summary

There is nothing quite like the comfort of homemade soup. This one is very simple and the nutty and rich flavor of the squash are showcased by roasting the squash first. Roasting vegetables until they are caramelized deepens their flavors by concentrating the natural sugars. A melt-in-your-mouth cheesy crouton is the perfect finish.

ingredients

Soup Ingredients:
1 butternut squash, about 2 /12 pounds
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1 small yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
¾ teaspoon ground cumin
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth, plus more as needed
3 tablespoons heavy cream
⅓ cup sour cream
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Cheesy Crouton Ingredients:
2 small slices of sourdough, cut in half
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
½ cup shredded Gruyere cheese

directions

Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Cut the squash in half, lengthwise, and use a spoon to scoop out the seeds. Rub the cut sides of the squash with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Place the thyme sprigs on the baking sheet and place the squash, cut side down, on top of the thyme. Roast until a knife easily punctures the skin, about 45 minutes. Let cool slightly and discard the thyme.
Warm the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté, stirring a few times, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, nutmeg, ¾ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper and sauté for an additional 2 minutes to allow the spices to toast.
Scoop the pulp out of the squash and add it to the pan. Add the broth and bring to a low boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes. Allow the soup to cool slightly.
Carefully purée the soup in a blender or using a hand-held immersion blender. If the soup is too thick, add more broth, as needed. If using a blender, return the soup to the pot and rewarm. Stir in the cream and season again with salt and pepper, to taste.
To make the cheesy croutons, preheat the oven to broil on high. Brush both sides of the bread with olive oil and lightly season with salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet and set 5-6 inches under the broiler and toast until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven, flip the toast over, and cover with the shredded cheese. Place back under the broiler until the cheese is melted and golden, 2-3 minutes.
To serve, ladle the soup into bowls, top with a cheesy crouton, dollop with sour cream and garnish with parsley. Serve at once.

notes

Butternut squash can be tricky to cut. Many grocery stores sell cubed butternut squash in the produce section. If you are buying the squash precut, you will need about 6-7 cups of squash.

Adding herbs, in this case thyme, as aromatics while you roast imparts flavor.

You can substitute sour cream for Greek yogurt..

Soup will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

You can fully cool and freeze this soup for up to 3 months.

The reason to start with a little bit of broth is that you never know exactly how much pulp a squash will yield. You can always add more broth but it is difficult to fix if you add too much at the beginning.