A rainy football Sunday + the second day of autumn= roasted butternut squash soup in our house.
This bowl of savory soup envelopes the senses and evokes all our favorite things about autumn; football, the changing leaves, crisp fall days, abundant squash varieties, and cozy spices.
Roasted Veggies
I have tried several different recipes for butternut squash soup and this one is my favorite, by far. I found it at Stupid Easy Paleo, which is a fabulous resource for all-things paleo. It is also quite easy; you roast the veggies, mix in some spices, add some liquid, add throw in a blender.
More savory than sweet…
I tend toward the savory when looking for a good squash soup so if you are more inclined toward sweet butternut squash soups, this may not work for you. If you are looking to sweeten up this soup, feel free to throw in a Granny Smith apple (or your favorite variety).
Everything in the blender
There is a slight sweetness created by the caramelization of the veggies in the roasting process and enhanced by the cinnamon, but its quite subtle. Its perfect for those tastebuds trained off of sweet by Whole30! I am on day #7 of round 4 so this is perfect for me.
Some additions…
The toasted pumpkin seeds (or pepitas) are just the right crunch and add a healthy fat to the soup. If you are on a Whole30 round, you could add coconut yogurt or coconut milk as a “cream” to drizzle, but I like mine plain with some nuts. If you are not making this Whole30 compliant, feel free to experiment with finishing this soup with crème fraîche or Mexican crema or sour cream. Some alternatives to pumpkin seeds are walnuts, hazelnuts, or pecans. I would encourage you to toast them because it releases their oils and enhances their flavor. I generally toast nuts in the toaster oven for about 5-10 minutes on 300 degrees F or in a dry pan on med-low heat. Just keep a close watch on them so they don’t burn.
Busy Family Tip: While you are cleaning up from dinner the night before, roast the veggies on a sheet pan and store in the fridge for tomorrow (or whenever you are ready to make the soup).
You will definitely have a happy start to autumn with this fall classic. Enjoy!
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
Butternut Squash Goodness
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
Print RecipeIngredients
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 large butternut squash, cut in half with seeds removed
- 3 large carrots
- 1/2 medium onion, roughly chopped
- 2 cups of chicken broth (up to 1 cup more if you want soup to be less thick)
- 1/2 cup full fat coconut milk
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp ground sage
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Pepitas, toasted (or other nut of your choice)
- Coconut milk/coconut yogurt/sour cream/Mexican crema/ crème fraîche/bacon bits (all optional)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Line baking sheet with parchment.
Brush all veggies with avocado oil.
Salt and pepper all of the veggies.
Turn the cut sides of the squash face-down on the pan and roast for about 45-60 minutes (until squash is soft and caramelized). You may have to take out onions and/or carrots before squash is done.
Remove from oven and allow to cool down a little bit.
Place pumpkin seeds in toaster oven set to 300 degrees. Cook for 4-5 minutes. Set aside.
Remove squash from skin by scooping the flesh out or peel the skin from the flesh. Place flesh, veggies, chicken broth, coconut milk, and spices in the blender. Blend until smooth.
Serve immediately with seed/nut garnish.
Notes
If you allow the veggies to cool down too much, feel free to blend until hot or simply pour the soup into a saucepan and heat up on the stove. I use my Vitamix set to high for 3-4 minutes in order to heat up soup.
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