Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Crispy Sage

Name: Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Crispy Sage
Prep time: 55 min
Cook time: 47 min
Total time: 1 h 42 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3½ lb whole, weighed before peeling (about 1 large or 2 small) (1600 g) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes; you should end up with about 8 cups cubed (about 2½ lb / 1.15 kg); 1 large (about 10 oz) (280 g) yellow onion, peeled and cut into 8 wedges; 4 cloves (12 g) garlic, left unpeeled; 3 tbsp (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 1½ tsp (9 g) kosher salt, for roasting the vegetables; ¾ tsp (1½ g) black pepper, freshly ground; ½ tsp for roasting, the rest for serving; 2 tbsp (28 g) unsalted butter; 8 large leaves (6 g) fresh sage leaves, left whole; 4 cups (950 ml) low-sodium vegetable broth, warm or room temperature; ½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream, at room temperature, for stirring into the soup; 2 tbsp (30 ml) heavy cream, for drizzling on top (total cream to buy: ½ cup + 2 tbsp / 150 ml); ¼ tsp (½ g) ground nutmeg; 1 tsp (5 ml) apple cider vinegar, or to taste; kosher salt, to taste at the end (start with ¼ tsp), plus a pinch for the fried sage; 12 small leaves (5 g) fresh sage leaves, washed and patted completely dry; 3 tbsp (45 ml) neutral oil such as avocado or canola

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Deeply caramelized butternut squash and onion are blended with sage-infused broth and a swirl of cream for a silky, cozy soup. Fried sage leaves add a crisp, savory finish.

Prep: 55 min
Cook: 47 min
Wait: 10 min
Total: 1 hr 52 min
Makes: About 8 cups (1.9 L), serving 6 at about 1⅓ cups each

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Ingredients

6 servings

For the soup
3½ lb whole, weighed before peeling (about 1 large or 2 small) (1600 g) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes; you should end up with about 8 cups cubed (about 2½ lb / 1.15 kg)
1 large (about 10 oz) (280 g) yellow onion, peeled and cut into 8 wedges
4 cloves (12 g) garlic, left unpeeled
3 tbsp (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1½ tsp (9 g) kosher salt, for roasting the vegetables
¾ tsp (1.5 g) black pepper, freshly ground; ½ tsp for roasting, the rest for serving
2 tbsp (28 g) unsalted butter
8 large leaves (6 g) fresh sage leaves, left whole
4 cups (950 ml) low-sodium vegetable broth, warm or room temperature
½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream, at room temperature, for stirring into the soup
2 tbsp (30 ml) heavy cream, for drizzling on top (total cream to buy: ½ cup + 2 tbsp / 150 ml)
¼ tsp (0.5 g) ground nutmeg
1 tsp (5 ml) apple cider vinegar, or to taste
kosher salt, to taste at the end (start with ¼ tsp), plus a pinch for the fried sage
For the crispy sage
12 small leaves (5 g) fresh sage leaves, washed and patted completely dry
3 tbsp (45 ml) neutral oil such as avocado or canola

Equipment (6)

2 large rimmed baking sheets (18×13-inch / 46×33 cm)
Parchment paper
Large Dutch oven or heavy pot (5–6 quart / 5–6 L)
Blender or immersion blender
Small skillet (8-inch / 20 cm)
Paper towels and a small plate

Steps

Before you start

Plan on about 1 hour 50 minutes in total: roughly 55 minutes hands-on, 47 minutes of roasting and simmering, and 10 minutes of cooling.
Buy one large butternut squash weighing about 3½ lb (1.6 kg) before peeling. After peeling and seeding it yields about 8 cups of cubes, roughly 2½ lb (1.15 kg). If you buy pre-cut squash, measure 8 cups or about 1.15 kg.
Turn the oven on to 425°F (220°C) with a rack in the center as you start cutting the squash, so it is hot by the time the pans go in.
Use a very sharp, heavy chef's knife and a stable cutting board for the squash. Microwaving the whole squash for 2 minutes softens the skin slightly and makes it easier to cut.
Pat the sage leaves completely dry before frying so the oil does not spatter. If you use a countertop blender, work in batches and never fill it more than half full, because hot liquid expands.

