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Butternut Squash Apple Soup (No-Peel, Brown Butter Method)

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A rich butternut squash apple soup made with reduced apple cider instead of broth, unpeeled roasted squash, and a brown butter seared apple topping.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 medium butternut squash (about 2.5 lbs), halved lengthwise, seeds removed, unpeeled
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • Salt and black pepper
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter, divided
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tart apples (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp), divided - 1 chopped, 1 diced small
  • 3 cups unfiltered apple cider
  • 2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 6 - 8 fresh sage leaves
  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream or coconut milk, optional

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 425°F. Rub the cut sides of the squash with 2 tbsp olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and place cut-side down on a baking sheet. Roast 40-45 minutes until deeply browned and fork-tender.
  2. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, simmer the apple cider over medium heat until reduced to about 1 1/2 cups, 15-20 minutes. Set aside.
  3. In a large pot, melt 2 tbsp butter over medium heat until it foams, smells nutty, and turns golden-brown, about 3-4 minutes. Add the onion and cook until soft, 5 minutes. Add garlic and the chopped apple, cook 2 minutes more.
  4. Once the squash is cool enough to handle, scoop the flesh from the skin with a spoon (it should lift out easily) and discard the skin. Add the flesh to the pot along with the reduced cider and stock.
  5. Bring to a simmer and cook 15 minutes to let flavors meld. Blend until completely smooth using an immersion blender or in batches in a countertop blender.
  6. Stir in nutmeg, cider vinegar, and cream if using. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  7. While the soup simmers, melt the remaining 2 tbsp butter in a small skillet over medium-high heat until browned. Add the diced apple and sage leaves, cook until the apple is caramelized at the edges but still holds its shape, about 4 minutes.
  8. Ladle soup into bowls and top with the brown butter apples and crispy sage.

Notes

Use unfiltered apple cider, not clear apple juice - cider has the tannic depth that survives reduction; juice just turns sugary. Don’t skip roasting the squash cut-side down - that caramelization is doing more flavor work than the apple. If your blender bowl is small, blend in batches and never fill past the halfway line with hot liquid. For a vegan version, use olive oil instead of butter for the base and coconut milk instead of cream; the sear on the apple topping works the same with a neutral oil, just skip the ‘brown butter’ step since oil won’t brown the same way.

Find it online: https://www.rapidrecipes.blog/butternut-squash-apple-soup-no-peel-brown-butter-method/