Butternut Squash & Apple Soup

This pureed soup is so simple and satisfying, perfect for fall and winter. 

Butternut Squash & Apple Soup

Equipment: Large Stockpot, Cutting Board, Sharp Knife, Blender or Food Processor, Soup Ladle, Large Mixing Bowl

·      2 tablespoons pasture butter or coconut oil

·      1 yellow onion, peeled and diced

·      2-3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

·      5 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into large chunks*

·      6 organic apples, peeled, cored and quartered

·      2 cups homemade broth, stock or bone broth

·      1-2 cups organic apple juice (fresh juice is best)

·      1 strip kombu (See Resources)

·      ½ teaspoon kelp granules (See Resources)

·      ½ teaspoon dried thyme

·      1 teaspoon Celtic sea salt (See Resources)

1.    Prep onion, garlic, butternut squash and apples – wash and peel.  Remove outer skin of onion, cut in half and dice.  Mince garlic.  Remove seeds from butternut squash (save to roast or freeze for stocks).  Core apples. 

Gala Apples and Butternut Squash

Please excuse the yellow hue, the natural lighting was not good in my kitchen.

Little Love - my favorite helper

2.   In a large stockpot, melt fat of choice over medium heat.  Add onion and sauté for about 5-8 minutes, stirring on occasion, until slightly golden brown.  Add garlic and continue to cook for another 2 minutes, stirring on occasion.

3.   Add butternut squash and apple chunks into the stockpot.  Add broth and apple juice, just enough liquid to barely cover the soup contents (I usually leave about ¼ inch of the squash and apples sticking out without liquid covering them).

4.   Add kombu, kelp, thyme and sea salt to the stockpot. 

5.    Bring soup to a boil.  Reduce heat to a simmer and simmer for about 25-30 minutes or until squash is fork-tender.    

6.    Remove soup from heat.  Prep blender to puree the soup.  Bring large mixing bowl and soup ladle to the station where you will puree the soup.  In small portions, add soup contents to the blender (please use caution as the soup is extremely hot).  Note: Do not fill the blender more than half full, when contents are pureed they will expand, you don’t want hot soup all over your kitchen ceiling.  Puree soup until smooth, add pureed portions to the large mixing bowl.  Repeat until all soup is pureed.  Add soup back to stockpot.  

7.   Keep soup on low heat until ready to serve or store in the refrigerator for later. 

8.   Serve hot as is or top with sour cream or crème fraiche.     

Optional Toppings: Top with a dollop of cultured sour cream or crème fraiche.  It’s delicious with a blend of the two as well.   

*Note: Butternut Squash should make about 6 cups cubed, I usually buy 2 medium-size butternut squash.  If you end up having a little less or a little more, that’s fine, just alter the juice/liquid so the juice just barely covers the soup contents.  You don’t want too much liquid when you start to puree the soup, you want the soup to be somewhat thick, too much liquid will make the puree very thin, more like a broth based soup. 

Yield: Makes about 3 quarts.