With winter on its way, I can think of no better meal than a comforting, steaming bowl of soup. It tends to make everything better, even when the wind is whipping outside, the snow is falling and all you want to do is curl up on the couch and watch reruns of Friends. (or is that just me?)

Today I've got an updated version of my Butternut Squash and Apple Soup. I first shared this recipe in 2012, but have since given it all new photos and updated the recipe itself with a few more spices and a quicker cooking time. After all, my goal is to always to amp up the flavor, while making the meal as simple as possible to make.

The trick here? Roasted veggies.

With soups like my healthy tomato bisque, where you just throw everything into the pot, let it boil for a while and then blend it up, I've found that it's hard to truly develop the flavor that way without adding a ton of spices or letting it cook for hours.

So with this one, I wanted to draw as much flavor from the vegetables as possible, so I decided to roast them all together on a sheet pan and then blend them up with the broth.

The reason for roasting is that the natural sugars in the vegetables gets caramelized and adds an incredible richness that you can't really get from just boiling them. Plus the herbs have a chance to really infuse the vegetables with their aromas and flavors.

The combination of ingredients makes this soup stand out against other butternut squash soups I've tried. I combined the squash with apples, fennel, onion and garlic, all of which go well together, but have their own distinct flavor profiles which come through in the finished soup. make this soup pop with flavor, I chose to add apple and fennel, with a spice mixture of rosemary, thyme, cinnamon and

And the spices…oh the spices! I used a spice mixture of rosemary, thyme, cinnamon and nutmeg which gives it that warm, cozy sense and makes your house smell amazing while it cooks.

I hope you enjoy this soup as much as I do. It's one that I will be coming back to all winter long!

4 from 2 votes

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Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

I used a spice mixture of rosemary, thyme, cinnamon and nutmeg which gives it that warm, cozy sense and makes your house smell amazing while it cooks.

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Keyword apple, butternut

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Servings 6 Servings

Calories 200 kcal

Author Alyssa Rimmer

Ingredients

• 1 large butternut squash peeled and cubed (about 10 cups)
• 1 medium fennel bulb chopped
• 2 medium red apples chopped
• 1 small white onion chopped
• 4 - 5 garlic cloves halved
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon chopped rosemary
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 tablespoon fresh, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ginger
• Generous pinch of salt & pepper
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• Water or plant milk as needed

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Place the squash, fennel, apples, onion and garlic on a baking sheet and set aside.
2. Whisk together the oil and spices, and pour over the veggies. Stir around to coat, then roast them in the oven for 30 - 40 minutes. Turn the veggies over halfway through so they don't burn.
3. When the veggies are done roasting, place them in a stock pot, add your broth and bring everything to a boil. Turn down to low and let simmer for about 10 - 15 minutes, or until all the ingredients are tender.
4. Blend the soup in a blender or with an immersion blender (in the pot) until you have a creamy, smooth texture. Add water or milk as needed to thin it out and depending on the texture you like. Serve warm with a drizzle of olive oil, some cracked pepper and a sprig of rosemary.

Nutrition Facts

Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

Amount Per Serving

Calories 200 Calories from Fat 81

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 9g 14%

Saturated Fat 1g 5%

Sodium 702mg 29%

Potassium 703mg 20%

Total Carbohydrates 30g 10%

Dietary Fiber 5g 20%

Sugars 11g

Protein 2g 4%

Vitamin A 274.3%

Vitamin C 43.7%

Calcium 9.9%

Iron 9.3%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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