Butternut Squash Soup with Sage and Croutons
This Butternut Squash Soup with Sage is tasty, hearty, and perfect for chilly fall or winter nights! Butternut Squash Soup can often be too sweet, but this one is balanced with fresh sage, crushed red pepper flakes, and crème fraiche.
Ingredients
Soup
- 1 butternut squash cut in half lengthwise and seeds and stem removed
- 1 yellow or sweet onion chopped
- 2 medium carrots diced
- 1 large shallot chopped
- 2 tbsp olive oil or butter
- ¼ tsp crushed red pepper
- 10 fresh sage leaves
- Cracked black pepper
- ½ tsp salt plus more for squash
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup half and half or heavy cream
- ¼ cup crème fraîche
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- Olive oil for brushing squash
Parmesan Croutons
- 2 cups of cubed baguette or ciabatta baguette or ciabatta
- 2 tbsp of olive oil
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment.
- Brush the open sides of the squash with olive oil and season with a pinch of salt and pepper.1 butternut squash, Olive oil
- Place squash face-down on the baking sheet and roast for 50 minutes or until soft. Remove from oven when done.
- While the squash is roasting, add olive oil or butter to a large soup pot.2 tbsp olive oil or butter
- Add shallots, onion, carrots, sage, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper. Cook for 5-7 minutes.1 yellow or sweet onion, 2 medium carrots, 1 large shallot, ¼ tsp crushed red pepper, ½ tsp salt, Cracked black pepper, 10 fresh sage leaves
- Add broth, cover pot, and cook for about 15-20 minutes or until veggies fully soften.6 cups vegetable broth
- To make the croutons, add the cubed bread to a second parchment lined baking sheet while the soup is cooking and the squash is roasting. Toss the bread with olive oil, parmesan, salt and pepper, and bake in the same 400°F oven for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown and toasted. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.2 cups of cubed baguette or ciabatta, 2 tbsp of olive oil, ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese, Salt and pepper to taste
- Scoop out the roasted squash from the skin and add it to the soup pot. Blend the soup with an immersion blender or regular blender until smooth.
- Blend in 1 cup of half and half, ¼ cup crème fraîche, and 1 tbsp of maple syrup.1 cup half and half, ¼ cup crème fraîche, 1 tbsp maple syrup
- Taste the soup for seasoning, then ladle into bowls and top with croutons and more crème fraîche, if desired.