Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Fall is my favorite season. I love the cool, crisp air, the changing leaves, and the wonderful root vegetables and squash that form the basis of so many hearty soups and stews. I may have come late to the party, but since I discovered butternut squash, it has become one of my favorites. My usual method of preparation is to peel it, cube it, drizzle it with olive oil, salt, and pepper and roast it at high heat until it carmelizes.

I've ordered butternut squash soup at a number of restaurants and I'm almost always disappointed. What I've been served has been sweetened artificially, which is totally unnecessary. When roasted in a hot oven, the natural sweetness of the butternut squash is much more delicious. I decided to make my own soup, roasting rather than boiling the squash and the result was fantastic.

Makes 10 cups soup

Ingredients

• 2 1/2  pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1 " pieces
• 1 tbs olive oil
• Kosher salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoons unsalted butter 
• 1 small Vidalia onion, chopped
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• 1 medium apple, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 tsp dried sage
• 4cups vegetable broth (chicken broth may be substituted)
• 2 cups water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more as needed
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed
• 2 tbs. sour cream
• OPTIONAL: 1/2 cup toasted seeds, for garnish 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place cubed butternut squash in a large bowl; drizzle with the olive oil; season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Place in a single layer on a cookie sheet and roast 30 minutes. Turn pieces over and roast an additional 30 minutes.

Place tablespoon of butter in a large pot. Add onion, butter, and sage and saute for 5-7 minutes. Add vegetable broth and water and simmer for 20 minutes.

Add roasted butternut squash to broth mixture. Use an immersion blender to puree. Add sour cream and combine. Serve topped with toasted pumpkin seeds, if desired.

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TASTE NOTES

This soup is a wonderful appetizer course for dinner or a stand-alone lunch. It is creamy, yet not too filling. A bonus is that it freezes beautifully. I toasted my own seeds to use as garnish (forgot to photograph them), but often swirl a teaspoon of sour cream into the hot soup for a nice counterpoint to the sweetness.