Delicious Apple Butternut Squash Soup

I love butternut squash soup. I love the one at restaurants that is made with apple. Can you find that recipe though? Um, no. All I can find is curried soup recipes or ones with ginger. Well yesterday evening was a soup night. It just was. So I set out to find a butternut apple recipe.


I found one at Chowhound. Except I didn't have a granny smith apple so can you guess what happened? I improvised. (Becoming a theme around here, huh?)

Apple Butternut Squash Soup
1 large organic butternut squash, peeled and seeded
organic unsalted butter, at least 2 TBSP
3/4 c. unsweetened organic applesauce
1 small organic yellow onion, diced or sliced
1/4 tsp. dried organic sage
3 1/2 c. organic chicken broth
1 1/2 c. water
1 TBSP dark maple syrup (optional - if you like it a little sweeter)
salt and pepper
1/3 c. organic cream or whole milk
organic crushed red pepper (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 425.

2. Peel and seed squash. You don't have to peel it, you can scrap the squash out later but for me, the less steps later on i.e. when dinner is around the corner, the better.
3. Coat squash in butter and bake for 45 minutes to  hour or until tender.

4. In a pot or dutch oven, melt 1 Tbsp of butter. Add onions, sage and applesauce and cook until onions are softened.
5. Turn the pot off until the squash is ready.
6. Once squash is tender, add to the pot along with the broth, water and salt and pepper. I started with 2 tsp of salt.
7. Allow pot to come to a boil and simmer for at least 15 minutes.

8. Puree soup. I use the Cuisinart Smart Stick but you can use a blender. Be careful not to burn yourself!
9. Taste and add maple syrup. Add salt and pepper if necessary. 
10. Simmer to desired consistency.
11. Add cream or milk. 
12. Serve and enjoy. Top with some crushed red pepper flakes if you enjoy a bit of spicy with your soup.

The verdict? This was fantastic! I loved it and cannot believe how much it tastes like one of my favorite restaurant's butternut soup. I am going to wait a week or two to make another batch so the kids don't get sick of it but I am planning on eating the leftovers tonight and tomorrow (if there is any left!). 

I served it with watermelon radishes as a first course and the soup and bread as a second course. Our dessert course was the rest of the jar of applesauce. Perfect for any fall day.

Enjoy!


This article was shared on The Chicken Chick.