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Butternut Squash & Crispy Cabbage Soup (The Texture Fix Every Squash Soup Needs)

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Silky roasted butternut squash soup with brown butter and sage, topped with lacy, pan-crisped cabbage for a crunchy contrast plain squash soup never has.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 medium butternut squash (about 3 lbs), peeled and cubed
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
  • 1 small yellow onion, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 cups vegetable or chicken stock
  • 6 fresh sage leaves, plus extra for garnish
  • 4 cups green or savoy cabbage, thinly shredded
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste
  • Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream or coconut milk (optional, for extra richness)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Toss the cubed squash with 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast on a sheet pan for 30-35 minutes, until deeply caramelized at the edges and fork-tender.
  2. While the squash roasts, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a soup pot over medium heat. Cook until the butter foams, then turns golden-brown and smells nutty, about 3-4 minutes. Add the onion and cook until soft, 5 minutes, then add garlic and sage leaves and cook 1 minute more.
  3. Add the roasted squash and stock to the pot. Bring to a simmer and cook 10 minutes to let the flavors meld.
  4. Blend the soup until completely smooth using an immersion blender or in batches in a stand blender. Stir in the vinegar, taste, and adjust salt and pepper. Stir in cream if using.
  5. While the soup simmers, heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the shredded cabbage in a single layer, working in batches to avoid crowding the pan.
  6. Let the cabbage sit undisturbed for 1-2 minutes until the edges char and crisp, then toss and cook 2-3 minutes more until most of it is lacy and browned. Season with salt.
  7. Ladle the soup into bowls, pile the crispy cabbage generously on top, and finish with a few extra sage leaves and a crack of black pepper.

Notes

If your skillet looks wet instead of sizzling when you add the cabbage, it"s overcrowded — pull half out and crisp it in two batches instead of one, or you"ll steam it instead of charring it. For a vegan version, use olive oil instead of butter and stir a spoonful of white miso into the stock to make up for the lost browned-butter depth. Leftover soup keeps in the fridge for 4 days, but crisp the cabbage fresh each time you reheat — it won"t hold its crunch once stored.

Find it online: https://www.rapidrecipes.blog/butternut-squash-crispy-cabbage-soup-the-texture-fix-every-squash-soup-needs/