Description
This creamy and comforting Butternut Squash Soup is a perfect autumnal dish, combining roasted butternut squash with sweet red bell pepper, aromatic garlic, and a touch of fresh thyme. Blended to a silky smooth consistency and enriched with heavy cream, this soup offers a harmonious balance of sweetness and savory flavors, making it an ideal starter or light meal for chilly days.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables
- 2½ pounds pre-cut butternut squash (7 to 8 cups, cubed)
- 1 red bell pepper, roughly chopped
- 1 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
Liquids & Seasonings
- 7 cups water
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ¾ cup heavy cream, plus more for serving
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon curry powder for a different flavor)
Instructions
- Combine Ingredients: In a large soup pot, add the cubed butternut squash, chopped red bell pepper, roughly chopped onion, smashed garlic cloves, water, salt, and sugar. This mixture forms the flavorful base of the soup.
- Simmer the Soup: Place the pot on the stove over high heat to bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, cover the pot and reduce the heat to a simmer. Let it cook gently for 35 minutes until the vegetables are tender and fully cooked.
- Puree the Soup: Using a handheld immersion blender, carefully purée the soup directly in the pot until silky smooth. If you don’t have an immersion blender, cool the soup slightly and purée it in batches in a standard blender, leaving the lid vent open to allow steam to escape safely.
- Add Cream and Seasonings: Stir in the heavy cream and return the soup to a low simmer. Add the fresh thyme or curry powder to enhance the flavor, then taste and adjust the seasoning, adding a bit more sugar if the soup needs sweetness.
- Serve: Ladle the warm soup into bowls, drizzle with additional cream if desired, and serve immediately for a comforting and delicious meal.
Notes
- Use fresh butternut squash for best flavor and texture; frozen squash may dilute the soup as it releases extra water during cooking.
- The soup can be prepared up to 3 days in advance and kept refrigerated in an airtight container.
- To freeze, omit the cream and store the soup in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months.
- Defrost frozen soup overnight in the refrigerator and reheat gently on the stovetop before adding cream and finishing the soup.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup (approx. 245g)
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 620mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 35mg
