Butternut Squash Soup

When I think butternut squash soup, I think velvety, comforting, flavourful and simple.  This soup is all of the above.  If you like butternut squash, you will absolutely love this soup.  I don't have a picture of the finished product but it should be a nice soft, velvety texture. 

butternut squash soup

1 butternut squash, halved and seeded

3 vine tomatoes

1 large red onion, peeled and halved

2 garlic bulbs, tops sliced off

olive oil

dried thyme 

4 cups chicken stock

salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Lightly oil a baking sheet.
3. Place all vegetables on baking sheet as shown in picture below.

    3.  Brush butternut squash and onions with olive oil.

    4.  Drizzle olive oil on top of garlic bulbs.

    5.  Sprinkle a good amount of dried thyme on top of the butternut squash, onion and garlic.  Leave 

         the tomatoes as they are.

    6.  Bake until butternut squash is soft.  The timing is tricky to predict as butternut squash comes in so 

         many different sizes.  Check after 30 minutes: if other veggies are ready but squash is not, remove 

         the ones that are ready and return squash.  

    7.  In a large pot, put the following:

• chicken stock
• garlic: grab the whole garlic bulb and squeeze out roasted garlic (cutting the tops off initially makes squeezing out the softened garlic a breeze!)
• tomatoes: chop off the coarse top that attaches to the vine.
• onion: remove outer skin layer if it has become blackened or tough.  You want only the softened onion skins.
• butternut squash: with a spoon, scoop out all the softened squash meat.

    8.  Bring all ingredients to a simmer and mash roughly with a potato masher. 

    9.  If you have a good immersion blender, now's the time to let it work its magic.  If not, puree in 

         batches in your food processor or blender.

  10.  Return all to blender, heat and add salt and pepper to taste.  (This soup freezes very well!)