Butternut Squash, Apple, + Leek Soup

Well…..I skipped out on work tonight, got a hair cut this afternoon, + proceeded to have a cozy night in with a homemade pot of soup. I’m not sorry about any of it! Landed on making the first butternut squash soup of the season. It honestly felt like another sign that it’s officially Fall & this frigid weather is officially here to stay. I went the route of jazzing it up a bit, straying from the tried & true sprinkle just some nutmeg over the squash & puree it with stock method. Long story short, I landed on this Butternut Squash, Apple, + Leek Soup. Like a traditional butternut squash soup, it’s one of the easiest soups ever to make, + it comes with lots of hands off time (which made time for Peloton-ing during the cooking process). Most importantly it lead a very flavorful Fall soup, & my husband telling me repeatedly how much he enjoyed it. So a big win at our house in the worl of easy weeknight meals.

 
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One pan to one pot

Let me emphasize - this is one of the easiest soups EVER to make. It has the whole one pan // one pot vibe, which is a dream for simple + easy weeknight meals. It means it’s going to be simple to whip together + not a total nightmare to clean-up. Kitchen clean-up in the 5am//6am hour has become my routine, and not going to lie, sometimes I wake up to a real f*cking mess after I’ve been in the kitchen.

Here, the squash, the leeks, & the apple get thrown onto the baking pan, sprinkled with EVOO and salt + pepper, and then roasted until all are tender. A half hour of total set it + forget time. Everything comes out of the oven with a roasted coloring, maybe a little juicy from the apples, and all ready to be pureed. Just thrown into the food processor & then back into a soup pot, and your set. Very very simple!

Sweet + savory

This is like a sweet & savory soup. I’ve made a lot of butternut squash soups in my day (it’s a Fall favorite), and having something that just makes it a little more unique is always fun. Having something that truly works to make it unique can be a struggle - there have been many infusion attempts that aren’t making the blog. This one, however, totally works.

I guess I just don’t love it when butternut squash soups are too sweet. So many recipes call for adding in just apple or pear, and it makes for a pretty sweet soup. Just not always the vibe. The addition of the leek in this bad boy totally brings the savory. And it’s a very tasty!

 
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Delicious + Pretty

The big win for me in the world of soups is a good garnish. A hearty, tasty, & super yummy “topping” that just kind of takes it to the next level of really freakin’ good. Melted cheese on top of a warm bowl of soup is a great place to start - always - so this soup for sure has that (hello gruyere!!). This soup is made even better by just a pinch of shredded gruyere cheese (you can totally use parmesan, too!) on top that gets melty + very fun to scoop up with a spoon. It really is just a dream. & next - the creamy vibes. Insert sour cream. Give it a little swirl in the warm soup to really impress yourself, but the tangy-ness with each spoonful is damn good.

Delicious garnish + pretty garnish. That’s ticket. So just a couple fresh sage leaves right on top to finish the whole thing goes a long way in looking so cute + appetizing. A perfect little soup for a cozy night in.

For the soup

  • 1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded, + cut into piece

  • 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled + chopped

  • 2 leeks, sliced

  • 4 garlic cloves

  • 1 + 1/2 tsp cumin

  • 1 tbsp fresh sage, finely chopped (plus a couple extra leaves for garnish)

  • Salt + pepper

  • EEVOO

  • 4 c. broth

  • 1 c. hard cider

  • Sour cream (to dollop on top)

  • Shredded gruyere or parmesan

Preheat the oven to 425. Lay the squash, apples, leeks, & garlic on a foil lined baking tray. Sprinkle the cumin, sage, salt + pepper over the top. Drizzle the EVOO over the tray (about 3 tbsp), and gently toss to coat. Roast for 30-33 minutes (butternut squash should be fork tender).

Put all ingredients in a food processor, pureeing until the veggies have been pretty finely broken up. With the processor still going, pour in half of the broth. Continue to puree for another minute or 2. Pour the mixture into a Dutch oven + place over medium heat. Stir in the rest of the broth + the cider, continuously stirring until the liquid is incorporated + soup begins to bubble (about 7 minutes). Reduce the heat to low, and let the soup continue to cook for 15 minutes. Give it a taste + add any additional salt and pepper if you like!

Ladle the soup into bowls + dollop a small drop of sour cream on top of each bowl. Finish with a sprinkle of cheese + a couple fresh sage leaves.

Lesley ZehnerComment