Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

By aribear

Ingredients

• Optional garnish:
• 4 bags (12oz each) cubed butternut squash from Trader Joe’s
• 2 cups gluten free vegetable broth, NOT low-sodium (Trader Joe’s is the best!)
• 1 14 oz can light coconut milk (Trader Joe’s is great!)
• 1 tsp dried ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (this adds some good heat. You can add less or leave out if you don’t want it to be spicy!)
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 package bacon of choice (try to buy one that’s uncured, organic, and nitrate/ nitrite-free!), cooked and crumbled

Details

Servings 8
Adapted from ilyskitchen.com

Preparation

Step 1

Pre-heat your oven to 425F. On a cookie sheet spread out the cubed squash and drizzle very lightly with the olive oil. Crack on some salt and pepper and mix together with your hands. Roast for 25-30 minutes or until soft and golden brown, flipping over halfway through. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.

Meanwhile, cook the bacon the easiest way for you. Normally, I like to cook it in the oven on a cookie sheet at 400 for about 15 minutes. Since the squash is already roasting at 425, if there is room, throw it in there for around 10-15 minutes, or until crisp. Or, you could cook it on the stove top or in the microwave. Set aside to drain on a paper towel.

Throw your squash and the rest of the soup ingredients (with a little more salt and pepper) in your Vitamix, regular blender, or food processor and blend until smooth. In my Vitamix, I add to blend it in 3 batches. (Alternatively, you can use a hand blender to blend in a pot.) Pour into a pot and heat until warmed through. Taste and add more seasoning, if needed. I usually add quite a few more cracks of sea salt and pepper.

Ladle into bowls and top each bowl with one or two pieces of the cooked, crumbled bacon.