Roasting the squash first, sort of caramelizes it, really bringing out its the sweet, buttery flavor.
(The other nice thing about roasting the squash is that you don’t have to peel it!) Don’t be afraid to improvise with the amount or type of broth, cider, or wine you might have on hand. Give yourself time to make this soup mid-day to serve for dinner. Great leftover too.
Ingredients
1 large (~ 3#) Butternut Squash
2 T EVOO
2 large Leeks
3 medium Carrots
4 cloves Garlic
5 cups Vegetable Broth
2/3 cup Apple Cider
1 cup dry White Wine
Sea Salt & fresh ground Black Pepper to taste
Directions
1. Wash the butternut squash, cut in half lengthwise, then in half in length again so have 4 long quarters. Brush roasting pan with EVOO. Lay squash on pan, skin side up. Roast in oven at 375F for about 40-45 minutes, turning squash on other non-skin side to bake after about 20 minutes.
2. Slice leeks lengthwise and rinse well to rid of any embedded soil. Cut leeks and carrots into 1/2-1″ pieces and saute in EVOO in a large stock pot for about 15 minutes over medium heat. Add chopped garlic and saute for another 5 minutes or so.
3. Add broth, cider, and wine to stock pot, stirring up bits of sauteed veggies from the bottom of the pan.
4. When squash is done and cool enough to handle, scoop roasted squash away from the skin and add to the stock pot. Add salt and pepper to taste. Allow to boil and then simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes.
5. Using either an immersion blender or a counter top blender (blend in batches for latter, blend the contents of the soup until a thick puree is fairly consistent.
6. Allow for soup to heat through after blending.
Optional — you can add some shredded raw kale, spinach, Swiss chard or other green and let it cook through here before serving.
Serve soup hot topped toasted almonds, fresh grated Parmesan cheese, and/or micro-greens.
