, turnip, apple, shallot, garlic and thyme in a roasting pan. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Tuck thyme between pieces of vegetable so it doesn't burn. Roast until vegetables are tender and browned, about 35 minutes, tossing once halfway through.
Transfer vegetables to a large pot set over medium heat. Add vegetable stock and simmer 10 minutes. Blend using an immersion blender or by cooling slightly and carefully transferring to a traditional blender. Grate nutmeg into the soup. Season to taste with salt and pepper.