Roasted Butternutnut Squash Soup

OK so I am going to be promoting two of my newest obsessions The first is one of the newest additions to my kitchen, the Vitamix blender (thanks Mom and Dad!).  Ever since I got it I have been looking for new recipes so I can use it.  My husband and I have gotten in the habit of bringing healthy smoothies to work each morning (blog post on that to come) but this is the first dinner dish I have made with it.  If you don't already know, the Vitamix is a very powerful blender with a 2 horsepower motor which can pretty much blend anything and sounds like a rocket launch. 

My second new obsession was a gift from my sister, a subscription to Salted (https://www.saltedtv.com) which is basically Netflix for cooking tutorials.  I am officially obsessed and watch the videos all the time even if it is about something I have made before so I can learn more about the reasons why things are cooked the way they are.  The videos are all from expert chefs that do a really good job of breaking down a recipe or cooking technique step by step so you can really learn the basic cooking skills that you need when cooking anything.  The tutorials range from making a basic sauce to cooking a Thanksgiving turkey.

The reason why I bring up my two obsession is because I used both for my butternut squash soup.  I have never made butternut squash so it was extremely helpful watching a video that broke down the process of making it.  I found the most helpful part to be cutting the squash open.  Squash has to be one of the most intimidating thing to cut into, it is round, unstable and has a very thick skin that is hard to break.  I was very uncomfortable cutting the squash at first but once I watched how it should be done, I felt so much more at ease because I had some idea of what I was doing.  Luckily everything worked out and I didn't lose any fingers (YAY!) and the squash was cut in two parts with a steady bottom ready to start preparing to roast.

The great thing about this recipe is it can be made ahead of time.  I had a busy week, so I roasted the squash a day before I made the soup.  After I roasted the squash, I let it cool completely and stored it in the fridge until I was ready make the soup.  You can even make the entire soup ahead of time and reheat in a saucepan when ready to use.  You can store it in the refrigerator for a few days or in the freezer for up to a month.  Note that the soup does thicken up when cooled, so you will need to add some water to thin it out a bit.

I was shocked how much my husband loved this dish.  He is not always up for trying new things but he loved it, he even wanted to bring the leftovers to work the next day.  This dish is the ultimate comfort food.  It has so many rich flavors and gives off such a great aroma, it just smells like Fall.  I can't wait to make more recipes like this in the Vitamix.

Ingredient count: 10 (only had to buy 5 ingredients)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  With the skin side up, cut  each half in half so you have 4 pieces of about even size.  Scrape out the seeds using a large spoon.

 Add squash to a roasting pan.  Season with salt, butter, rosemary, crushed red pepper, cinnamon, and pepper.  Place in the oven.

Depending on the size of the squash, cook for 45 minutes to 1 1/2 hours.  Squash is done when it can be easily pierced with a knife.

Remove squash from the pan.  Collect any juices from the bottom of the pan and set aside.

Remove skin from squash and mash the squash with a potato masher a bit.  Set aside.


To start the soup, melt butter over medium heat and add rosemary and red pepper flakes.  Cook for 2 minutes, Add onion, cook until onions are translucent.

Add in squash and squash stock (juices from the roasting pan).  Bring to a simmer and cook down for 20 minutes.

Add heavy cream, stir to incorporate.  Bring to a simmer, cook for 8 to 10 minutes.

Once cooked, remove from pot and let cool for a bit.

Pour contents into blender and blend until completely smooth.

 Serve immediately

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Recipe from Salted and Bruce Kaleman

 

Butternut squash, about 3 lbs.

4 tbsp. butter

¼ tsp red pepper flakes

Rosemary, 3 sprigs

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 cup water

1 tbsp. butter

¼ tsp. red pepper flakes

Rosemary, 1 sprig

Onion, julienned

2 garlic cloves, smashed

Mashed butternut squash

2 cups squash stock or vegetable squash

½ cup heavy cream

Salt and pepper, to taste

Roasted Butternut Squash Instructions

Lay the squash length-wise on the cutting board. Using a chef’s knife, slice off the top of the squash, or about one inch away from the tip. Place the knife directly above the seed pocket and slice to remove.

Turn the squash pieces so that they sit flat on the cutting board. Cut these 2 pieces in half, yielding four halves total.

Use a large spoon to scrape the seeds from the bottom-most squash halves. If there are any extra hairs or seeds in the other squash halves, scrape these out as well.

To roast the squash, place four halves on the sheet tray, facing up. Season with salt, butter, chili flakes, rosemary, cinnamon, and pepper. Pour the filtered water into the pan, as this will allow the squash to steam. Cover with parchment paper and aluminum foil. Seal the edges to allow the squash to steam thoroughly.

 Place in an oven heated to 350 degrees. Depending on the amount of squash, cook for 45 minutes to an hour and a half. Check on the squash by gently piercing the flesh with a knife; if the knife pierces easily, the squash is ready.

 Remove the squash from the oven. Remove the rosemary and continue with the desired squash recipe.

Soup Instructions

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the olive oil, rosemary and crushed red pepper and cook for about three to four minutes, stirring frequently.

Add the garlic and onions to the saucepan and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes or until translucent.

Add the roasted butternut squash and the squash stock to the saucepan, mixing with a spoon until fully incorporated. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.

Add the heavy cream and stir to incorporate. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 8 to 10 minutes.

Once fully cooked, remove the pot from the heat and allow to cool for ten minutes. Pour the contents of the pot into a blender and blend on high for 30 seconds to a minute or until completely smooth.

Taste the soup and season with salt, as necessary. Blend the soup for an additional 15 seconds.

Pour the soup into individual serving bowls.