Warm & Cozy Autumn Squash Soup
Ahhh, it's finally fall!!!!! I've been waiting for this day since summer started. It's finally time for my favorite weather, my favorite holiday, and all my favorite foods. And blankets! And books! And sleeping with the windows open!
One of the best parts of fall? The in-season vegetables! I know most people immediately go to pumpkin, and I like pumpkin too but it's not my favorite. My go-to fall and winter vegetable is butternut squash!
If I could, I would go to Newport, RI every single day to Mama Luisa and get their butternut squash ravioli. It's my number one most favorite thing to eat on this entire planet. Just thinking about it right now, I'm having a hard time not jumping in my car to go and get some.
Well, I can't go today. It's too far, and we are trying to cut back on eating out. I've also never successfully recreated that dish at home. It's something about the sauce! I just can't make it the same way.
Soooooooo instead, I'm going to make something really easy and tasty with butternut squash. And pumpkin! I like to call it "Autumn Squash Soup."
This is one of my favorite fall soups. It's so warm and cozy, and has amazing flavor. It's really good with a nice crispy piece of bread on the side, and some pumpkin seeds sprinkled on top. This recipe tastes a lot like the amazing Autumn Squash Soup from Panera! (If you haven't had that before, I HIGHLY recommend it.) I actually used that soup as my inspiration when I created this recipe.
I love how simple this dish is to throw together. I can get home from work and have it on the table in no-time. You can buy a full butternut squash and cut it up yourself, or if you are feeling lazy, just buy the kind that's already cut up by your grocery store :) That's what I did today!
By the way, my husband was dreading this soup. He doesn't like butternut squash, and he really doesn't like anything with curry (I add curry & ginger for some WOW flavor.) I selfishly decided to forge ahead with my plan despite his protests. Well guess what... he tried it and LOVED it! He couldn't stop saying how good it was. So, even if you aren't a big fan of curry flavor, give this a try. There is only 1/4 teaspoon of curry in here so it's very subtle, but it just gives this soup and incredible warmth and flavor. I'm obsessed.
Warm & Cozy Autumn Squash Soup
Serves: 6 Prep time: 5 Minutes Cook Time: 45 Minutes
Ingredients:
8 oz pre-cubed Butternut Squash
3 Tbsp Coconut Oil
15 Oz. Can Pumpkin
1 1/2 Cups Apple Juice
1 1/2 Cups Vegetable Broth
1 1/2 Cups Heavy Cream
3 Oz. cream cheese
1 1/2 Tbsp. Honey
2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
1/4 tsp Curry Powder
1/4 tsp Ground Ginger
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
Sea Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste
Pumpkin Seeds for garnish
Directions:
Preheat oven to 450.
Spread cubed butternut squash evenly on baking sheet. Drizzle with coconut oil, and sprinkle with salt & pepper (a generous amount of each.)
Bake for 20-25 minutes until cubes are easily pierced with a fork.
Remove from oven, and mash each cube with a fork (or just use a potato masher.)
In a stock pot, add mashed butternut squash. Add can of pumpkin, apple juice, vegetable broth, heavy cream, and cream cheese.
Use an immersion blender to blend until smooth, or use a regular blender then return mixture to pot. Just make sure it's nice and smooth with no chunks!
Add honey, brown sugar, curry powder, ginger, cinnamon, salt and pepper and stir well.
Cook on medium high heat for 15 minutes, or until heated through. Stir frequently.
Serve with pumpkin seeds sprinkled on top, and a nice crispy piece of bread on the side! Enjoy!
Do you have a favorite fall soup recipe? Share in the comments below!
