Butternut Squash Soup

Ok, so this is an actual recipe with (mostly) actual measurements. This butternut squash soup is one of my all-time favorites and I’ve made it several times with a few different variations. Fortunately for me, it freezes very well… as a matter of fact, the attached photo was snapped after I defrosted a pint of the soup that I made a few months ago and stashed in the freezer to enjoy another day. It’s the perfect thing to sip on and savor as the weather changes to a cooler climate… and it does a bang up job of soothing an allergy-induced sore throat.

1 large butternut squash, peeled and diced (I’ve cheated and bought the stuff already prepped at the grocery store, but the texture is better if you use fresh and start from scratch)
1 medium onion, diced (a sweet onion is best)
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 quart vegetable or chicken stock (veg for vegan, of course)
1 tsp. rosemary (I used dried, but I’ve also used fresh which is just as good)
¼ tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. nutmeg
¼ - ½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste
In a large soup pot over medium heat, sauté the onion and butternut squash in the olive oil for 3-5 minutes. Add the stock (enough to cover the veggies) and bring to a boil over high heat then reduce to a simmer for 18-22 minutes until the butternut squash is soft. Remove from heat and allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before transferring soup to a blender. Of course, if you have an immersion blender, just use that instead. Puree until desired consistency. Return soup to pot over medium low heat and stir in rosemary, cinnamon, nutmeg, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. You can always stir in additional stock, milk, or cream if a thinner soup is desired, but I prefer a thicker consistency (it’s almost as thick as baby food). Simmer for 8-10 minutes to allow flavors to meld. Serve hot.

Enjoy!