Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
Looking to curl up with a bowl of awesome? Try this Roasted Butternut Squash Soup recipe from fitness pro Linda LaRue. Just 60 calories per cup and full of clean eats!
Roasting is my favorite way to cook any type of squash varietal during the cold fall through winter months. Roasting caramelizes squash, which intensifies the flavor and brings out its natural nutty sweetness. This recipe is very flexible as you can roast any squash you pick up at the farmers’ market or have on hand. I like seasoning with fresh thyme, but you can easily substitute dried. (Tip: If you do use dried, rub it between your hands to bring out its oil to perk it up again!)
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup Recipe
Yields: 14 one-cup servings
Nutrition facts per serving: 60 calories, 2g fat, 0g saturated fat, 2g protein, 16g carbohydrates, 0mg cholesterol, 4g fiber, 312 mg sodium
Ingredients
1 medium-sized seeded butternut squash, cut in half
1 medium-sized pear, peeled and cut in cubes
2 medium-sized leeks, well washed and sliced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 ½ teaspoon good kosher or sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cloves minced lightly sautéed garlic or 2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 ½ teaspoons fresh thyme or 2 teaspoon dried thyme
4 cups nonfat low-sodium chicken broth or water
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Then, place both halves of the squash on baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the halves are tender. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 20 minutes until you are able to handle them without burning your hands.
3. With a good strong spoon, scoop out the squash and place in a large bowl.
4. Slice off green tops of leeks and cut into halves lengthwise. Wash thoroughly until you see no dirt and then finely slice.
5. Heat a large stockpot. Add olive oil, leeks, pear and garlic. Cook leeks until translucent. Add water, thyme, salt and pepper, cooked squash and broth (or water). Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and let simmer for 15 minutes. Puree with a hand blender until it reaches your desired consistency.
This roasted butternut squash soup stores in fridge for up to one week. It also freezes well in individual servings — for up to four weeks!
What’s your fave squash to roast? —Linda LaRue