Does anybody else have an unhealthy obsession with soup?! Ryder is not a huge fan because "it's not a real meal" but I couldn't disagree more. Side story - every year on the day before Thanksgiving, my family has it's annual Soup Party. Yes, an entire party dedicated to Soup. We're soup people - what can I say?! Basically my Nana and her two sisters make 3-4 different kinds of soup, and our entire extended family gathers together for a little dinner party. Don't tell my Nana, but I think I like it better than actual Thanksgiving Day...Oops! Anyways, just imagine a kitchen where the entirety of the counter space is dedicated to crock pots filled with chili, corn chowder, chicken noodle soup, tomato bisque, broccoli cheddar...I could go on and on. Oh, and I could never forget Aunt Margaret's dinner rolls...They are LITERALLY the best thing I've ever eaten, but I'll save that goodness for another post.
Anyways, it's one of my favorite nights of the year, and I think this Butternut Squash Soup might need to make an appearance at the Soup Party 2020! It's one of my all time favorite soup recipes because it is hearty, creamy, nutritious and I promise it will give you the warm fuzzies inside. Top it with those Pesto Croutons and it is absolute perfection. My only problem is trying not to eat all of the croutons before the soup is even finished...Next time I might have to double the batch - 1 for snacking and 1 for topping. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
For the Soup
1 3-4 lb Butternut Squash, peeled & cubed
1 yellow onion, quartered
3 carrots, peeled & chopped into thirds
4 garlic cloves, peeled & left whole
¼ C olive oil
½ tsp ground nutmeg
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
32 oz vegetable broth (Make sure it has no added sugar)
4 fresh sage leaves, minced (sub 1 tbsp dried sage)
½ C original unflavored nutpods
For the Pesto Croutons
1 mini loaf of sourdough bread (8-10 oz), cut into 1 inch cubes (smaller if desired)
¼ C prepared basil pesto (Find my recipe HERE)
¼ C olive oil
½ tsp salt
Salt & Pepper to Finish
Additional Supplies:
Blender, Parchment Paper or Foil
Directions:
For the Soup:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a large bowl, toss prepared squash, onion, carrots and garlic with olive oil, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt and pepper.
Transfer mixture to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or foil, and spread in 1 even layer. Bake for 20 minutes at 400 degrees.
After the vegetables have been baking for 10 minutes, add the vegetable broth to a large stock pot on the stovetop on medium heat.
Once veggies are done roasting, carefully add them to the stock pot. Turn the heat up to medium/high and bring to a boil (uncovered).
Once the soup mixture is boiling, stir in minced sage and remove from heat.
Separate the mixture into 3 even batches. One at a time, place each batch in the blender and pulse/blend until smooth.
NOTE: BE VERY CAREFUL BLENDING HOT LIQUIDS. I always start my blender on the lowest setting, then once the mixture is beginning to thin out, I slowly increase the speed until the soup reaches the desired consistency.
After all 3 batches are blended, return the soup to the stock pot and stir in ½ C of nut pods, 1 ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper (feel free to add more to your liking!)
Top with pesto croutons and serve immediately
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
For the Pesto Croutons:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a large bowl, toss bread cubes with olive oil and pesto until evenly coated.
Transfer to a baking sheet lined with foil or parchment paper, arranging them in 1 even layer. Bake for 15 minutes at 400 degrees, tossing halfway.
Remove from oven, let cool for 10 minutes and serve!
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
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