Butternut Squash Apple Soup

Did you know this is Ina Garten's favorite soup recipe? Instead of a plain butternut squash that's pureed, this recipe adds fresh apples and some curry spice. Make a big batch and freeze the leftover for later.

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free, Low Fat, Low Lactose

Keyword one pot, vegan

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 30

Servings servings or 1 ¾ qt of soup

Calories 283kcal

Author Agile Test Kitchen

Equipment

4 qt Dutch oven or other cooking vessel

Ingredients

1 Tb unsalted butter
1 Tb extra virgin olive oil
2 c chopped yellow oions
½ teaspoon salt
1 Tb mild yellow curry powder omit if you don't like spiciness
2 ½ lb butternut squash this is about 1 l medium sized butternut squash
¾ lb sweet apples such as McIntosh
1 c water
1 c fresh apple cider or apple juice

Optional Garnishes

fresh ground black pepper
maple syrup
coconut milk
toasted pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds

Instructions

Heat the Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the oil and butter.
Add the onions and salt. Sweat the onions for about 8-10 minutes until softened. They should not be browned or start to caramelize. Turn the heat down if they start to brown.
Add curry powder. Stir and bloom the spices for about 30 seconds to a minute.
Add the butternut squash, apples, and water to the pot. Cover to bring to a boil. It will seem like there's not enough liquid in the pot, but the squash and apples will release their juices as they cook.
Once the pot comes to a boil, give the pot a stir.
Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the squash is soft and cooked through.
Turn off the heat. Add the apple cider and blend with an immersion blender or in a blender in batches. See Note 2 on blending hot liquid in a blender.
Taste the blended soup for seasoning. Add salt and pepper as desired. I like adding maple syrup for a little more sweetness. Thin out with additional apple cider if the soup is too thick. It should generously coat the back of a wooden spoon but still drip off the spoon with ease.

Notes

Recipe adapted from Barefoot Contessa Parties! by Ina Garten.

This recipe can be easily doubled to make 3 ½ qt of soup. Use at least a 5 qt sized cooking pot.
Take care when blending any hot liquid in a blender. If the cap is sealed too tightly, the hot steam and liquid can cause explosions. It's best to remove the plastic round seal from the cap and cover it with a thick towel held down with your hand. This will allow at least a little bit of air to escape. Also, pulse gently and work your way up to a full blend.
Restaurant style - A fine dining restaurant would push the blended soup through a fine sieve to make the soup extra creamy and smooth.

Nutrition