Homemade Butternut Squash Soup
Perfect for a cozy night in!
During the winter, all I want to do is hang on the couch and binge watch Netflix (my latest show is Jack Ryan — we are obsessed!) with a cozy blanket and warm bowl of soup! My dad has been making this homemade butternut squash soup for years, and with this past weekend’s weather, it was finally time to try it ourselves!
With only 8 ingredients and absolutely no dairy, it’s super clean, easy to make and can help start your new year off on a healthy note. You can substitute the sausage for chicken, ground turkey or another protein of your choice, or even remove it all together. You really can’t go wrong with different virations of this soup… we hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
HOMEMADE BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP:
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total time: 50 minutes
Yield: 6-8 large servings
INGREDIENTS:
2 large butternut squash
2 apples
1 large onion
1 package of sweet Italian sausage
32 - 64 fl oz. chicken broth
1 tsp cinnamon
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil (to drizzle on the squash)
Optional garnish (we included): Raw pumpkin seeds
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Use a sharp knife and cut both ends of the squash and remove skin with a vegetable peeler. Cut into cubes and toss in olive oil, salt and pepper.
3. Spread evenly on a non-stick sheet pan in one layer. Bake for 20 minutes or until you can easily stick a fork through the squash.
4. Peel and dice the onion and apples. Sauté with olive oil, cinnamon, salt and pepper to taste in a separate soup pot.
5. While the butternut squash, onion and apples are cooking, use a frying pan to brown the sausage.
6. Once tender and cooked through, add in the butternut squash to the onion and apples.
7. Add in full box (32 oz.) of chicken broth and combine ingredients with an immersion blender.
8. Gradually add more chicken broth (up to an additional 32 oz.) until your desired consistency is achieved.
9. Add in the browned ground sausage and mix in with the immersion blender for a few seconds.
10. Optional finishing touch: Add pumpkin seeds on top for a little extra crunch! Pour yourself a bowl and enjoy!
