Our Butternut & Acorn Squash soup is so good!
Maybe because it’s savory and a little sweet.
To build more flavor, I roasted garlic and caramelized onions.
Plus, I added a combination of umami seasoning, sage, and rosemary.
Greek yogurt and heavy cream made everything velvety smooth.
The result is a soup that warms you from the inside.
C’mon, let’s make some soup!
Butternut Acorn Squash Soup
Butternut and Acorn squash are naturally sweet and, when baked, even more so.
You will add a few things to balance the sweetness, such as savory elements with big or subtle flavors.
The bold flavors here are the roasted garlic and caramelized onions.
I added subtle flavors like fresh sage and rosemary picked from our garden.
The Greek yogurt added a bit of pungency, and the heavy cream made this soup incredibly smooth.
I also used umami seasoning from Trader Joe’s, which worked incredibly well in this soup.
And, of course, my go-to is Maldon finishing sea salt and freshly cracked Tellicherry black peppercorns to taste.
Here Is What You Need
Butternut & Acorn Squash. During the fall and winter months, butternut and acorn squash are abundant, and because they’re so plentiful this time of year, they are relatively inexpensive. I typically purchase several of each, cut them into cubes, place them into freezer bags, date them, and freeze them not only for soup making but to use in a stew, chili, stir-frys, or roasted with various savory ingredients to serve as a quick and delicious side dish.
Onions & Garlic. I don’t know of a more famous culinary couple than onions and garlic—these two appear in so many hearty fall dishes. In this recipe, the onion and garlic help balance out the sweetness of the squash. I roasted the garlic and squash but caramelized the onion for a more prominent flavor.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Unsalted Butter. I use a combo of evoo and unsalted sweet cream butter to saute them and caramelize the onions. Doing so adds lots of flavor to this soup.
Greek Yogurt & Heavy Cream. Adding Greek Yogurt, full-fat or reduced-fat, is another ingredient that balances out the soup’s sweetness; its slightly pungent flavor works well here. The heavy whipping cream makes this soup very creamy.
Fresh Sage and Rosemary. For me, here’s where this soup shines. Adding fresh sage and rosemary from the garden gives this soup a distinct, fresh, and herbaceous flavor.
Umami Seasoning. Here’s one of my favorite off-the-radar seasoning. I remember years ago at a food conference in Sacramento, the speaker talked about the five tastes present in food (bitter, salty, sour, sweet, and umami). I snagged the umami seasoning at Trader Joe’s a few years ago, and our relationship is still going strong. I love this stuff!
Sea Salt and Black Peppercorns. Here’s another dynamic duo: salt and pepper. But not all salt is created equal. I love Maldon finishing salt. And I love Tellicherry black peppercorns. Trust me, they make a difference.
Fall has me convinced that gourds make the best soups!
Ingredients for Butternut Acorn Squash Soup
Servings 6 to 8
- 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion, peeled, cut in half, and sliced
- 3 cloves of chopped garlic
- 3 pounds of roasted squash
- 1 cup of heavy cream [or vegan organic coconut cream ]
- 1 cup of yogurt
- 1 tbsp of dried or 2 tbsp of fresh sage
- 1 small sprig of rosemary
- 4 cups of vegetable or chicken stock
- 1 tbsp of umami seasoning (garlic herb or Italian seasoning work well, too)
- 1 tbsp of umami seasoning or to taste
- Sea salt to taste
- Freshly cracked black peppercorns to taste
Equipment used in this recipe:
Directions for Butternut Acorn Squash Soup
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
- Cut the squash in half using a sharp knife, use a tablespoon to scoop out the seeds, brush a tablespoon of olive oil onto each half, and season liberally with sea salt and freshly cracked black peppercorns. Place the squash cut-side onto a large baking sheet, and add 2-3 cloves of peeled garlic into the space created by scooping out the seeds. Place on the cooking sheet on the center rack, and roast for an hour. When the squash is finished baking, it should be fork-tender; if so, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool until it is safe to handle. If the squash isn’t finished cooking, roast it until it is done.
