Silky smooth butternut squash soup with a big butternut squash flavor! Sometimes butternut squash soup tastes more like pureed pumpkin pie – this one does not. This soup has a hearty squash flavor, with the croutons adding just a touch of sweetness and spice.
Cut a butternut squash in half lengthwise, then widthwise. Scrape out the seeds and fibers and reserve them in a bowl.
Melt the butter in a large pot, add shallot and cook until transparent. Add seeds and fibers and cook until butter turns saffron color.
Add the water and 1 teaspoon of salt to the pot and bring to a boil.
Place squash, cut side down, in steamer basket and lower into the pot. Cover and steam until tender, about 30 minutes.
Transfer squash to rimmed baking sheet. When cool enough to handle, use a large spoon to scrape the flesh from the skin. Reserve the flesh and discard the skin.
Strain the steaming liquid through a fine-mesh strainer, you should have 2 1/2 to 3 cups liquid. Rinse and dry pot.
Working in batches, puree squash in a blender, adding enough of the reserved liquid to obtain a smooth consistency. Transfer to a clean pot.
Stir in remaining steaming liquid, cream and brown sugar. Warm soup over medium-low heat until hot, about 3 minutes.
Since this was a large squash, I cubed the remaining squash and roasted it for about 20 minutes in the convection oven at 425 degrees to use later.
To make the croutons, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Toss bread cubes in melted butter and then in the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
Bake about 8-10 minutes, until crisp. Let cool.
Dip soup into serving bowls and top with buttered cinnamon-sugar croutons. Love the fall flavors!
Other toppings could include toasted pumpkin seeds, a drizzle of balsamic vinegar, or a dusting of paprika. This is a sprinkling of a protein trail mix that included pepitas, soynuts and chickpeas. Enjoy your fall cooking and baking.
Butternut Squash Soup with Buttered Cinnamon-Sugar Croutons
Ingredients
Soup
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 large shallot, minced
- 3 pounds butternut squash, cut in half lengthwise, each half cut in half widthwise; seeds and fibers scraped out and reserved.
- 6 cups water
- salt
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon dark brown sugar
- pinch ground nutmeg
Croutons
- 2 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed, cut into 1/2-inch cubes, about 1 cup
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
Soup
- Melt butter in large pot over medium-low heat. Add shallot and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add seeds and fibers from the squash and cook, stirring occasionally, until the butter turns saffron color, about 4 minutes.
- Add water and 1 teaspoon salt to pot and bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, place squash, cut side down, in steamer basket, and lower basket into pot. Cover and steam until the squash is completely tender, about 30 minutes. Take pot off heat and use tongs to transfer squash to rimmed baking sheet. When cool enough to handle, use large spoon to scrape flesh from skin. Reserve squash flesh in bowl and discard skin.
- Strain steaming liquid through fine-mesh strainer into second bowl; discard solids in strainer. You should have 2 1/2 to 3 cups liquid. Rinse and dry pot.
- Working in batches and filling blender jar only halfway for each batch, puree squash, adding enough of the reserved liquid to obtain a smooth consistency. Transfer puree to clean pot and stir in remaining steaming liquid, cream and brown sugar. Warm soup over medium-low heat until hot, about 3 minutes. Stir in nutmeg, season with salt to taste. Top with cinnamon-sugar croutons and serve. Options for other toppings include lightly toasted pumpkin seeds, a drizzle of balsamic vinegar or a dusting of paprika. Soup can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.
Croutons
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350°. Combine bread cubes and melted butter and toss to coat. Combine sugar and cinnamon in small bowl, then add to bowl with the bread cubes and toss to coat.
- Spread bread cubes in single layer on parchment paper lined rimmed baking sheet and bake, stirring occasionally until crisp, 8-10 minutes. Let cool on baking sheet to room temperature. Croutons can be stored for up to 3 days.
