Butternut Squash and Apple Soup (Print Version)

A silky smooth autumn soup combining roasted butternut squash and sweet apples with warm cinnamon and nutmeg notes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables & Fruit

01 - 1 medium butternut squash (approximately 2 pounds), peeled, seeded, and cubed
02 - 2 medium apples such as Gala or Fuji, peeled, cored, and diced
03 - 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Liquids

05 - 4 cups vegetable broth, gluten-free certified
06 - 1/2 cup apple cider or unsweetened apple juice

→ Dairy

07 - 1/2 cup heavy cream or coconut milk for dairy-free option

→ Spices & Seasoning

08 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
09 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
10 - 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
11 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Garnish

13 - Toasted pumpkin seeds, optional
14 - Chopped fresh parsley, optional

# Steps to Follow:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until soft and translucent, stirring occasionally.
02 - Stir in minced garlic, butternut squash cubes, and diced apples. Cook for an additional 3 minutes, allowing the ingredients to meld.
03 - Add ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger to the pot. Stir thoroughly to coat all vegetables and fruit evenly with the spices, releasing their aromatic oils.
04 - Pour vegetable broth and apple cider into the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes until squash and apples are very tender and easily break apart.
05 - Remove from heat. Using an immersion blender, purée the soup until smooth and creamy. Alternatively, carefully transfer the mixture in batches to a countertop blender and blend until desired consistency is achieved.
06 - Stir in heavy cream or coconut milk if desired. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, adjusting seasoning as needed.
07 - Gently reheat if necessary over low heat. Ladle into bowls and top with toasted pumpkin seeds and fresh parsley if desired. Serve immediately.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It turns simple pantry staples into something that feels fancy enough for guests but easy enough for a Tuesday night.
  • The natural sweetness means you don't need added sugar, just the honest flavor of fruit and squash doing their thing together.
  • It reheats beautifully, so you can make it ahead and actually enjoy your dinner party instead of stirring pots while everyone else talks.
02 -
  • If you skip salting until the end, you'll need way more than you think because the squash and apples are naturally sweet and need that savory contrast to really sing.
  • Blending hot liquid is genuinely dangerous if you fill the blender too full, so do smaller batches and hold a towel over the lid, I learned this the hard way and spent an hour wiping soup off my backsplash.
  • The soup thickens as it sits, so if you're reheating leftovers, add a splash of broth or water to bring it back to life.
03 -
  • Toasting the pumpkin seeds in a dry skillet for just 2 minutes transforms them from boring to essential, adding a nutty crunch that makes every spoonful better.
  • If your squash is rock-hard and impossible to cut, microwave the whole thing for 2 to 3 minutes to soften the skin just enough that your knife won't slip and scare you.
  • Taste the soup before adding cream, sometimes the pureed squash is already so silky that you don't need it, and you'll save those calories for dessert instead.
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