This Creamy Roasted Butternut Squash Soup is rich and velvety in texture and sweet and nutty in flavor! Topped with walnuts, crispy sage and a swirl of creme fraiche, this soup is decadent tasting, yet healthy on your waistline!
slaving away at doing in the kitchen, if they are slurping on this soup!
-xoxo-
Cheyanne
- 2 pound Whole Butternut Squash (about 1 large sized squash) – halved lengthwise and seeds removed
- 2 TBS Butter , divided
- Salt and Pepper , to taste
- 1 small Granny Smith Apple (about 4 oz.) – peeled, cored and medium dice
- 1 TBS Lemon Juice
- 1 small Yellow Onion – medium dice
- 2 cloves Garlic - minced
- 4 large Sage Leaves – roughly chopped
- 2 ½ Cups low sodium Chicken Stock
- Pinch Nutmeg
- ¾ tsp Salt
- ¼ tsp Pepper
- Scant 1 TBS Heavy Cream (can substitute half and half)
- 1/3 Cup Walnuts – toasted and roughly chopped into pieces, for garnish
- Crème Fraiche or Sour Cream, for garnish
- Whole Sage Leaves , to crisp for garnish**
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and place the oven rack in the middle position.
- Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy clean up. Place squash halves, cut side up, on the prepared baking sheet. Pierce each squash half with a fork or skewer several times
- Melt 1 TBS butter and brush (or use fingers to rub) it all over the top and insides of squash halves. Season liberally with salt and pepper.
- Roast the squash until tender, and a knife can easily be inserted, about 50 minutes to 1 hour. Halfway through cooking time, remove squash from oven and use a pastry brush to brush butter, that has pooled in the cavity of butternut squash halves, onto the tops of the squash. Return to oven.
- When the squash is cooked and knife tender, remove the baking sheet from the oven and set on a wire rack to allow the squash to cool off until ready to handle.
- Meanwhile, melt the remaining ½ TBS butter in a large heavy bottomed saucepan, or dutch oven, over medium heat.
- Add the apple, lemon juice, onion, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5-8 minutes. Add the chopped sage and garlic. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove the pan from heat and set aside.
- Use a large spoon to scoop the butternut squash flesh into the pan with the sautéed onion mixture; discard squash skin.
- Place saucepan over medium high heat and add the stock, nutmeg and measured out salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
- Bring contents to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, over medium low heat, and continue to cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove pan from the heat and stir in heavy cream.
- Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth. Alternatively, you can transfer the soup to a blender, and puree in batches.
- Taste the soup and adjust for seasoning.
- For Crispy Sage Leaves: Melt ½ TBS of butter in saucepan. Add the sage leaves and cook, quickly, until till crisp, about 30 seconds to 1 minute per side. Remove crispy sage leaves to a paper towel. Set aside until ready to garnish soup.
- Garnish soup with crispy sage leaves, toasted walnut pieces and a dollop of crème fraiche.
Yield: 5 Cups
*You can keep the soup warm, covered over low heat until ready to serve.
*If you want a thinner soup, add more chicken stock, ¼ cup at a time until desired consistency.
**Use 1-2 whole sage leaves to crisp per person you are serving.
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