This soup always reminds me of sitting in my dorm room in the chilly winter months at university.
I’ve tried all types of butternut squash soup and have finally figured out my perfect version* of one of my all time favourite soups.
Ingredients
2 large butternut squash
3 Tbsp. Olive oil
1 cup onion, diced
2 – 3 cloves garlic, diced
1/4 cup butter
Chicken stock**
1 cup table cream (or more if you like) [optional]
Salt and pepper to tastePreheat oven to 375° F.
Method
Cut butternut squash lengthwise and scrape out seeds. Brush all sides of the squash halves with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Place the butternut squash, cut sides down, on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Bake for 60 minutes, or until squash is tender.
When squash is cooked, remove from oven and allow to cool (this could take a few hours). When the squash is cool, peel the skin off the squash or spoon out the softened squash. (I like to get messy, and peel the squash, that way you don’t leave any behind.)
In a large saucepan, melt butter and add onion. Cook until onion is clear in colour and fragrant (about five minutes). Add the diced garlic and allow to cook for a few minutes. Put the peeled squash in the saucepan, and add enough chicken stock to cover the squash by about two or so inches (the more stock you add, the less heavy it will be). Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes.
Puree the squash, stock and onions until smooth. (You can eat the soup at this point if you want to omit the cream.)
At this point, you can add the cream. If you do, make sure you reheat the soup, just simmer over medium to low heat.
Serve for dinner with your family’s favourite grilled cheese (ours is brie), as a first course for Thanksgiving, or freeze and reheat for those cold winter nights.
Enjoy!
*This recipe was adapted from FourtySomething.ca.
** You can use vegetable broth to make this recipe vegetarian. You can cook the onions in olive oil and omit the cream to make it vegan.
