I've always been a fan of warm weather, so when it starts to get cold, I find comfort in the little things like a good soup. Butternut squash soup has always been one of my favorites because it has so much character and such a nice, natural but subtle sweetness to it.
This soup is one of my absolute staples for Fall, and my husband's favorite. It has such few ingredients, but has so much depth of flavor. I used to make this soup without the cannellini beans and that was amazing as is. However, now that I have started adding some beans to it, I find that it is even creamier and heartier. It can be eaten as a meal on its own and keeps you satisfied for a longer period of time.
There are so many recipes for it and tons of different ways to make it. Personally, I love roasting the squash because it gives it another dimension that I feel is lost when it's just cooked. Here is my recipe:
Ingredients:
1 medium butternut squash
1 1/2 cups cannellini beans, soaked & cooked (or canned)
1 large white onion, cut into large chunks
3 cloves garlic
1 red pepper (optional)
1 tablespoon agave or maple syrup
1 tablespoon Better Than Bouillon concentrated vegetable broth or 2 cups vegetable broth
1 bunch, sage leaves
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt & Pepper to taste
Steps:
Cut the butternut squash in half and remove the seeds (you may keep the seeds for roasting later).
Roast the butternut squash cut side down, with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt, on a rimmed baking tray with a silicone baking mat at 400 F for around 30 minutes.
Remove butternut squash from the oven and add in the garlic and onions with a bit more olive oil. Roast for another 15-20 minutes or until the butternut squash is tender and scoopable. Let it cool until you can handle it.
Scoop the butternut squash into a pot with the onions, garlic, cannellini beans, broth, sage, and sweetener. Add in another sprinkling of salt. Let the flavors marry as these all cook together for about 10 more minutes in the pot.
Once everything comes to a bubble, turn off the heat and either use an immersion blender or a regular blender to blend everything together until completely smooth.
Check for seasoning and plate up immediately or store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
That's it, super simple! Deliciously creamy without all the added animal fats. To be honest, you don't really need 2 tablespoons of oil, you can definitely get away with adding just around 1 or even half a tablespoon.
Anyway, enjoy this beautiful Autumn season!
-Abhijna