When days are cooler, or downright cold, there is nothing better to warm the tummy than a bowl of comfort soup. One of the soups I place in that category is homemade Roasted Butternut Squash Soup. Full of flavour with a lovely velvety texture, Roasted Butternut Squash Soup has a rich natural golden-yellow color that can’t be beat! This is a showstopper soup on both the taste and appetizing color fronts, the latter of which is drawn from the orange, fleshy pulp of the squash.

This soup offers a delicate balance of sweet and savory notes and, while it can certainly be made year-round, this soup is most often served in the fall because its ingredients speak to autumn flavours like the squash, apple, and root vegetables that are fresh and local in most places in autumn.

Butternut squash is inexpensive, readily available year-round and, because of its bulk and substance, goes a long way as an ingredient in various dishes, including soup. That’s in addition to it being both healthy and delicious with its slightly sweet nutty flavour.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup freezes well, so long as it is made with whole milk (not fat-reduced) or, alternatively, with a blend of whole milk and cream. In fact, this soup has now joined the ranks of being one of my staples that I freeze in single-serving portions ready for weekday lunch bags. It’s lovely on its own or paired with a favorite sandwich. A real treat in the middle of a work day!

Roasting vegetables brings out deep, rich flavours that, in my opinion, are sometimes lost in other cooking methods like boiling, for example, where some of the flavour and nutrients get washed down the sink when the cooked vegetables are drained. With roasting, all nutrients and flavours are retained. Butternut squash is very easy to roast. Simply slice the squash in half, vertically, and clean out the seeds and fibrous membrane.

Lightly brush the cut sides and cleaned out hollow of the squash halves with a light coating of olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place squash halves, cut side down, on greased tinfoil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Bake at 425°F for about 35 minutes then flip the squash halves over, brush again very lightly with olive oil and roast for another 15-20 minutes, or until the flesh is soft when pierced with a fork. Make sure the squash does not start to burn or char. If you see this happening, loosely place a piece of tin foil over the squash. Remove the squash from the oven and let it cool for about 10 minutes then, with a large spoon, scoop the pulp away from the skin and transfer to a bowl. This can be done the day before the soup is made. Make sure to cover the squash and refrigerate it until needed. Don’t let the squash cool completely before removing it from its skin as, otherwise, it will be difficult to remove it away from the skin (experience speaking here). I like to roast the squash, cut-side down, because it keeps the moisture in and caramelizes the flesh of the squash. I do, however, flip the squash halves over part way through the roasting process because I find it gives the squash a nice roasted flavour.

I also find that roasting the squash whole versus cutting it into chunks is preferable. First, it’s hard to cut uncooked squash but it is very easy to scoop out soft roasted pulp from the squash skin. And, second, the roasting needs to occur at a reasonably high temperature and small chunks will burn easily and won’t have the caramelized flavour that can be achieved through the roasting process, particularly in the early stage where the squash is roasted, cut side down. A lovely deep roasted flavour is the objective, not a burnt/charred taste. This, to say, I think I have more control over the flavour if the squash is roasted whole.

The base for Roasted Butternut Squash Soup starts out like many other cream soups with the aromatics being sautéed till fragrant and starting to soften. The chicken broth and seasonings are then added to the pot and the vegetables, along with the apple, continue to cook in the broth until tender. I don’t add the squash into the soup at this point because I think that cooking it too long in the broth causes it to lose some of its rich caramelized/roasted flavour and, since it is already cooked, it is not necessary to cook it further. The vegetable/broth mixture is removed from the heat and cooled for about 30 minutes – I don’t like to put hot mixtures into my blender jar. To speed up the cooling process of the broth, I often place the stockpot containing the vegetables and broth into a sink filled with ice cold water. The mixture does not have to be completely cooled, just not boiling hot. Once cooled enough to work with and ready for puréeing, remove the bay leaves, stir in the roasted squash, then purée the whole mixture until velvety smooth.

The puréed mixture goes back on to the stove with some maple syrup for a touch of sweetness and the whole milk (or a combination of whole milk and cream) along with a blend of Parmesan and cheddar cheeses. Continue to taste the soup throughout the cooking processes and add additional salt and pepper, to taste, if and as necessary. Heat only until the mixture is heated and the cheeses melted. Never boil a cream soup.

