USA · Soups · Vegetarian
Butternut Squash Soup
Roasted butternut squash blended with garlic, onion, and a touch of cream. Roasting is what separates a deep, caramelized soup from a flat one — don't skip it.
60 min 210 kcal 4 serves Medium🌿Vegetarian🇺🇸USA★★★★☆4.4· 5 reviews
Ingredients
ServingsMetric
- 1.5 kgbutternut squash, halved and seeds removed
- 1 medium onion
- 4 garlic cloves, unpeeled
- 3 tbspolive oil
- 800 mlvegetable broth
- 100 mlheavy cream or coconut milk
- ½ tspground nutmeg
- ½ tspsmoked paprika
- 1 tspsalt
- ½ tspblack pepper
- 2 tbsppumpkin seeds
- 1 tbspfresh sage leaves
Method
- Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). Place squash halves cut-side down on a lined baking sheet. Add the onion chunks and unpeeled garlic cloves alongside. Drizzle everything with olive oil.
- Roast for 40–50 minutes until the squash flesh is completely tender and the cut edges have browned. The browning is flavor — don't pull it out early.
- Set aside for 10 minutes to cool slightly. Scoop the squash flesh into a blender or large pot. Squeeze the roasted garlic from its skins and add it in. Add the onion.
- Pour in the broth and blend until completely smooth. For the silkiest result, use a countertop blender rather than an immersion blender. Work in batches if needed and hold the lid down with a folded kitchen towel.
- Pour the blended soup into a pot over medium heat. Stir in the cream or coconut milk, nutmeg, and smoked paprika. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
- Simmer gently for 5 minutes. Serve topped with pumpkin seeds and crispy fried sage leaves.
FAQ
Almost always because the squash wasn't roasted first. Raw squash boiled directly in broth releases water and produces a flat, slightly starchy result. Roasting at 200°C concentrates the sugars and caramelizes the edges — that's where the depth comes from. Also check your fat: without cream, coconut milk, or at least a tablespoon of butter stirred in at the end, the soup will stay thin and one-dimensional.
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Comments (1)
Bring this butternut squash soup to a full boil first, then drop it to the gentlest simmer your stove can manage. Aggressive boiling turns the butternut squash mushy and makes the broth cloudy. Patience here means clarity and texture.