Butternut Squash Soup for Cooler Autumn Nights

A couple of weeks ago, I shared a butternut squash soup that I created for those hot autumn nights when all you want is soups and stews, but the thermometer stubbornly stays over 95 degrees. Now it looks like autumn temperatures might be here to stay. This recipe is for a friend who loves butternut squash in all forms. This is warming and velvety and simply soul-satisfying. I hope you all enjoy it as much as we do at my house!

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients

1 large butternut squash (about 3 pounds)
1 large shallot
4 to 6 cloves garlic, whole
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cups (more or less) chicken or vegetable broth or stock
½ cup heavy cream
½ bunch fresh sage (if you don’t like sage, try tarragon or basil, but sage really, really works with butternut squash!)
a couple of dashes of hot sauce
salt and (lots of) freshly ground pepper to taste
For garnishes: crème fraiche, pepitas, fresh sage leaves

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425°.

Cut the butternut squash in half vertically and scoop out the seeds. Peel the shallots. Do NOT peel the garlic cloves. Toss all with the olive oil and place on a baking sheet. Make sure the cut sides of the squash are down. Roast for about 40 minutes or until the squash is fork tender. Remove from the oven and set aside until the squash is cool enough to handle.

From here on, you have two options as to how to proceed. You can either use an immersion blender or a stand blender.

If you use an immersion blender, scoop out the roasted squash into a large pot over medium heat. Add in the roasted shallot. Squeeze the roasted garlic out of their paper into the pot as well. Add in a little less than three cups of the broth and warm through. Using an immersion blender, blend until the soup is smooth. Add in the cream and stir. If the soup is too thick for your liking, add more broth until it reaches your desired consistency. Taste and season with the hot sauce, salt, and pepper. Add in the fresh sage, stems and all, and bring to the barest simmer for at least 15 minutes. Serve warm with your desired garnish.

If you use a stand blender, scoop out the roasted squash into the pitcher of the blender, along with the roasted shallot. Squeeze the roasted garlic from their paper into the pitcher. Add in about 2 cups of the broth, cover the opening with a clean kitchen towel (do NOT use the lid if the squash is still warm), and blend until smooth. Pour the mixture into a pot over medium heat. Stir in the remaining cup of broth and the cream. If the soup is too thick for your liking, add more broth until it reaches your desired consistency. Taste and season with the hot sauce, salt, and pepper. Add in the fresh sage, stems and all, and bring to the barest simmer for at least 15 minutes. Serve warm with your desired garnish.

This will serve four as a main meal with a lovely salad (try this salad) and some good bread.