Butternut Squash Soup
Happy Friday, everyone! How was the first week of meal plans? I hope you were able to use some and maybe even find a new family favorite! We had an insanely busy week so our meal prep game was way off. Rhett’s on shift this weekend so I’m going to use the time to do some prepping and get the ingredients we didn’t touch to the freezer for the future. I have a huge bag of carrots and box of oranges that will all be turning into juice jars, too, which is exciting!
We’re hitting a stormy week here in Clovis, so I have some soups on the menu for the week! Hope you enjoy what I picked out. These New York Times recipes are always winners so I have no doubt you’ll love what we’ve got going.
One of our favorite family recipes is Butternut Squash Soup. This is an original recipe of mine that has been perfected over the years and I promise your whole family will love! Perfect for winter, filling, creamy, delicious, with an option to go vegan if you wish. Let me know what you think and be sure to tag #prattfammealplan if you post anything!
Lauren’s Butternut Squash Soup
Ingredients:
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, divided (regular or vegan)
1 large butternut squash (about 3-4 lbs)
4 cups rough-chopped carrot
1 large chopped onion
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 qt vegetable or chicken broth
1 cup water
1 tbsp salt, or to taste
2 tsp freshly ground pepper
2 tsp sage
2 tsp thyme
1 cup heavy cream, half and half, milk, or coconut milk (depending on how light/dairy free you want it!)
optional: roasted, salted pepitas (pumpkin seeds) to top
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°.
Using a very sharp chefs knife, cut the squash vertically in half, scooping out the pulp and seeds, discard. Lay the squash cut side down on a large baking sheet and roast in the oven for at least 1 hour, or until the skin is nice a wrinkly. When you press on the outside of the squash it should be soft. Remove from oven, flip over, and allow to cool until easily handled. Once cooled, you can either peel the squash and cut it up or just scoop out the meat from the shell (my preferred method) and set aside.
Melt half of the butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic, sauté for a few minutes until the onion is soft, and then add in the carrots and squash. Stir in the salt and spices, then add the broth and water and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Check the doneness of the carrots...they should be nice and soft (but not mushy!) before you blend.
If you have an immersion ("stick") blender: Turn the heat to low and blend the soup over the stove.
If you don't: Pour the soup into a blender in batches and blend until smooth. (This is my preferred method, because although messy and annoying, it always, always yields the creamiest results.) Return to the pot.
Once the soup is well blended and smooth, stir in the remaining half stick of butter, and the cup of half and half/cream/coconut milk. Taste for seasoning, and add more salt and pepper as desired. Stir to incorporate, and then serve with a sprinkling of pepitas, if desired.
**If you use dairy and need to keep it warm, put it over the lowest heat and don't let it boil after you've added the cream or else it will curdle.
If you love this recipe and want more, be sure to subscribe to our Pratt Fam Meal Plan by clicking one of the calendar links below! Every week, I update the calendar with new recipes and links to the source so your meal plan and grocery list prep is easy peasy! Hope you love it!