Butternut Squash Soup

Velvety, sweet, and savory soup made with rich roasted butternut, chicken broth, and aromatics. We LOVE a cozy soup in cold weather, am I right?! This low effort/high reward recipe makes about 4 quarts of butternut squash soup in about 60 (mostly inactive) minutes.

I first tried butternut squash soup when I had my wisdom teeth removed a few Octobers ago. I remember being SO tired of eating KFC mashed potatoes, froyo, and smoothies. So my sweet husband picked up some soups from Panera Bread, and the butternut squash soup was the best one.

Since then, I've made butternut squash soup several times, but this version has been my favorite. It's got nuttiness from the roasting, sweetness from the butternut, and mild spice from the curry powder.

Ignore the heavy whipping cream; we didn't end up needing it.

Ingredients:

1. 1 butternut squash (about 2 lbs), peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks

2. 2 medium carrots, cut into 1 inch rounds

3. 2 tablespoons olive oil

4. 1 medium onion, chopped

5. 5 cloves garlic, minced

6. 1 tablespoon butter

7. 1 teaspoon dried thyme

8. 1/2 teaspoon dried sage

9. 1 teaspoon curry powder

10. 6 cups chicken broth

11. Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Toss the butternut squash and carrots in olive oil until evenly coated. Space out (do NOT crowd) on a baking sheet and roast for 40-45 minutes until there are browned and caramelized edges. Set aside. RESIST EATING! Ok... maybe one or two won't hurt.

3. In a heavy bottomed soup pot, sauté the onions and garlic in butter until the onions are softened, about 3 minutes. Add the thyme, sage, and curry powder and stir.

4. Add the squash, carrots, and chicken broth to the pot and bring to a boil. Turn off heat.

5. Blend the soup using an immersion blender or heat safe blender. If using a traditional blender, let the soup cool a little first.

6. Return to the pot and bring to a simmer. Taste and add salt and pepper to your preference.

7. Top with croutons, pepitas, and/or parsley! Serve it up.

I will be eating this out of a giant mug and dipping a grilled cheese in it for dinner.

Taking a lactose pill and crossing my fingers. BYEEEEE!

- L