Tasty Butternut Squash Soup

Smooth and silky butternut squash soup is a must-have for cold weather. The secret to making the best butternut squash soup you have ever had is to roast the squash until deeply browned and caramelized in the oven, then purée it with a base of browned butter and sautéed onions. A dollop of sour cream, cinnamon, nutmeg-spiced whipped cream, and frizzled sage makes this a wintertime classic.

Ingredients for Butternut Squash Soup:  

 

Butternut squash - 1 (peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes) 

 

Carrot - 1 (peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks) 

 

Olive oil - 2 tbsp. 

 

Unsalted butter - 2 tbsp.(divided if using sage leaves) 

 

Yellow onion - 1 (thinly sliced) 

 

Garlic - 4 cloves (thinly sliced) 

 

vegetable stock - 4 cups 

 

Thyme - 2 sprigs 

 

Bay leaf - 1 

 

Salt - to taste 

 

Ground black pepper - to taste 

 

Sour cream - 1/4 cup 

 

Ground cinnamon - a pinch 

 

Nutmeg - a pinch 

 

Sage - 20 leaves (optional) 

 

Method of preparing the Butternut Squash Soup: 

Preheat the oven to 425°F (230°C). 

 

Toss the squash and carrot with olive oil and arrange on two rimmed baking sheets, being sure not to overcrowd the sheets. Roast until the squash and carrot are well-browned on a couple of sides, about 40 minutes. Set aside. 

 

In a large saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat until it starts to brown. Add the onion and garlic, lower the heat to medium, and cook, stirring, until soft and lightly golden, about 10 minutes. 

 

Add the squash and carrot to the saucepan and remove them from the heat. Pour ½ cup stock into each baking sheet and scrape up any browned bits, then pour into a saucepan. Add the remaining stock, thyme sprigs, and bay leaf and return to medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer, then lower the heat and simmer until vegetables are very soft, about 10 minutes. Discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaf. 

 

Using a blender or stick blender, blend the soup until it’s completely smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Return soup to the saucepan and thin out with additional stock until the desired consistency is reached, if necessary. Keep warm. 

 

Meanwhile, in a stand mixer, or using a handheld whisk, beat cream and sour cream with cinnamon, nutmeg, and a pinch of salt until stiff. Set aside. 

 

If using sage leaves, melt the remaining 5 tablespoons of butter in a small skillet over medium-high heat, swirling gently, until foamy and just beginning to brown. Add the sage leaves, swirling to submerge, and cook until frizzled, about 15 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sage leaves to a paper towel to drain. Sprinkle lightly with salt. 

 

Ladle the soup into warm bowls, spoon dollops of the spiced whipped cream into each one, and top with frizzled sage.

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