This winter squash soup recipe is perfect for cool fall days! Enjoy it for lunch with a melty cheese sandwich, or as a first course with dinner. It is even a nice way to start out your holiday prior to the Thanksgiving turkey.
I always look forward to warm, comforting foods as the weather changes. It’s that time of year when I’ve pulled in the last of the winter squash. If it was as productive a year in your garden as 2020 was for me, then you have a lot of winter squash!
I have my tried and true recipes for fall meals, including butternut and acorn squash which usually find a place on the Thanksgiving table. But I am always looking to add a few new recipes for winter squash each year.
The beauty of this recipe is that you can use many different types of winter squash. I’ve used butternut, acorn squash, pumpkin, Zapallo del tronco after the rind gets firm, and even blue hubbard. This year I am going to try it with my surplus of tromboncino squash.
You are going to want about 2 cups of pulp after cooking and mashing the pulp of the squash. For most winter squashes, this is going to be about one medium size squash. But if you are using an extra large one, like a pumpkin or a late-picked sweet mama, you will likely use much less of it.
Ingredients:
- Approximately 2 pounds winter squash. Butternut, Acorn or pumpkin all work well.
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 apples, peeled, cored and chopped
- 5 Cups chicken broth (or substitute vegetable broth)
- 1 T olive oil
- 1/2 cup whipping cream (or substitute Greek yogurt)
- 2 T brown sugar
Instructions to Make Winter Squash Soup
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Cut your squash in half lengthwise. Remove the seeds (save these for next year’s garden!) Put the squash cut side down in an oven-safe baking dish. Bake for about an hour or until the squash is tender.
- When the squash is soft and easily scooped with a spoon, remove it from the oven. Set them aside to cool.
- Sauté the chopped onion in the olive oil until tender.
- Add the peeled apples and broth to the sautéed onions. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Simmer 20 minutes.
- While the broth is simmering, scoop out the cooled squash pulp from the cooled rinds.
- Add the squash pulp to the sautéed pan of apple and broth mixture. Keep on the heat another 2 minutes.
- Transfer the mixture in batches to a food processor and blend until smooth.
- Return the entire blended mixture to the saucepan. Stir in the brown sugar and whipping cream (or yogurt). Heat through. Season with salt and cracked pepper to taste.
- Garnish with shaved Parmesan, brown sugar or apple cubes.
