“Sunshine in a bowl” – that’s what I think of when having butternut squash soup. It’s the perfect fall/winter soup. Roasting the squash, however, kicks it up a notch, because roasting gives the soup an earthy, caramelized sweet flavor. Butternut squash is hearty and grounding. It’s high in beta-carotene and alpha carotene, which your body converts to vitamin A; and vitamin A is important for the immune system, which may need a little boost right now. The spices of cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg warm you up and encourage healthy digestion.
Ingredients:
1 large Butternut Squash (3 lbs.) halved vertically, and seeds removed
1/2 yellow onion
1 teaspoon olive oil plus more if needed
2 teaspoons maple syrup
3-4 cups vegetable broth
Freshly ground black pepper, and salt to taste
Cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon
Nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon
Ginger 1/4 teaspoon
Optional: 1 tablespoon of butter or Ghee (clarified butter), but omit this if you want to keep the soup dairy-free.
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
Place the squash on the pan and drizzle each half with olive oil (about ½ teaspoon for each half).
Rub the oil over the inside of the squash, and sprinkle squash with salt and pepper.
Turn the squash face down and roast until it’s tender and cooked through, about 50 minutes.
After 25 minutes, spread a little oil on the cut side of the onion and add it to the baking tray, cut side down.
Continue cooking for the remaining 25 minutes.
Remove the tray from the oven and let the squash and onion cool down, about 10 minutes.
Using a large spoon, scoop out the pumpkin flesh and transfer to a blender.
Remove the outer layer of the onion and dice the remaining onion. Add the diced onion, maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and vegetable broth to the blender (start with 3 cups of vegetable broth and add more if needed). Also, add in the ghee or butter if you’re using it.
Blend on high until creamy, about 1-2 minutes. Taste the soup and add more salt and pepper if needed.
Pour the soup into serving bowls, and garnish with parsley or pepitas if you’d like.
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