- While the squash is cooling, heat the EVOO in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced onions (add two tbsp of unsalted butter, which is optional), salt, and freshly cracked black peppercorns. Sauté until the onions are caramelized in around 20 minutes.
- Finely chop or mince fresh sage or rosemary and set aside.
- Scoop the squash from their skins and add it to the Instant Pot.
- Add the heavy cream, yogurt, vegetable broth, onions, and herbs. Blend with an immersion blender. You can adjust the consistency of the soup by adding more or less vegetable broth.
- Add the sage and the sprig of fresh rosemary (remember to remove the sprig of rosemary after 15 minutes.)
- Add a tbsp of umami seasoning to taste.
- Next, add sea salt and freshly cracked black peppercorns to taste.
- Adjust the Instant Pot to the Keep Warm setting and allow the soup to warm.
- Serve hot with crackers and grated parmesan cheese.
Pro-tip: Want to give this soup a little more flavor? If you have a smoker, smoke the squash for an hour (or until fork tender) at 225 degrees.
Can I make this soup ahead of time?
Yes, you can make it a day or two ahead. Allow the soup to cool completely, then store in airtight containers and place into the fridge.
How long will this soup keep in the fridge?
Our Butternut & Acorn Squash soup will keep in the fridge for four to five days.
Can I freeze Butternut Acorn Squash Soup?
Absolutely. To freeze, ladle cooled soup into an airtight container and place it in the freezer. It will last up to three months. However, over time, the flavor will begin to degrade.
Our Butternut Acorn Squash Soup is the perfect comfort food for the fall and winter.
So, grab the ingredients and make this delicious soup.
Serve with grilled cheese or crusty buttery bread.
And if you have any questions or want to say hello, drop us a comment below.
Butternut Acorn Squash Soup
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion peeled, cut in half, and sliced
- 3 cloves of chopped garlic
- 3 pounds of roasted squash
- 1 cup of heavy cream [or vegan organic coconut cream ]
- 1 cup of yogurt
- 1 tbsp of dried or 2 tbsp of fresh sage
- 1 small sprig of rosemary
- 4 cups of vegetable or chicken stock
- 1 tbsp of umami seasoning garlic herb or Italian seasoning work well, too
- 1 tbsp of umami seasoning or to taste
- Sea salt to taste
- Freshly cracked black peppercorns to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
- Cut the squash in half using a sharp knife, use a tablespoon to scoop out the seeds, brush a tablespoon of olive oil onto each half, and season liberally with sea salt and freshly cracked black peppercorns. Place the squash cut-side onto a large baking sheet, and add 2-3 cloves of peeled garlic into the space created by scooping out the seeds. Place on the cooking sheet on the center rack, and roast for an hour. When the squash is finished baking, it should be fork-tender; if so, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool until it is safe to handle. If the squash isn't finished cooking, roast it until it is done.
- While the squash is cooling, heat the EVOO in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced onions (add two tbsp of unsalted butter, which is optional), salt, and freshly cracked black peppercorns. Sauté until the onions are caramelized in around 20 minutes.
- Finely chop or mince fresh sage or rosemary and set aside.
- Scoop the squash from their skins and add it to the Instant Pot.
- Add the heavy cream, yogurt, vegetable broth, onions, and herbs. Blend with an immersion blender. You can adjust the consistency of the soup by adding more or less vegetable broth.
- Add the sage and the sprig of fresh rosemary (remember to remove the sprig of rosemary after 15 minutes.)
- Add a tbsp of umami seasoning to taste.
- Next, add sea salt and freshly cracked black peppercorns to taste.
- Adjust the Instant Pot to the Keep Warm setting and allow the soup to warm.
- Serve hot with crackers and grated parmesan cheese.
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