Serve this soup plain or garnish it with seasoned croutons, a dollop of sour cream with a sprinkle of fresh herbs or toasted butternut seeds, or a toasted baguette slice topped with cheese, herbs, and bacon.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup is a rich, velvety-smooth and comforting soup that is filled with the wonderful flavours of autumn. This luxurious, yet economical, cream soup is sure to be one you will make again and again, anytime of the year.

[Printable recipe follows at end of posting]

Classic Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients:

1 large butternut squash (apx. 3 lbs)
Olive oil
Salt and Pepper

3 – 4 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
2/3 cup onion, finely chopped
¼ cup celery, thinly sliced
¼ cup carrot, thinly sliced
¼ cup parsnip, thinly sliced
5 cloves garlic, minced

4 cups chicken or turkey stock, homemade or store-bought
1 small apple (any variety), peeled and diced
3 bay leaves
¾ tsp dried summer savory
¼ tsp dried sage
1/8 tsp nutmeg
Pinch ginger
Pinch cayenne (optional)
Salt and freshly Ground Pepper, to taste

2 tbsp pure maple syrup
1¼ cups whole milk (or combination of whole milk and cream)

2 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup coarsely grated cheddar cheese

Method:

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Wash butternut squash. With large chef’s knife, slice the squash in half, vertically. With large spoon, scoop out the seeds and fibrous matter from the interior of each squash half (save the seeds for roasting!)

Prepare large rimmed baking sheet by lining with tin foil sprayed lightly with cooking oil. Lightly brush the cut sides and scooped out hollow of the squash halves with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the squash halves, cut side down, on the baking sheet. Roast the squash in preheated oven for about 35 minutes. Remove the squash from the oven and, with a large flat lifter, carefully flip the squash pieces over, applying another light brushing of olive oil to the flesh side. Return the squash to the oven for about another 15-20 minutes, or until the flesh of the squash is very soft when pierced with a fork. Remove from oven and let squash cool for 10 minutes or so. Scoop out the flesh and place in medium-sized bowl. (Do not let squash cool completely as it will be difficult to remove from its skin.)

In large stockpot, heat the butter over medium heat till melted. Add the olive oil. Add the onion, celery, carrot, and parsnip. Stir briskly for 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute, continuing to stir the mixture.

Add the chicken stock, apple, and spices. Bring to a boil over medium high heat then reduce heat to medium-low and cook until vegetables are soft, about 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and cool for about 30 minutes. Remove and discard bay leaves. Stir in cooked squash.

Purée soup mixture in blender until very smooth. Work in batches, starting with one cup of the mixture, puréeing it until smooth, then adding another 1 to 1½ cups, never filling the blender jug more than a scant half full at a time. Transfer puréed mixture to clean stockpot. Add the maple syrup and milk. Stir well. Heat slowly over medium-low heat but do not boil. Add the Parmesan and cheddar cheese. Stir until cheeses are melted. Serve plain or garnish with croutons and some toasted squash seeds, a dollop of sour cream with a sprinkle of fresh herbs, or a toasted baguette slice topped with cheese, herbs, and bacon.

Yield: Apx. 8-10 servings (apx. 1 cup per serving)

Note:
To make this soup lactose-free, use lactose-free butter, milk, and cheese.

Classic Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

This classic roasted butternut squash soup is luxuriously thick, velvety smooth, and is packed full of flavourful aromatics, light seasonings, and a blend of cheeses. Pure comfort food at its finest!

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Servings 8

My Island Bistro Kitchen My Island Bistro Kitchen

Ingredients

1 large butternut squash apx. 3 lbs
Olive oil
Salt and Pepper
3 - 4 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
2/3 cup onion finely chopped
¼ cup celery thinly sliced
¼ cup carrot thinly sliced
¼ cup parsnip thinly sliced
5 cloves garlic minced
4 cups chicken or turkey stock homemade or store-bought
1 small apple any variety, peeled and diced
3 bay leaves
¾ tsp dried summer savory
¼ tsp dried sage
1/8 tsp nutmeg
Pinch ginger
Pinch cayenne optional
Salt and freshly Ground Pepper to taste
2 tbsp pure maple syrup
1¼ cups whole milk or combination of whole milk and cream
2 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup coarsely grated cheddar cheese

