This savory and dairy-free butternut squash soup is sure going to keep you warm during the cold weather!

This past week the weather has been a bit chilly here and you know what this calls for? Soup! When it comes to a savory and simple soup, I usually turn to making my ultimate butternut squash soup. It’s easy to make, full of flavors, and packed with nutrients! You can have it as an entrée soup, pair it with your favorite sandwich, or dunk sourdough bread in it. This is a soup I’m sure you’ll love having throughout the Fall season.

Butternut squash is a type of winter squash and provides a lot of nutrition. About one cup of cubed butternut squash offers a little over 80 calories, beta carotene (Vitamin A), Vitamin C, and only 4 grams of sugar. You want to pick squash that is firm and with little to no green lines on the skin. This is a sign that the squash is ready to be eaten. Once you have cut the squash, you can save the seeds for later use (and minimize food waste). You can roast the seeds with a little bit of olive oil, sprinkle with a bit of salt, and have them as a good snack. If you don’t want to use all of the squash for the soup, you can store the cubed squash in an air-tight container for 3 – 5 days in the refrigerator and use it for another meal.

Healthy Butternut Squash Soup

Serves: 5 – 6 dishes
Total Time: 35 – 45 minutes
Meal Type: Lunch or Dinner/Side Dishes

Ingredients

• 1 – 3lb butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed (or about 7 cups, cubed)
• 1 tablespoon canola oil (or vegetable)
• ½ medium onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 3 bay leaves
• 4 cups water
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Peel, remove the seeds and cut butternut squash into uniform cubes.

2. In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Then add onion and garlic and cook for about 1 – 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Add paprika and cayenne pepper. Stir and add the cubed butternut squash.

4. Add bay leaves, water, salt and pepper to taste. Cover and bring to simmer. Cook for about 20 – 25 minutes or until butternut squash is tender and soft.

5. Turn off heat and remove bay leaves. Take out some of the liquid and set aside (about 1.5 cups).

6. Using an emerging blender, blend soup until smooth. Add a little bit of the liquid at a time to reach desired consistency.

7. Serve and enjoy!