Savory Butternut Squash Soup

Savory butternut squash soup is a staple dish during the Fall season. My recipe for savory butternut squash soup puts a slight twist on the classic. Adding a hint of ginger provides a little extra warmth and flavor that is out of this world! Roasted butternut squash and roasted garlic cloves give the soup its sweetness. Curl up by the fire and watch the leaves fall from the trees as you enjoy this nourishing soup!

Is there anything that says “Fall” more than a bowl of roasted butternut squash soup? Pumpkins perhaps. But, pumpkins aside, a nourishing bowl of savory butternut squash soup is just the ticket to put you in the Autumnal spirit.

Savory Butternut Squash Soup With A Twist

The twist to this savory butternut squash soup recipe is fresh ginger and roasted garlic cloves. I use the pre-packaged ginger in a tube as it keeps for a long time in my fridge. If you want to use freshly grated ginger, that works just as well! I love starting the base of my soup by sautéing the ginger in a teaspoon of olive oil. Doing so helps to lessen the intensity of the ginger, and as a bonus your home will smell amazing! Roasting the garlic cloves also brings out their sweetness, and adds a pop of flavor to the soup.

Roasted Butternut Squash For Maximum Flavor

Roasting squash is the key to unlocking its maximum flavor. After quartering the squash and scooping out the seeds, I lightly coat the butternut squash with olive oil, salt, pepper, and Cajun Seasoning. Cajun Seasoning is completely optional, but I love the slightly smokey flavor it adds to the soup. I place the squash cut side down on a foil lined baking pan. Then I let the oven do the rest. The roasted butternut comes out perfectly caramelized on the outside.

Roasted Garlic Cloves With Butternut Squash

Is there anything more tasty than roasted garlic cloves? I’ll answer that question for you. Besides coffee, no, there isn’t. Roasting garlic not only lessens the intensity of its flavor, but brings out its sweetness. I love the additional subtle layer of flavor it brings to the soup. Even my girls, who aren’t big fans of garlic, love the roasted garlic cloves!

My trick to roasting the garlic is to peel it and place it inside the hole of the butternut squash. After drizzling everything with olive oil, and a sprinkling of seasonings, it gets flipped upside down on the roasting pan. Doing so traps the garlic under the squash, preventing it from burning. The garlic comes out soft and slightly caramelized. A perfect addition to this comforting soup!

Sauté The Ginger

My last trick to getting the maximum flavor out of this savory butternut squash soup is to lightly sauté the ginger. Almost the way you might sauté chopped garlic, ginger needs only a few seconds of toasting to release its flavor. Once your ginger has been slightly toasted, you can begin to layer the rest of the ingredients into the pot. The ginger is what sets this recipe over the top. Not only is it delicious, but it adds a touch of heat and complexity to an otherwise mild soup.

Why You Should Make Savory Butternut Squash Soup With Ginger

• Comforting
• Nutritious
• Dairy Free
• Vegetarian
• Easy to make!
• Limited number of ingredients! Most of these ingredients also keep for a long time in your pantry!
• A crowd pleaser! It’s one of the few meals my entire family loves!

Ingredients

• Butternut squash – Choose one large butternut squash. They will keep for months in the pantry and are great to have on hand.
• Garlic – Peel four cloves of garlic.
• Ginger – One teaspoon of either freshly grated or packaged ginger.
• Vegetable Stock – One 32 ounce container of vegetable stock. (You can always swap vegetable stock for chicken stock)
• Olive Oil – Approximately 1/4 cup of olive oil should be enough to coat the squash and garlic for roasting. Save about one teaspoon for sautéing the ginger.
• Salt – A good pinch of salt to season the butternut squash (approximately 1/2 teaspoon).
• Pepper – A pinch to season the butternut squash (approximately 1/4 teaspoon).
• Cajun Seasoning – Another pinch to season the butternut squash (approximately 1/4 teaspoon).
• Turmeric – One tablespoon.

Tools Possibly Needed For This Recipe

• Immersion blender
• Food processor

How To Make Savory Butternut Squash Soup

1. Pre-heat oven – Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Prepare the squash. Cut squash into quarters and scoop out seeds. Coat with olive oil, salt, pepper, and Cajun Seasoning. Place the peeled garlic inside the hole of the squash. Flip the squash cut side down on an aluminum lined baking sheet.
3. Roast the squash and garlic – Bake the squash and garlic in the oven for 25 minutes.
4. Remove the peel – After the squash cools, peel away the outer skin and discard. Set squash aside.
5. Sauté ginger – In a large pot, sauté the ginger over medium heat with one teaspoon of olive oil. Once the ginger begins to sizzle and pop, turn heat to low.
6. Add other ingredients – Add squash, garlic, turmeric, and vegetable broth into the pot with the ginger.
7. Warm soup – Raise heat to medium and let ingredients simmer for 5 – 10 minutes or until warm.
8. Puree soup – With an immersion blender or food processor, puree the soup till creamy.
9. Enjoy!

Toppings For Your Soup

The fun part of enjoying savory butternut squash soup are the variety of toppings you can sprinkle on it! Here are some suggestions for your toppings:

• A dollop of sour cream or creme fraiche
• Roasted pumpkin seeds
• Crispy sage
• Chopped mint
• Roasted chopped almonds
• Bacon
• Sauté ginger
• A sprinkle of Cajun Seasoning

Check out more of my recipes!

• Disneyland’s Mint Julep