Butternut Squash and Apple Soup (Print version)

Velvety blend of roasted butternut squash and sweet apples, warming spices, and creamy finish in under an hour.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables & Fruit

01 - 1 medium butternut squash (about 2 pounds), peeled, seeded, and cubed
02 - 2 medium apples such as Gala or Fuji, peeled, cored, and diced
03 - 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Liquids

05 - 4 cups vegetable broth, gluten-free
06 - 1/2 cup apple cider or unsweetened apple juice

→ Dairy

07 - 1/2 cup heavy cream or coconut milk

→ Spices & Seasoning

08 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
09 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
10 - 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
12 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Garnish

13 - Toasted pumpkin seeds
14 - Chopped fresh parsley

# How-To Steps:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until soft and translucent.
02 - Stir in minced garlic, butternut squash cubes, and diced apples. Cook for 3 minutes.
03 - Add ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Stir thoroughly to coat all vegetables and fruit evenly with spices.
04 - Pour vegetable broth and apple cider into the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes until butternut squash and apples are very tender.
05 - Remove from heat. Using an immersion blender, purée the soup until smooth and creamy. Alternatively, carefully transfer soup in batches to a countertop blender.
06 - Stir in heavy cream or coconut milk. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
07 - Gently reheat if necessary. Ladle into bowls and garnish with toasted pumpkin seeds and fresh parsley.

# Tips from the pros:

01 -
  • The natural sweetness of apples and squash means you skip the sugar and let real flavors shine.
  • It's ready in under an hour, which feels like a small miracle on busy weeknights.
  • One pot, one blender, and suddenly your kitchen smells like autumn wrapped in comfort.
02 -
  • Don't skip the spice-blooming step where you cook the cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger in the oil for a few seconds—it transforms them from background whispers into actual flavor.
  • If your soup is thicker than you like after blending, thin it with a splash of broth or even water rather than adding more cream, which can make it heavy.
03 -
  • Keep your spices fresh—old cinnamon and nutmeg will taste like dust, so taste one pinch from your jar to make sure it still has personality before you add it to the pot.
  • If you don't have an immersion blender, cooling the soup slightly before transferring to a countertop blender prevents it from exploding, and working in small batches is never a waste of time.
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