Here is another version of butternut squash soup, and this one is created by Erin and David, who blog on their site, “Super Simple Salty Life”.
Cooking time: 1 hour
Equipment needed:
Immersion blender or regular blender
Ingredients:
One 3-4 pound Butternut squash
3 Tablespoons Olive oil
1-2 large Leeks, white and tender light green parts, chopped
1/2 cup finely diced Onion
1 teaspoon dried Thyme
6 cups Chicken stock
1 1/2 teaspoons Salt
1/2 teaspoon ground Black pepper
1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg
Optional items for garnish:
Chopped green onions, crumbled bacon, pumpkin seeds, and sour cream
Directions:
To make butternut squash:
1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Cut squash in half lengthwise and place cut side down on a baking sheet. Bake until tender and a fork pierces the squash easily, about 40 minutes. Let cool.
3. Scoop out and discard (or roast) seeds. Scrape the squash from the skin and set aside.
For the soup:
1. While squash roasts, begin the soup by adding oil to a large heavy saucepan or Dutch oven over medium low heat.
2. Add leeks, onions and thyme. Cook until softened and lightly browned.
3. Stir in chicken stock (or vegetable stock to make this vegetarian or vegan) and squash. Simmer over medium heat for about 20 minutes. Add nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
4. Using your immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth and creamy.
Or you can puree the soup in batches in a regular blender. Be sure not to overfill the blender; since the soup is hot, it can cause the blender lid to pop off when you turn it on if it is too full!
5. Serve the soup as is, or add the toppings: chopped green onions, crumbled bacon, a dollop of sour cream, and pumpkin seeds.