Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Sage

Happy first day of Fall!!  This soup is a perfect way to bring in Fall.  You roast a butternut squash half (or a whole one, cut in half, if desired!) and then puree it into an easy, flavorful, and savory soup.  I really, really liked this.  A lot more than I thought I would.  So did my husband, and my daughter and baby loved it as well!!  At the local organic farm market last weekend, I bought a half of a butternut squash, and a large bunch of fresh sage.  Both went into this soup, and the flavors were amazing.  The top little garnish is a fresh sage leaf cooked in some butter.

The original recipe called for boiling the squash, but that takes so much longer, because you have to peel and cut the raw squash up.  Cutting and peeling a raw squash is hard and tiresome!  So I roasted the whole thing instead, which brings out more flavor, as well.  It was really a win-win.  :)  Just plan for 30-45 minutes of roasting time, or until the flesh is soft.  You leave the skin on, too, and then just scoop out the cooked flesh afterward.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Sage
adapted from Melissa's

1 small butternut squash or 1 medium or large half of a butternut squash, halved and seeded
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup onion (about 3/4 medium onion) chopped
1 pinch kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
5 sprigs thyme; leaves only (OR 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme)
4-6 fresh sage leaves thinly sliced 
1/4-1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt, or to taste
3 1/2 cups Chicken Broth

1 teaspoon full fat Greek yogurt or sour cream 

Garnish:  butter & fresh sage leaves

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Place a sheet of foil on a baking sheet with sides.  Lightly grease the foil.  If you have a whole squash, cut in half long-wise and remove as many seeds as you can easily remove.  Place both halves, cut side down, on baking sheet and cover loosely with another sheet of foil.  If you are just working with one squash half, do the same.  Roast for 30-60 minutes, or until flesh is tender and gives when pierced with a fork.  Remove from oven, and allow to cool.  Scoop out flesh and use in the recipe.  Leave the skin behind; discard the skin.  You can do this a few hours (or a day!) ahead of time; just scoop cooked flesh out and cover; refrigerate.

2.  In a large soup pot, add butter and heat on medium heat until sizzling.  Add onion, kosher salt, black pepper and thyme and sauté onions until tender. Reduce heat to low and add fresh sage. Sauté mixture for 2 minutes.

3.  Fold cooked squash into onion mixture and heat for 1 minute. Stir in chicken broth and heat until warm. Using an immersion blender, puree soup until smooth.  You can use a regular blender, but only fill it about 1/3 full, vent the lid, and place a kitchen towel over the hole. 

4.  Stir in Greek yogurt or sour cream until smooth.  Return squash to pot (or place pot back on the heat) and heat through. Do not boil-the herbs will lose their brilliant green color and turn brown. Remove pot from heat and cover.

5.  For garnish- Add 1 tablespoon butter to an 8-inch sauté pan and heat on medium-low heat until hot. Fry the sprigs of sage until crisp and drain on paper towels.  Pour warm soup into bowls and top each bowl with a sprig of fried sage. Serve immediately.

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