Velvety Roasted Butternut Squash Soup (Printable)

Velvety butternut squash with maple syrup, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Roasted to caramelized perfection.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 large butternut squash (about 2.5 lbs), peeled, seeded, and cubed
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Liquids

04 - 4 cups vegetable broth
05 - 1 cup water
06 - 1/2 cup coconut milk or heavy cream

→ Flavorings

07 - 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
08 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
09 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
10 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Garnish

12 - Toasted pumpkin seeds
13 - Maple syrup drizzle
14 - Fresh thyme leaves

# How-To:

01 - Set oven temperature to 400°F.
02 - Arrange butternut squash cubes on a baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat evenly.
03 - Roast for 30 to 35 minutes until squash is tender and caramelized, turning once halfway through cooking.
04 - In a large pot, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until translucent. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
05 - Add roasted squash to the pot along with vegetable broth, water, maple syrup, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Stir well to combine.
06 - Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes to allow flavors to blend.
07 - Using an immersion blender, purée the soup until smooth and creamy. Alternatively, work in batches using a countertop blender.
08 - Stir in coconut milk or heavy cream. Adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.
09 - Gently reheat the soup over low heat if it has cooled.
10 - Ladle soup into bowls and top with toasted pumpkin seeds, a drizzle of maple syrup, and fresh thyme leaves if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's naturally creamy without heavy cream, so you feel virtuous while eating something indulgent.
  • Roasting the squash first means it tastes like caramel and autumn in a bowl.
  • The whole process takes barely an hour, yet tastes like you spent all day on it.
02 -
  • Don't skip the roasting step—boiling the squash straight will give you soup that tastes like vegetable water, whereas roasting concentrates all the sweetness and adds depth.
  • When blending, always let the soup cool slightly first or cover the lid with a towel—a pot of hot soup exploding across your stove is a lesson you only need once.
03 -
  • Use pure maple syrup, not the amber-colored corn syrup imposters—your taste buds will know the difference and so will your soup.
  • An immersion blender is worth its counter space for soups like this; it's faster, less messy, and you won't have to let anything cool first.
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