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425°F.
Wash butternut squash. With large chef’s knife, slice the squash in half, vertically. With large spoon, scoop out the seeds and fibrous matter from the interior of each squash half (save the seeds for roasting!)
Prepare large rimmed baking sheet by lining with tin foil sprayed lightly with cooking oil. Lightly brush the cut sides and scooped out hollow of the squash halves with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the squash halves, cut side down, on the baking sheet. Roast the squash in preheated oven for about 35 minutes. Remove the squash from the oven and, with a large flat lifter, carefully flip the squash pieces over, applying another light brushing of olive oil to the flesh side. Return the squash to the oven for about another 15-20 minutes, or until the flesh of the squash is very soft when pierced with a fork. Remove from oven and let squash cool for 10 minutes or so. Scoop out the flesh and place in medium-sized bowl. (Do not let squash cool completely as it will be difficult to remove from its skin.)
In large stockpot, heat the butter over medium heat till melted. Add the olive oil. Add the onion, celery, carrot, and parsnip. Stir briskly for 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute, continuing to stir the mixture.
Add the chicken stock, apple, and spices. Bring to a boil over medium high heat then reduce heat to medium-low and cook until vegetables are soft, about 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and cool for about 30 minutes. Remove and discard bay leaves. Stir in cooked squash.
Purée soup mixture in blender until very smooth. Work in batches, starting with one cup of the mixture, puréeing it until smooth, then adding another 1 to 1½ cups, never filling the blender jug more than a scant half full at a time. Transfer puréed mixture to clean stockpot. Add the maple syrup and milk. Stir well. Heat slowly over medium-low heat but do not boil. Add the Parmesan and cheddar cheese. Stir until cheeses are melted. Serve plain or garnish with croutons and some toasted squash seeds, a dollop of sour cream with a sprinkle of fresh herbs, or a toasted baguette slice topped with cheese, herbs, and bacon.

Recipe Notes

To make this soup lactose-free, use lactose-free butter, milk, and cheese.

For other great soup, chowder, chili, and stock/broth recipes from My Island Bistro Kitchen, click on the links below:

Cranberry Blueberry Sauce

September 25, 2018 Barbara99

Combining the sweet and tart flavors of blueberries and cranberries makes for a delectable cranberry blueberry sauce. Their flavors play well off of each other. Most will be familiar with the traditional cranberry sauce that, for many, has to be part of a roasted turkey or chicken dinner. Click here for my recipe for classic cranberry sauce.

As a variation to that sauce, I have created a recipe using a blend of cranberries and high bush blueberries.

This sauce, in a gorgeous deep burgundy-purple color, pairs well with poultry and even with beef and pork dishes. The blueberries add a layer of natural sweetness to the sauce and pair well with the more tart cranberries, toning them down just a bit but still letting the cranberry flavor come through.

The key to making a nice consistency sauce with blueberries and cranberries is to, first, make a simple syrup of water and sugar then add the cranberries that take longer to cook than the blueberries which are added to the late stage cooking. The secret to getting a thickened sauce is to stir it both while it is cooking and cooling. Stir it lots during the cooling process – it will appear quite watery when it comes off the stove but, by stirring it as it cools, you’ll be amazed how it thickens well.

If I am plating a meal, I like to put the sauce in a small condiment dish on each plate. This contains the sauce which, regardless how thick it is, tends to run into other foods on the plate.

This sauce, like my traditional cranberry sauce, freezes well. I make up a batch or two at a time and freeze it in airtight serving-size dishes – some are single serving, some are double, and some are larger size. To thaw, simply remove the sauce from the freezer and thaw at room temperature for an hour or so (depending on the size of container, of course).

[Printable recipe follows at end of post]

Cranberry Blueberry Sauce

Ingredients:
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1 cup water

1½ cups cranberries, fresh or frozen
½ cup apple, finely chopped
1/4 cup orange juice

2/3 cup high-bush blueberries, fresh or frozen
¼ tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
Pinch allspice
1 star anise pod (optional)

1 tsp finely grated orange rind
Method:
In medium-sized saucepan, bring sugars and water to boil. Boil, uncovered, for 5 minutes over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.

Add cranberries, apple, and orange juice. Bring to a boil. Cook, uncovered, over medium-low heat, stirring periodically throughout the cooking process for about 8 minutes then add the blueberries and spices. Increase heat to return mixture to boiling point then reduce heat to medium-low and continue to stir the sauce periodically while cooking it for another 10 minutes or until mixture thickens and blueberries have softened.

Remove saucepan from heat and remove the star anise pod. Add orange rind. Stir frequently as the sauce cools to help it to thicken.

Store, covered, in refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze for longer storage.

Yield: Apx. 2 cups