Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

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Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

I was never a fan of butternut squash, but after making this soup in an Italian cooking class, I have been hooked ever since. You can substitute any hard winter squash you like, however, the butternut squash adds a wonderful, sweet flavor to this soup and I think it is the best choice.

Ingredients:

One large butternut squash

1 whole head of garlic - peel the cloves

4 tablespoons olive oil

½ cup water

1 medium onion, chopped

5 cups vegetable or chicken stock or broth

salt and freshly ground white pepper

finely chopped fresh Italian flat leaf parsley

Prepare Squash: The most difficult part of preparing this soup is cutting the squash. Butternut has a very thick, hard skin and you will need a large sharp knife. To prepare Butternut squash, cut the squash in half slicing right above the base, where the squash begins to thin. The round base is where the seeds are, scoop out with a spoon. Cut off the bottom of the base and place flat on a cutting board. With sharp knife, cut off the peel, leaving the in inner flesh and chop into large cubes. Next, cut off the top of the neck of the squash, and also place flat, standing up on a cutting board. With a sharp knife cut down through the sides of the squash to remove the skin. Chop the inside flesh into large cubes.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Put the squash cubes and whole, peeled garlic cloves into a large roasting pan, spreading to one layer if possible. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and stir to thoroughly coat. Add the water to the roasting pan and roast until the squash is tender and lightly browned. Stir occasionally while roasting and add more water if needed – will roast for approximately 40-50 minutes. When squash is done, remove from the oven and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and sauté until golden brown. Set aside.

Using a blender or food processor, combine the squash, garlic cloves and onions with a small amount of the stock. Cover and blend until smooth – you may need to blend in small batches adding stock as needed to blend. Pour the blended squash puree into a large pot and add the remaining stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer just until heated through. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve warm.

This soup can be made in advance and does reheat well. You can also freeze some for a quick meal later.

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