Creamy Butternut Squash Soup

The leaves change color, the air is crisp, there’s a frost on the ground, it’s fall, and squash season. What better way to herald in the changing season than creamy butternut squash soup. Hearty, healthy and warms the soul

Well, that sounds great in a temperate climate, I used to live in New Jersey. But now I live in Florida, there’s two seasons, hot and hotter, and palm trees don’t change color. However the butternut squash soup tastes just as good. So let’s get prepping

There are lots of ways to make this soup, some quick and some take time. If you read some of my other posts, you’ll see I like the slow approach. Flavors need time to develop, they need time to mix together. So cooking over a low heat for a while helps. Even so, it’s still a hands off dish. You don’t have to be standing at the stove for days stirring the soup, just let it do it’s thing

All soups start with a base. A soup base is aromatic vegetables sauteed together. For most soups and stews it’s onions, carrots and celery. It’s called Mirepoix. If you make Cajun dishes like gumbo, it would be called the Holy Trinity. Onions, pepper and celery sautéed together

We’re going to roast the squash. I’ve found that roasting concentrates the flavor. The caramelization adds depth. Squash soup is comfort food, so we’re going to make some comfort

When it comes to roasting, there are two options. Peel, cube and roast, or cut in half, remove the seeds and roast in the skin. I’ve done both, I think roasting in the skin is easier. And I’m sure someone is going to tell me there’s a taste difference too. So, for this recipe, cut the squash in half from top to bottom, remove seeds and webbing, rub with olive oil, dash of salt and pepper. Put in a 400 degree oven on parchment paper lined baking tray.

While the squash is doing it’s thing in the oven, lets focus on the base. Chop the onions, carrots and celery fine, and cube the potatoes into small cubes.

When the squash is done. A little caramelized and the flesh is soft. Remove from the oven, and allow to cool. Then scoop as much of the flesh out with a spoon and set aside in a bowl.

When it comes to cooking soups I like to use one pot, some flavors will stick to the sides while cooking and I don’t want to loose them. So in a 5 qt stock pot with a lid, heat some oil over medium heat. Add the onions, celery, carrot and garlic. Let the sweat down a bit stirring occasionally, but keep the lid on. Make sure they don’t burn, a Mirepoix is cooked till soft to let the flavors out.

Once the onions are cooked, they’ll be soft and opaque, add the herbs, stirring everything together and allow the aromas to be released, usually a few minutes. Once that is done add the potatoes, stirring everything together, and give that a couple of minutes. Now add the stock and the squash, raise the heat, bring to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer and put the lid on. This is when all the ingredients get to know each other. so leave it be for at least 1/2 hr, but up to an hour, if you like.

When handling hot liquids, you need a safe environment. So, on the kitchen counter set up a trivet for the hot pot, your blender, and a large enough bowl to hold the soup. Ladle about a cup of the soup into the blender, blend till smooth, and pour into the bowl. repeat till all the soup is blended, pour back into the pot and put over a very low heat just to keep warm

Give the soup about 15 mins to settle from being blended. Serve and enjoy