Butternut Squash Soup

By Leah55

Ingredients

• 4 pounds whole butternut squash (about 2 medium), halved lengthwise and seeds removed
• 2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
• 1 medium Granny Smith apple
• 1 medium yellow onion
• 8 fresh sage leaves
• 2 1/2 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more as needed
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• Pinch of Nutmeg and Cinnamon
• Optional: homemade croutons

Preparation

Step 1

Cut the squash in half lengthwise, remove seeds, roast until tender. Once cooled, scrape the roasted flesh from the skin, and simmer it with sautéed yellow onion, fresh sage, and a tart Granny Smith apple. Add stock and seasonings. When everything’s soft and the flavors have melded, purée with immersion blender. Adjust seasoning. Finally, enrich the soup with a bit of heavy cream.

To add a textural final flourish, garnish with homemade croutons: Cut stale baguette into cubes, toss with olive oil and Italian seasoning, toast in oven until lightly browned.