This Roasted Butternut Squash Soup recipe is an easy, healthy, warm dinner that will support your crusade against Jack Frost. Make your roasted butternut squash in the oven, because chopping is hard and scooping is fun. Then blend it up with some apples, onions, and sage.
Originally posted January 13, 2015
We had a dumpling-making party the other night with some friends, and I got to try out my friend Kate’s chain-mail glove:
She asked for a chef’s knife for Christmas a while back, and got this instead. A chain-mail glove, to protect your fingers from nicks, cuts, and probably the apocalypse. She didn’t get the knife until the next Christmas. Because, priorities.
Kate is a violinist, and her husband is afraid she will actually chop off her fingers. Which, in his defense, are a pretty solid asset when it comes to fiddling. Now her fingers are safe. And now she can get into all the bar fights she wants, because even brass knuckles got nothin’ on this chain-mail.
The benefits of roasted butternut squash
Have you ever chopped a raw butternut squash? Having a metal glove on for that job is not a bad idea. Those babies are tough to get through. But I have good news! You only have to chop the squash in half for this recipe, no dicing or slicing. Just roasting and toasting. (“No more rhymes now, I mean it!” “Anybody want a peanut?”)
Butter, salt, pepper. Don’t skimp on any of them. My life’s mantra.
How to make Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
Roasting does something magical to butternut squash. It brings out all it’s good qualities. When you combine those good qualities with a healthy dose of apple, onion, and sage (fresh or dried), you get a perfect 1-hour weeknight meal. This soup is perfect for freezing if you have leftovers. Serve with crusty bread and salad. We actually ate this with leftover Bacon Ricotta Crostini, which I highly recommend!
P.S. Don’t try to toast butternut squash seeds on the same pan that you roast it on…they will burn. See exhibit A above. Doh!
Two years ago: Ham and Cheese Dip
Four years ago: Pistachio-Pear Cucumber Salad
Six years ago: My Favorite French Bread
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Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
Ingredients
- 1 large butternut squash, or 2 small (4 lbs total)
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted
- 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 8 sage leaves, fresh, minced, or 1-2 tablespoons dried sage
- 3 cups vegetable , or chicken broth
- 2 cups water
- 1 & 1/2 teaspoons salt, or more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- 1/3 cup cream
- 1/2 cup roasted pepitas, pumpkin seeds, to garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
- Cut the butternut squash in half, starting at the top and working your way down. See this post for a tutorial on chopping butternut squash. (For this recipe, we are only cutting it in half.)
- Place the squash cut-side-up on the lined baking sheet. Brush with 1 tablespoon melted butter, making sure to coat all the flesh. Season very generously with salt and pepper.
- Roast the squash in the preheated oven for about 50-60 minutes, or until it is tender. A knife inserted in the flesh should slide through easily. Remove from the oven and set aside.
- Meanwhile, chop the apples and onion.
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the other 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. When it is hot, add the apples and the onions. Stir in the chopped sage or dried sage (I've tried both, tastes great either way). Add salt and pepper to taste (in addition to what's called for on the ingredient list.)
- Cook over medium heat until softened, about 7-10 minutes. If the squash is not done, turn off the heat and set aside.
- Use a spoon to scoop the flesh of the butternut squash into the pot with the apples and onions. Throw away the skins.
- Add the broth, water, 1 and 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
- Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 15-20 minutes, using a spoon to break up any large pieces of squash.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the cream.
- Blend the soup using an immersion blender. If you don't have one, transfer the soup in batches (at least 2) to a regular blender. Open the spout top and cover with a kitchen towel before blending to allow the steam to escape. (If you don't, you will end up with boiling hot soup all over your kitchen.) Return the soup to the pot and heat up again, if necessary.
- Garnish with pepitas and a drizzle of cream, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
More easy and healthy soups:
Red Pepper Soup with Black Bean “Meatballs:”
Kale, Chicken, and White Bean Soup with Parmesan Shavings:
More soup please!
Curried Butternut Squash Soup w Whipped Coconut Cream from Heather’s French Press
Carrot Soup with Ginger and Brown Sugar from The Salty Side Dish
Easy Healthy Butternut Squash Soup from Creme de la Crumb
Thai Butternut Squash, Sweet Potato, Carrot Soup from Carlsbad Cravings
Creamy Roasted Tomato Basil Soup from Cafe Delites
My all time favorite soup for fall.
Made this on a whim and LOVED it!!! I used sbout 1/2 cup water less fir a thicker soup. Definitely make this!
Love me some thick soup, great idea! Thanks for adding in your notes Denise!
This soup is one of my family’s favorites! Delicious as is! Trying to count carbs etc for the New Year. Any idea on calories/carbs etc… per serving?
Hi Vivian! I’m so glad you are loving the soup! I don’t provide nutrition info for my recipes unfortunately, but there are many online calculators you could plug it into!
I’ve been doing intermittent fasting, and it’s quite amazing how delicious roasting butternut squash with butter, salt and pepper can smell when you haven’t eaten all day! The soup is perfection. Thanks for the recipe. I didn’t have any pepitas and didn’t let that stop me!
Oooh the smells of food when you are fasting!! It’s enough to knock you out! So glad you liked the soup Xara, thanks for leaving a review!
Made this recipe for the first time and it was wonderful. As good as commercial soups . And, it was done in no time.
Hello,
Sounds like this soup is terrific. Would like to make it however husband allergic to sage. Can I substitute something different? Should I maybe use thyme in its place? If so how much would you suggest?
Thanks
michelle
Hey Michelle! I think thyme would be a great substitute! Really your favorite herb is going to work great. Oregano would be good too. Enjoy!!
This soup is excellent as is. You don’t have to add anything.
I’m so glad you liked it Ann! Thanks for reviewing!
This is a delicious soup. Quite easy as well. After the butter and s&p I topped the squash with a layer of thyme sprigs. I also added a slight grating of nutmeg during the simmer and was generous with rubbed sage. I skipped the cream.
Love the thyme sprigs idea! Thanks for sharing Joe!
Terrific recipe! The soup came out great. I tweaked it just a bit, using just 1 tsp dried sage, adding 1/8 tsp nutmeg and a cinnamon stick.
ooh I like the cinnamon idea! Thanks for the review and tip Brad!
Made this tonight for dinner… Another winner. The 16 month old has TWO bowls. Lol
Now that IS a winner if the baby’s eating it!!
IHey, I’m going to make this soup for Thanksgiving.
But I want to know which is the cream you use
Thank you.
Hey Ruth! Cream is heavy whipping cream. Enjoy!
The soup came out great! However, I think calling it a “one hour weeknight meal” is a bit misleading considering it takes about an hour alone just to roast the squash. It took me upwards of 2 hours and I was able to cook the apples and onions while the squash was roasting and was not otherwise interrupted from the process.
thank you, you are outstanding! incredible! You really blow me away.
Hey I haven’t tried it yet but it smells delicious!! I roasted the apples and onion with the squash and added nutmeg l! However mine is a dark green brown colour, is this normal. I know it will taste great either way but I was looking forward to that orange yellow colour.
Hey Jaimee! I’m wondering if it got over-roasted. I’m also wondering if roasting the apples would darken the color too? How did it taste?