It’s Fall, Soup’s On…Butternut Squash Soup!

Roasted Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

My favorite soup of the fall season is Butternut Squash Soup.  I have been making it for years and I can’t get enough of it.  Last summer I was craving the flavors of fall so that I even tried to grow my own squash, but that didn’t work out (lack of bees, overrun by critters).  Even though I had to head to the market to gather my supplies, it is still a simple soup made from ingredients that can be purchased locally, if you so choose.  Here in the northeast,  it’s apple-picking season, so between my squash from a neighboring state and local apples, I have a pretty tasty New England soup… It’s just not clam chowder (I can’t do dairy).  But I think it’s better than chowder;  it’s vegetarian, vegan, and dairy free, and it is packed with the flavors of fall!  Without further ado, I introduce you to the best soup ever, Roasted Butternut Squash and Apple Soup!

Roasted Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

Makes approximately 16 cups

6 pounds butternut squash

2 pounds granny smith apples, peeled, cored and cubed

1 medium sweet onion, diced

3 Tablespoons olive oil

2 Tablespoons fresh ginger

5 cups vegetable stock

salt and pepper to taste

This soup can be prepared in about 45 minutes, or you can do it in stages.  Preheat the oven to 450 F degrees.  First, slice the butternut squash lengthwise and de-seed them.  You can use a soup spoon to scrape out the seeds.

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Now you see them…

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Now you don’t!

Roast them on a baking sheet for 40 minutes, cut side down.  Test to see that they are cooked through by piercing the squash with a fork.  If they are cooked through, the fork will slide in like butta (vegan butta, of course).

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Roast the squash, cut side down.

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Yum, but we must wait for the soup!

While the squash is roasting, heat up a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat and add the olive oil.  Chop the onion and add it to the pot.  Cook the onion until it is translucent.  Next, peel, core and cube the apples.  Add the apples, fresh ginger and vegetable stock to the pot and bring to a boil.  When the stock is boiling, cover the pot and reduce the heat to simmer.  Cook until the apples are soft, about 20 minutes.

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Onions, apples, ginger and vegetable stock waiting to boil.

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The apples are cooked until soft and the house smells incredible!

The next step is to remove the squash from the skin.  You can do this with your hand or a spoon.  I tend to do both.

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De-skinned butternut squash…yum, but wait for the soup!

Now it’s time to blend all of the ingredients together.  If you have an immersion blender, use that; you can blend the ingredients in the pot and save yourself extra equipment to wash.  If you don’t have one, you can use a food processor and blend in batches.  If you go with the latter method, put all of the batches back in the pot, stir and reheat to serve.  Make sure to taste and add salt and pepper to taste. Depending on the sodium content of your vegetable stock, you may need to add a little or a lot.  I use a low sodium stock so I added a teaspoon of salt and 3 cranks of my pepper grinder.

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Gotta love an immersion blender!

If you want to make this soup in stages, you can roast the butternut squash and let cool and make the apple stock at a later time.  Or make the stock first and cook the squash later on and combine the two when you have the time.  It’s such an easy soup, it doesn’t mind how you make it!

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Roasted Butternut Squash Soup!

And there you have it – the best Roasted Butternut Squash and Apple Soup in all of New England.  Take that Clam Chowda!

Roasted Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

Prep Time 45 minutes
Servings 16 cups

Ingredients

  • 6 pounds butternut squash
  • 2 pounds granny smith apples peeled, cored and cubed
  • 1 medium sweet onion diced
  • 3 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 Tablespoons fresh ginger
  • 5 cups vegetable stock
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 450 F degrees.  Slice the butternut squash lengthwise and de-seed them.  

  2. Roast them on a baking sheet for 40 minutes, cut side down.  Test to see that they are cooked through by piercing the squash with a fork.  

  3. While the squash is roasting, heat up a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat and add the olive oil.  Chop the onion and add it to the pot.  Cook the onion until it is translucent.  Next, peel, core, and cube the apples.  Add the apples, fresh ginger, and vegetable stock to the pot and bring to a boil.  When the stock is boiling, cover the pot and reduce the heat to simmer.  Cook until the apples are soft, about 20 minutes.
  4. Remove the squash from the skin and add it to the pot.

  5. Blend the ingredients in the pot using an immersion blender. You can use a food processor and blend in batches, return it to the pot, stir and reheat to serve.  Add salt and pepper to taste. 

Recipe Notes

If you want to make this soup in stages, you can roast the butternut squash and let cool and make the apple stock at a later time.  Or make the stock first and cook the squash later on and combine the two when you have the time.

 

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Beth Rosen

Eating Attitudes™ & Gut Expert

Beth Rosen, MS, RD, CDN is a Registered Dietitian and owner of Beth Rosen Nutrition. She practices a non-diet philosophy and is a Health at Every Size" practitioner. Her goal is to end the pain of diet culture, one person at a time. Beth's techniques and programs empower chronic dieters, and those who consider themselves emotional and /or stress eaters, to ditch the vicious cycle of dieting, eat fearlessly by removing Food and diet rules, and mend their relationship with food and their bodies. Beth's works face-to-face with clients in Southbury, CT, and virtually with clients, worldwide.

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