Butternut Squash Apple Soup

Confession:  I am drawn to recipes that have limited prep steps. At this point in my inexperience, it simply makes me feel more confident going in.  Knowing that I’ll have something to serve my husband for dinner at night is always a plus.  When I saw this soup recipe I got excited because I hadn’t cooked with butternut squash before, but I have recently been loving the soup in the low fat V8 variety, as well as an extremely yummy Whole Foods version.  When I scanned the recipe and saw no heavy cream required, I was sold.

Butternut Squash Apple Soup

Serves 4 – 6

What You Need:

1 yellow onion, chopped

1 rib of celery, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

1 T. butter

1 butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed, chopped

1 green apple, peeled, cored, chopped (squash and apple should be at a 3 to 1 ratio)

3 cups vegetable broth

Nutmeg, cinnamon, salt and pepper to taste

What You Do:

1.    Combine butter, onion, celery, and carrot in large saucepan. Cook for 5 minutes.

2.    Add squash, apple, and broth. Bring to boil.

3.    Simmer for 10 minutes or until squash is soft.

4.    Puree.

5.    Add spices to taste.

What I Learned:

1.    It takes a LONG time to peel and chop a butternut squash! I wish I would have completed this step prior to placing the onion, celery and carrot to cook.

2.    I used 3 smaller green apples to get to the 3 to 1 ratio.

3.    I split the recipe and pureed in two rounds so as to avoid an explosion.

The Verdict:  This soup was very filling. The flavors of the apple and onion were such a nice compliment to the squash and really came through. In the end, we both felt like the soup was a bit thick, so if I make again I may choose to add some more broth or perhaps a little milk.  Wonderful dish for the Fall and Winter months.

Recipe from Simply Recipes