Winter, Please Enter

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Butternut squash is the perfect vegetable to help us finish up the fall season and enter us into the cold of winter. What better way to warm up than with a simple, rich soup. I am not a fan of 'brothy' soups; therefore, I tend to steer toward the potato and creamy soup family. To give this creamy soup a boost, I roasted the butternut squash. This technique allows for more of the squash's flavor to be released, which gives the soup more depth. The garnish of fresh sage and crumbled blue cheese puts it over the top! So cuddle up with a great book, soft blanket and enjoy this glorious soup.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Serves: 4
Prep Time: 15 min.
Cook Time: 1 hr. 30 min.

1 large butternut squash ( 2 lb.)
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 yellow onion, chopped
3 cups vegetable stock
1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
8 fresh sage leaves, 4 shredded and 4 for garnish
2 teaspoons salt (add more if needed)
1 teaspoon pepper
ground nutmeg to taste
Blue cheese or Goat Cheese crumbled, garnish


Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Prick butternut squash with knife in numerous places. Place whole squash on baking sheet and roast until the squash becomes soft, about 1 hour. Remove and let cool. Cut in half, remove and discard seeds. Scoop out flesh from skin of squash and place into a bowl. Set aside.

In a large saucepan over low heat, melt the butter. Add the onions, red pepper flakes and half of the sage. Cook onions until translucent, approximately 10 minutes. Add the vegetable stock and squash. Mix to combine. Raise heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes to combine flavors. Remove from heat. Add salt, pepper and nutmeg. Stir to combine.

Puree soup in a food processor or blender. Pour mixture back into large saucepan and reheat over medium-low heat.

Serve in soup bowls. Garnish with blue or goat cheese crumbles with fresh sage leaf. Serve immediately.