Butternut Squash Soup with Maple Cream

The week after thanksgiving I always feel the need to detox and eat a bit healthier. After gorging on all the rich meats and desserts I try to add some more vegetables to my diet.

Butternut squash has a sweet nutty taste similar to pumpkin that is complimented by the maple cream in this soup. I like this soup during fall and winter because it is so simple to make yet the flavors are deep and complex. The limited number of ingredients let the flavor of the squash shine through and the creamy soup satisfies my need for comfort food in chilly weather.

Butternut Squash Soup with Maple Cream

Key Ingredients in This Recipe

• Butternut squash – I roast the squash before adding it to the soup to add a slight caramelized flavor though you can similar the squash in the soup to make it entirely on the stovetop if needed. The dense squash has flavor similar to sweet potatoes or pumpkin.
• Vegetable broth – Using a vegetable broth in this recipe keeps the recipe vegetarian. It is made by simmering onion, celery and carrots with aromatics in water over a long period of time. In a pinch chicken stock can also be used.
• Crème fraîche – Crème fraîche is frequently used in French cooking with a flavor similar to sour cream. It’s soured with a bacterial culture which gives it a tangy flavor. If crème fraîche is unavailable, sour cream or even heavy cream makes a fine substitute in this recipe.
• Maple syrup – Maple syrup is a natural sweetener with a light caramel flavor that complements the nutty squash in the base of this soup.

How to Make Butternut Squash Soup with Maple Cream

For the soup:

1. Roast the squash. Heat oven to 450°F. Toss the squash in ¼ cup olive oil and spread in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast for 30 minutes, until you can stick a fork in the squash and it slides off cleanly. Let cool.
2. Cook vegetables. Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and heat through. Add diced carrot, celery and onion to the pot, stirring occasionally until onion is translucent, about 8 minutes.
3. Simmer soup. Add the roasted squash, thyme and vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Blend soup. Let the soup cool slightly then use a blender to puree the soup in batches. Alternatively, puree the soup using an immersion blender. Stir in the maple syrup.

To make the maple cream:

1. Stir together the maple cream. In a small bowl stir together the crème fraîche and maple syrup until thoroughly combined.

For serving:

1. Assemble and serve. Serve soup hot in bowls and drizzle a teaspoon of the maple cream over the top of each soup bowl.

Tips and Tricks for This Recipe

• To make this recipe vegan, swap the crème fraîche for coconut cream or omit the maple cream altogether.

Other Recipes to Try

If you enjoy this recipe, I recommend checking out some of these:

• French Onion Soup
• Sorrel Soup with Garlic Parmesan Croutons
• Creamy Tomato Cheddar Soup

Butternut Squash Soup

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Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 40 mins

Serves 4

US Customary – Metric

Ingredients:

For the soup:

• 8 cups butternut squash, seeded and cut into 1” cubes, about 2 medium butternut squash
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons, divided
• Kosher salt, as needed
• Freshly ground black pepper, as needed
• 1 medium carrot, peeled and diced
• 1 medium celery stalk, diced
• ½ medium yellow onion, diced
• ½ teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup

For the maple cream:

• ¼ cup crème fraîche
• 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup

Instructions:

For the soup:

• Heat oven to 450°F (230ºC). Toss the squash in ¼ cup olive oil and spread in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast for 30 minutes, until you can stick a fork in the squash and it slides off cleanly. Let cool.
• Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and heat through. Add diced carrot, celery and onion to the pot, stirring occasionally until onion is translucent, about 8 minutes.
• Add the roasted squash, thyme and vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes.
• Let the soup cool slightly then use a blender to puree the soup in batches. Alternatively, puree the soup using an immersion blender. Stir in the maple syrup.

For the maple cream:

• In a small bowl stir together the crème fraîche and maple syrup until thoroughly combined.

For serving:

• Serve soup hot in bowls and drizzle a teaspoon of the maple cream over the top of each soup bowl.

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