Roasted Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Soup

By Sweet July

In just a few simple steps, this bowl of comfort and joy is ready to devour.

Butternut squash and sweet potato are a classic pairing—and when blended together in this rich and creamy soup, they are a match made in heaven.

Slow roasting these veggies before adding them to the soup gives them the deep caramelized flavor that makes this dish truly shine. It’s also perfect for freezing and enjoying later!

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil + more for roasting vegetables
1 medium to large butternut squash, cut in half with seeds removed
1 large sweet potato, halved long ways
4 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
1 tbsp butter
1 celery stalk, chopped
2 large carrots, chopped
1/2 sweet onion, chopped
4 cups (32 oz) chicken broth
2 sprigs of thyme
1 bay leaf
1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 cup heavy cream
Chives, finely sliced (garnish)
Crème Fraiche (garnish)
Roasted Pumpkin Seeds (recipe below, garnish)

Instructions

step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

step 2

Line a large sheet pan with parchment or aluminum foil. Drizzle olive oil all over the squash and sweet potato, and use your hands or a pastry brush to make sure they’re well coated. Season with salt and pepper and then arrange (cut side down) on the lined sheet pan.

step 3

Lift the squash and place 2 garlic cloves under each well. Roast for 35-45 minutes until softened and a fork can easily pierce both the squash and potato. Allow to cool, then reserve the garlic, peel away the skin, and/or scoop out the flesh into a separate bowl. Set aside.

step 4

Add olive oil and butter to a heavy bottomed pan. Once the butter is melted, add the celery, carrots and onion. Season with salt and pepper, add the thyme sprigs, then sauté on low heat until softened and the onion is translucent (around 8 to 10 minutes). Add the chicken broth and bay leaf, and allow the heat to come to a simmer. Add the roasted butternut squash, sweet potato and roasted garlic. Allow to simmer for 5-10 minutes more, stirring frequently.

step 5

Carefully remove the bay leaf and the two thyme sprigs using tongs, then blend. An immersion blender works great, but you can also ladle the soup into a traditional blender and blend in batches—remember to vent the top when using a blender to allow the steam to escape. Once the soup is blended, add it back to the pot. Check the seasoning and adjust salt. Add the heavy cream and grated nutmeg, and stir. Serve warm with crème fraiche, chives and pumpkin seeds on top.