1
Preheat and prep squashOven 425°F / 220°C
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 425°F (220°C).
- Line two large rimmed baking sheets with parchment.
- Trim the ends off the squash, peel it with a sturdy Y-peeler, halve it lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, and cut the flesh into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes.
- You should have about 8 cups (about 2½ lb / 1.15 kg) of cubes from the 3½ lb squash.
- Cut the onion into 8 wedges.
- Allow about 20 minutes for this.
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Ready when: Squash cubes are roughly the same size and measure about 8 cups.
Tip: Cut the squash into even cubes; small pieces will burn before large ones soften.
2
Season the vegetables
- In a large bowl, toss the squash, onion wedges, and unpeeled garlic cloves with the olive oil, 1½ tsp kosher salt, and ½ tsp of the pepper until every piece is glossy.
- Divide between the two baking sheets and spread into a single layer with space between the pieces.
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Ready when: All vegetables are evenly coated with oil and not piled on top of each other.
Tip: Crowded pans steam the squash instead of browning it, so use two sheets.
3
Roast until caramelizedOven 425°F / 220°C
- Roast at 425°F (220°C) for 45 minutes, swapping the pans' rack positions and stirring the vegetables once at the 20-minute mark.
- The squash is done when it is fork-tender with deep golden-brown edges, and the onion edges are browned and soft.
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Ready when: A fork slides into the squash with no resistance and the edges are deeply browned.
Tip: Pull the garlic out early if it darkens to deep brown; burnt garlic turns bitter.
4
Cool and peel garlic
- Remove the pans from the oven and let the vegetables cool for 10 minutes.
- Squeeze the soft garlic from its papery skins and discard the skins.
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Ready when: Garlic is soft and squeezes out like a paste.
5
Infuse butter with sage
- Melt the butter in a 5–6 quart (5–6 L) Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Add the 8 whole sage leaves and cook, stirring, for 1–2 minutes until the butter foams and the sage smells fragrant and darkens slightly.
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Ready when: Butter is foamy and smells nutty and herbal; sage is slightly darkened but not black.
Tip: Keep the heat at medium so the butter does not brown too far.
6
Simmer with broth
- Add all the roasted squash, onion, and garlic to the pot along with the broth and nutmeg.
- Scrape any browned bits from the baking sheets into the pot.
- Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium-low and simmer, partially covered, for 10 minutes.
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Ready when: Soup is gently bubbling and the vegetables are very soft.
7
Blend until silky
- Remove the pot from the heat and discard the sage leaves.
- Blend with an immersion blender for 2–3 minutes, or transfer in batches (no more than half full, lid vented, covered with a towel) to a countertop blender.
- Blend until completely smooth with no fibers or lumps.
- You should have about 8 cups (1.9 L) of soup.
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Ready when: Soup is velvety, thick enough to coat a spoon, and shows no flecks.
Tip: Hot soup can erupt from a sealed blender; always vent the lid.
8
Add cream and season
- Return the soup to the pot over low heat.
- Stir in the ½ cup (120 ml) cream and the cider vinegar, and warm for 2–3 minutes without boiling.
- Taste, then add salt as needed, starting with ¼ tsp.
- If it is too thick, thin with ¼ cup (60 ml) warm water or broth at a time.
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Ready when: Soup is steaming hot, pourable but thick, and tastes balanced, sweet and savory with a bright finish.
Tip: The vinegar will not taste sour; it brightens the sweetness.
9
Fry the sage
- Heat the neutral oil in an 8-inch (20 cm) skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering, about 2 minutes.
- Add the 12 dry sage leaves in one layer and fry for 30–45 seconds until the sizzling slows and the leaves turn crisp and a slightly darker green.
- Transfer to a paper towel–lined plate and sprinkle with a pinch of salt.
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Ready when: Leaves are translucent, stiff, and bubbling has nearly stopped.
Tip: Leaves burn in seconds; remove them promptly and watch for spatter.
10
Serve
- Ladle about 1⅓ cups (320 ml) of soup into each of 6 warm bowls.
- Drizzle each with a little of the 2 tbsp (30 ml) drizzling cream and swirl with a spoon.
- Top with the crispy sage leaves and a grind of pepper.

Good to know

Tips

Roast until the edges are deeply browned; this caramelization is where most of the soup's flavor comes from.
Squash varies in water content. If the soup is thicker than you like, thin it with warm broth a little at a time.
For an extra-smooth texture, pass the blended soup through a fine-mesh strainer.
Season at the end; the broth and roasted squash concentrate flavors as they cook.

Make ahead

Make the soup through the blending step (without the cream and vinegar) up to 4 days ahead and refrigerate in an airtight container. Reheat gently over medium-low heat, then stir in the cream and vinegar. Make the crispy sage just before serving.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Refrigerator: airtight container up to 4 days, with or without the cream stirred in. Freezer: up to 3 months; for the best texture, freeze the blended soup before adding the cream and vinegar. Reheat over medium-low heat, stirring often, until steaming. Thin with broth or water if it has thickened. Soup that already has cream stirred in can also be frozen, but it may look slightly grainy until whisked while reheating.

Substitutions

heavy cream → full-fat canned coconut milk. Makes the soup dairy-free with a subtle coconut flavor. Use the same amounts for stirring in and drizzling.
unsalted butter → olive oil. Use an equal amount for a vegan version (also swap the cream).
butternut squash → pre-cut butternut squash cubes. Use 8 cups, about 2½ lb (1.15 kg), of cubes. The 3½ lb (1.6 kg) in the recipe is the weight of whole squash before peeling and seeding, so don't use that weight for pre-cut. Roasting time is the same, and it saves most of the prep time.
apple cider vinegar → fresh lemon juice. Use 2 tsp (10 ml) to taste.