Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
With the weather changing, along with the offerings at the market, it's time to bust out the big pots and shift into soup season. There is a great quote about soup by American Author Kate DiCamillo that embodies the spirit of the labor that goes into a big cozy bowl of soup: “There ain't no point in making soup unless others eat it. Soup needs another mouth to taste it, another heart to be warmed by it.” Motivated by the promise of tasty soups and stews and the opportunity to share our experience with our farmers' market farm-ily, we pooled our community for recipes and got together to bond over our bowls. I present to you Soup-A-Palooza 2025. A collection of staff soup recipes and the stories behind them.
This soup comes from Maureen, our Director of Finance and Administration. Here is what she shared along with the recipe:
"Every Halloween for over 25 years, the family gathers at my sister's house before the trick or treating starts, and we have always made some sort of soup or chili. This recipe has consistently been one of the favorites!"
- 2 pounds cubed butternut squash
- 4 medium onion, halved and sliced into wedges
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil, or another heat-safe oil
- 2 cups chicken broth or more, as needed
- 1 can (about 13-1/2 ounce size) coconut milk, or 1 cup heavy cream
- Diced apple and crumbled, cooked bacon (optional)
Preheat oven to 425°F. Put squash cubes, onion, and garlic cloves on a large rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and drizzle oil over top. Use your hands to toss everything around so it’s evenly coated. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes on a lower oven rack, tossing things around with a spatula a couple of times during cooking.
Transfer roasted items to a medium to large-sized soup pot. Add chicken broth and heat to a simmer. Let it simmer for about 5 minutes and then purée it with an immersion blender (or in batches with a countertop blender) until smooth. Stir in the coconut milk or cream. Add a little more salt, if needed, before serving. Top with diced apple and crumbled, cooked bacon, if desired.