Creamy Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Two bowls of roasted butternut squash soup garnished with pomegranate seeds and fresh thyme on a cement background, with hunks of bread and a blue patterned napkin to the side.

5 from 1 vote

Creamy Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Roasted butternut squash is slightly sweet and incredibly flavorful - it's the perfect base for a rich and creamy winter soup. We roasted peeled and diced squash with aromatic vegetables and fresh herbs in a casserole dish - the casserole dish prevents burning, and allows the vegetables to soften to the perfect texture. Finish the soup in a blender for a velvety smooth finish, and don't forget to garnish!

Course Soup

Cuisine Amercian

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 15

Servings as a main dish

Calories 264kcal

Author Danielle Esposti

Equipment

Dutch Oven
Handheld Stick Blender

Ingredients

1 medium (3-lb) butternut squash peeled, seeded, and diced into 1.5” pieces (about 6 cups)
1 medium Vidalia (sweet) onion sliced to ½”
2 stalks celery sliced into 1” pieces
3 cloves garlic peeled and smashed
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground pepper
pinch nutmeg
1 sprig fresh thyme plus more for garnish
1 sprig fresh sage
1 bay leaf
¼ cup heavy cream
3-4 cups low sodium broth chicken or vegetable
pomegranate seeds for garnish

Instructions

Heat the oven to 400°F.
Place the squash, onion, celery, and garlic cloves in a casserole dish. Drizzle with the olive oil, then season with the salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Toss until the vegetables are evenly coated with the oil and spices. Nestle the thyme, sage, and bay leaf into the squash and onions.
Transfer to the oven and roast for 60 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes, until the vegetables are soft and starting to caramelize around the edges.
Discard the bay leaf. Pick up the thyme and sage stems and shake to remove any loose leaves.
Carefully transfer the contents of the casserole dish to a blender; pour any residual pan juices into the blender.
Add the heavy cream and 2.5 cups of broth. Blend on high for 60 seconds, then scrape down the sides and blend 30 seconds longer. Taste for seasoning and adjust the salt and pepper to taste. If the soup is too thick, add more broth one-quarter cup at a time, blending for 30 seconds after each addition, until the consistency is to your liking.
Serve right away, garnished with pomegranate seeds and fresh thyme leaves. Enjoy!

Notes

Seasoning Variations

Spicy. Add 1 poblano and/or 1-2 jalapeno peppers to the squash and vegetables before roasting. Keep or remove the seeds from the pepper(s) depending on your preference for spice.
Curried. Omit the fresh herbs and toss the vegetables with 1 tablespoon curry powder, 1 teaspoon turmeric, 1 teaspoon cumin, and 2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger.
Spicy Curry. Omit the fresh herbs. Add 1-2 tablespoons of Thai red curry paste to the blender with the roasted vegetables; garnish with Thai basil or cilantro.
Sweet. Add a peeled and diced apple to the squash and vegetables, or toss the vegetables with 1-2 tablespoons of maple syrup or brown sugar before roasting.

Nutrition