Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Apple
Butternut squash is a a sweet fruit with a nutty taste and orange flesh that grows on a vine, one of my favorite fall and winter delicacies, right next to blood oranges. In Italy, one of the most popular ways to use butternut squash is in a comforting butternut squash risotto, which should show up on your fall menu as well.
And since there seems to always be a fire going during the winter months, some crusty Italian bread baking in the oven…it makes it effortless to throw in a pan of vegetables, fruit and herbs to roast alongside everything else.
This insanely creamy Italian butternut squash and apple soup is your perfect rustic fall in a bowl. A must have in your recipe files and on the Thanksgiving table.
I like to dice the apples, squash and the carrots, then roast them together with a splash of white wine until a little caramelization develops around the edges. Just enough to bring out their sweetness. So use your largest roasting pan, but don’t worry If you can’t get them all in a single layer. We aren’t looking for perfection here since we are going to use a blender and puree everything into a magical silky soup.
Recipe Tips + Variations
- what apple is best for soup? – tart green Granny Smith apples are ideal here to balance out the sweetness from the butternut squash. Braeburn or Pink lady could also be used.
- garnish – crispy sage, toasted pine nuts or pepitas.
- ginger variation – replace the nutmeg with 1 tbsp of freshly grated ginger
- swaps – use 1 small leek instead of onion.
- vegetarian, gluten free and easily adapted to a vegan lifestyle by using olive oil instead of butter and dairy-free cashew cream in place of heavy cream. Simply dreamy with coconut cream as well!
- make ahead – roast the vegetables the day before and refrigerate until ready to serve. Combine with the veggie stock and warm up before blending into the creamiest soup. Freeze any leftovers up to 4 months.
how to make roasted butternut squash soup with apple
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Apple
Ingredients
- 1 lb butternut squash -peeled, seeded and cut into one inch cubes
- 2 granny smith apples cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 medium onion or leek -diced
- 1 carrot -sliced
- 4 tbs butter or olive oil
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 3 cups vegetable stock
- 1/2 cup heavy cream, cashew or coconut cream
- 1 tsp sea salt + more to taste
- black pepper to taste -freshly cracked
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes + more to taste
- 7 sprigs thyme -leaves only
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 tbsp fresh chives for garnish
- 1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 F. In a large baking dish toss the apples, butternut squash, carrot slices, red pepper flakes, bay leaf, sea salt, pepper and thyme with 1 tbs of melted butter or olive oil. Roast uncovered for 45 minutes or until tender.
- Heat up the 3 tablespoons of butter or olive oil over medium-low heat in a cast iron pot. Saute the diced onions with a pinch of sea salt until translucent. Add the wine and let it reduce by half.
- Add the roasted squash and apples to the pot together with the vegetable stock. Bring to a simmer and allow to cook together for 5 minutes. Discard the bay leaf and using a hand held blender puree the soup until smooth. Add the heavy cream or coconut cream and cook an additional 3 minutes.
- Adjust seasonings and serve hot with a drizzle of cream, snipped chives and a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg.
Notes
- garnish with crispy sage or toasted pine nuts
- replace the nutmeg with 1 tbsp of freshly grated ginger
- use 1 small like instead of onion
- make it vegan by using olive oil instead of butter and cashew cream in place of heavy cream. Simply dreamy with coconut cream as well!
- make ahead - roast all your vegetables the day before and refrigerate until ready to serve. Combine with the veggie stock and heat up before blending into the creamiest soup. Freeze any leftovers up to 4 months.
- for the silkiest texture use a powerful blender instead of an immersion blender.
Nutrition
You’ll Also Love
Roasted Tomato Soup
Healthy Leek Soup
Butternut Squash Mushroom Soup
