This soup is relatively easy. It takes a bit of chopping and a tiny bit of sautéing, but the rest kinda cooks itself. Sorry I don't have many pictures; I decided after the fact that I was going to post it.
The soup itself is PLENTY creamy once blended, that I didn't feel the need to add any sort of cream. But if you decide you want some added richness, 1/4 of a cup canned coconut milk will pair perfectly with this soup. The great thing about this recipe is that a lot of it depends on your own personal taste, especially when it comes to the spices, so taste lots and adjust as you see fit. I adapted the recipe from here. Please leave me some love and let me know what you think if you try the recipe!
Ingredients:
- 4 pounds whole butternut squash (about 2 medium), halved lengthwise and seeds removed (I used one very large butternut squash
- 4-5 medium carrots
- 1 Tbsp coconut oil
- 1 medium Granny Smith apple peeled (I used a golden crisp apple…)
- 1 small or ¾ a medium yellow onion
- 1 Tbsp dried marjoram
- 6 cups low-sodium vegetable, chicken, or beef broth
- Salt to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- ¼-1/2 tsp nutmeg (start small and add more as needed)
- Dash of cayenne pepper
- Dash of chili powder
- Drizzle of olive oil
- ½-1 tsp ground cinnamon (start small and add more to until happy with flavor)
- 1/2 cup toasted pumpkin seeds or dried cranberries for garnish (optional)
- ¼ cup coconut milk (optional)
Directions
- Cut tops off of butternut squash, cut in half, take seeds out, drizzle with tiny bit of olive oil, season with salt, some chili powder, and freshly cracked black pepper. Roast in the oven at 375 F until fully tender.
- While squash is roasting, dice onions and apples, and slice carrots into disks. Heat a large nonstick pot and add 1 tbsp coconut oil. Add onions and apples, sauté until slightly soft and browning. Add carrots, sauté for another 4-5 min.
- Add all broth and bring to a boil. Turn heat to low once it boils, cover, and let simmer until carrots and apples are completely cooked and soft.
- When carrots and apples are soft add the fully cooked butternut squash (scooped out of it’s skin)
- Add nutmeg, cinnamon, marjoram, freshly cracked pepper, dash of cayenne, dash of chili powder.
- Puree entire mixture in batches in a blender.
- Taste and adjust spices and salt as necessary.
- Optional: Mix in coconut milk (or cream) to make richer. I found it perfect without it, and had some plain yogurt on the side.
- Optional: When serving, garnish with dried cranberries and roasted pumpkin seeds.
