One-Pot Butternut Squash Apple Soup

One-Pot Butternut Squash Apple Soup

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 1 20

Total Time: 1 30

Servings:

Calories: 139kcal

Author: Aleka Shunk

This cozy butternut squash and apple soup is smooth, creamy, and full of fall flavors with a hint of cinnamon and sage. Made in one pot with coconut milk (or cream) using a handheld blender, it’s a foolproof meal perfect for those brisk nights!

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Equipment

1 immersion blender *see note
1 dutch oven or pot with lid *see note

Ingredients

¼ cup butter or oil
2 yellow onions, small dice
4-5 garlic cloves, chopped
1 (3 lb) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut into 1" chunks
2 large apples, peeled, cored and chopped *see note
½ teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3-4 fresh sage leaves
1 ½ teaspoon salt *to taste
16 oz. chicken, beef or vegetable broth + 1 cup water
1 13.5 oz. can coconut milk (or 1½ cups of cream)

Instructions

First we are going to caramelize our onions to bring out the sweetness. To do this, add the onions to a large pot set over medium heat along with your oil (or butter). Once your onions begin to brown, add ¼ cup of water and turn down the heat to a medium-low simmer. Keep an eye on them so they do not burn. This should take about 20 minutes. You're looking for a deep golden brown (caramelized) color.
When your onions are ready, toss in your garlic and simmer 1 more minute. Add in your butternut squash chunks, apple chunks, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, sage and stock + 1 cup of water and turn the heat up to high.
Once it starts tio boil, turn down the heat to a simmer and cover with a lid. Let it simmer for about 1 hour stirring a few times in between. We want the flavors to develop while allowing the squash to become super tender. Once the squash is "easily smashable" with a fork, it's done.
Turn off the heat and add in your coconut milk or cream if using. Allow the soup to cool a bit so you do not burn yourself while puréeing.
If using an immersion blender: Stick the blender on the bottom of the pot and move it around on high so it is able to blend everything nicely. You may need to move the blender up and down slightly to capture all the chunky veggies and apples. Sometimes I will even tip the pot on an angle (like scrambling eggs) to make it easier to blend.
If using a blender: Carefully pour the mixture into the blender and cover. Blend over high for about 30-60 seconds or until it's fully puréed. Then pour back into the pot and re-heat when ready to serve.
At this point, feel free to taste test and add more salt if needed. Serve in a bowl with minced sage, a swirl of cream and minced apples if you're feeling fancy. :)

Notes

Choosing your pot: I prefer to make thicker soups in a dutch oven because it is heavy bottomed and insulated well. They're made for simmering soups and stews for hours without burning the bottom of the pot like some stainless steel pots will do. If you do not have one, make sure to watch your heat and use a flat wooden spoon to scrape the bottom of the pan every now and then.

Blenders: Immersion blenders are the best for these types of soups. You can blend right in the pot without making a mess transferring it to a blender. Plus they're very easy to use.

Apples: You can choose any apples you wish. Granny smith will give your soup a more tart taste and gala more sweet for examples.

Soup Consistency: Your consistency may be different than mine depending on many different factors (mainly the heat). Know that you can control the consistency very easily. Too thick? Add more stock/water/cream at the end. Too thin? Simmer the soup for another 20 minutes or so.

Mugs: These soup mugs are great for entertaining at home because guests can easily enjoy standing up!

Nutrition