The Seasonal Gourmet

A butternut squash on the vine

Soups are one of my favourite things to make once the weather turns cool.  They are comforting and warming but best of all, easy to make (and most recipes are very forgiving).  They can also be made in advance which makes soups the perfect dish to serve as a starter at a dinner party or for a casual lunch.

Butternut squash is widely available at this time of year and it pairs beautifully with fresh sage.  A diced apple adds a touch of sweetness and brown butter is the perfect addition to drizzle over the finished soup.  Even though this soup seems hearty, it’s actually quite low in fat and can be easily adapted for vegetarians, making it a great choice for entertaining.

To learn more about making flavourful, lower-fat soups, check out this article I wrote for Suite 101.com: How to Make Flavourful Low Fat Soups.

Butternut Squash Soup with Sage Brown Butter

(Can be adapted to be VEGETARIAN)

Tip: Use a very sharp knife to peel and cut up the squash – they can be quite hard.

Makes 7 to 8 cups of soup

• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh sage
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 apple, peeled, cored and cut into cubes
• 1 medium butternut squash, peeled and seeds removed and cut into 1″ cubes (about 3 cups of squash)
• 6 cups low-sodium, fat-free chicken stock or vegetable stock (use vegetable stock if serving vegetarians)
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Sage Brown Butter Garnish (see below)

1. In a large pot, heat oil and add onion and garlic. Sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add herbs and cook for another 30 seconds.
2. Add apple, butternut squash and stock. Cover and simmer on medium for 30 minutes.
3. Let mixture cool and puree until smooth in a blender or with an immersion blender. Return to heat and simmer uncovered for another 15 minutes.
4. Season soup with salt and pepper to taste and garnish each serving with sage butter.

Sage Brown Butter Garnish

• 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 8 medium sized fresh sage leaves

In a small saucepan on medium heat, melt butter and add sage leaves. Cook until leaves are crisp and butter is beginning to brown. Garnish each serving of soup with a crispy sage leaf and a few drops of brown butter.

Butternut Squash Soup with Sage Brown Butter

This article first appeared on Suite 101.com.