Butternut Squash Soup

Healthy and homemade butternut squash soup for any time of the year, but especially during soup season!

I think it's safe to say that we are well into soup season. And soups complement this time of year so nicely - warms you from the inside out; hearty aromas; and cozy feels. There's just something about darkness at 5 PM and a bowl of hot soup steaming on the dinner table waiting for you. It just makes those dark fall and winter evenings feel a little less dreary.

This butternut squash soup has been a long-time favorite. In fact, I don't know why it has taken me so long to share it with you. Pete first whipped this recipe together in the fall of 2013. We had been served something similar on our honeymoon just a month earlier, and we wanted to try to recreate it. He did a fantastic job figuring out the flavors and ingredient combination, and when butternut squash soup is on the dinner menu, you can bet that he'll be the one in the kitchen making it!

Not only is this soup full of only the healthiest ingredients, it's also packed full of flavor and takes minimal time and effort to prepare. That last part - the little time involved - makes this a great option for weeknight meals. Who doesn't love a homemade and cozy meal for the middle of the week? We like to keep that simplicity going by serving it with a salad and warm buttery garlic toast. 

• What You'll Need
• Butternut Squash (about 3 lbs)
• 3 stalks of celery
• 4-6 carrots
• 1 medium onion
• 32 oz chicken broth
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Sour cream, for topping
• Pepitas for topping

• What You'll Do
• Peel, deseed and then cube the butternut squash. 
• Cut the celery into 3 inch pieces. 
• Peel the carrots and cut into thirds.
• Cut the onion into fourths.
• Combine all of the vegetables in a large dutch oven or pot. Pour in the chicken broth and add your preference of salt and pepper.
• Bring to a boil, and then let simmer with a lid for 30 minutes or until the butternut squash is tender.
• Transfer all of the contents of the dutch oven into a blender, and blend until you have a smooth liquid. 
• If you like, you can add the soup back to the dutch oven to keep warm.
• Top with a dollop of sour cream and pepitas!