a simple real food recipe :: butternut squash soup

Fall is in full swing! Squash is just about everywhere.

Everything from pumpkins, to acorns, and one of our family’s favorites…butternut!

Here is a great little butternut squash soup that can be the perfect warm fall lunch, or a great addition to a roast chicken dinner. My recipe makes a good 5-7 quarts of soup (depending on how much stock you use) because I like to batch it up for the freezer. If I’m gonna have the oven going to roast up some squash I’m gonna fill it up and get the most out of it.

There is the option of just cubing up the raw squash and cooking it down in the stock but I don’t have a big enough soup pot to do this big of a recipe. I have done it that way with this size recipe before and I just cooked it in batches to fit! Otherwise I think roasting the squash is easier. It takes longer since the squash has to roast, but it is less hands-on time because you don’t have to skin the squash and cube it up. I don’t have a ton of hands on time (you know between diapers, and boo-boos, and playing referee!). This is as fast as it gets 🙂

This recipe could easily be halved if you don’t want a ton leftover. Or this size batch might be a nice side soup to Thanksgiving dinner!

You’ll need:

3 TB friendly fat to cook in (butter, coconut oil, tallow, lard)

2 medium onions, sliced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2-3 quarts chicken stock or beef stock (homemade if possible)

2 large butternut squashes

2-3 medium apples, sliced (variety doesn’t matter but go for sweet not sour)

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Sea salt/pepper to taste

ROASTING THE SQUASH METHOD:

1. Cut the squash length wise, scoop out the seeds, and place in a baking dish cut side UP.
2. Butter the flesh of the squash (if you are dairy free use coconut oil), and roast at 425 degrees for 45 minutes.
3. About 15 minutes before the squash is done roasting, get the onions and apples sautéing in the cooking fat and a pinch of sea salt for about 5-10 minutes.
4. Add the stock, scooped out roasted squash, and seasonings to the pot and bring to a boil.
5. Reduce to a simmer and cook a few minutes.
6. Puree with hand held blender or in a blender.

NON ROASTING SQUASH METHOD:

1. Skin the squash, cut length wise and scoop out the seeds. Cube up the squash.
2. Saute the onions and apples in your cooking fat and a pinch of sea salt for about 5-10 minutes to soften and sweeten.
3. Add the stock, raw squash, and seasonings and bring to a boil.
4. Reduce to a simmer and cook about 30 minutes until the squash is tender and cooked through.
5. Puree with a handheld blender or in a blender.

Kitchen Tips:

1. 

   Even thick it can be kinda messy 😉

   I was vague on the stock measurements because it depends on how you want your soup’s consistency to be. If you want a thicker soup go for the 2. I do 2 because it makes it easier for my girls to feed themselves without make a huge mess. My 17 month old is super insistent on feeding herself and when the soup isn’t runny it is just easier. I actually enjoy the soup either way – runnier or thick, but I understand some people might like a certain texture over the other. Maybe start out with the 2 and you can always add more 😉 I will say that adding extra stock and making it a little runnier stretches it a little more so you will get more bang for your buck!

2. If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice you can use nutmeg. I have always used just a few pinches of nutmeg with this soup. This year was the first time I’ve made it with pumpkin pie spice because I received it for the Mountain Rose Herbs giveaway and was curious how it would make it taste. It was BETTER. More flavor. More depth. You will love either way though!
3. This freezes up fantastic. Which is why I make such a large batch. You can freeze up in quarts or pints. OR freeze up in single portions in the freezer containers – you can pull it out the night before school or work. Get it warmed up nice and hot over the stove in the morning and stick it in a hot thermos to be ready for lunch time.
4. If you cannot make your own stock, I would recommend Pacific Organics vegetable stock. It is the only stock I have been able to find that doesn’t have MSG and is in BPA free containers. Their brand of chicken and beef stocks do have MSG by the way.
5. This is a great time of year to keep your eye out of in season produce sales. Squash keeps very well for weeks, so if you see it go on sale, stock up! Our sale was at the beginning of September, it was $0.49/lb. I took advantage 😉 You can have this soup in your freezer all winter!
6. If you are making this soup for a side soup to Thanksgiving dinner you could make it way earlier in the week, in advance, and then just warm it up in a pot or crockpot for dinner!

YOUR TURN!

What are your favorite fall squashes to use up in season? Let me know how you like the soup if you try it!

This post was shared at Real Food Forager’s Fat Tuesday!