Spiced Butternut Squash Soup with Cheddar and Granola
Fall season wouldn’t be complete without Spiced Butternut Squash Soup with Cheddar and Granola. I know it’s a mouthful to say, but that’s what you’ll get in every mouthful: creamy autumn-spiced butternut squash finished with cheddar cheese and topped with a slightly spicy, crunch granola. Just say “wow” now!
The roasted butternut squash intensifies the flavor of the squash as well as adding a touch of caramelization. All of the herbs add a deep earthy flavor to the soup and splashing it with white wine gives a brightness. When the cheddar cheese melts into the soup, it becomes extraordinary!
Begin this soup by making the granola. This granola is amazingly delish and the good news is that it makes enough to nibble on for days!
Combine the egg white and spices in a bowl and whisk to combine. Then add the melted butter and brown sugar and fold in the oats, pecans and pumpkin seeds. Spread it onto a sheet pan and bake for 25-30 minutes. It will continue to crisp up as it cools.
The soup gets its deep flavor by roasting the butternut squash before adding it to the broth. Cut the squash in half, scoop out the seeds, and drizzle with olive oil and salt. Place the squash halves, cut-side down on a sheet pan and roast until it’s nice and tender, about 45 minutes.
Once you can handle the squash (let it cool a while), get your onions going. Sauté them in a Dutch-oven until they are translucent, but not brown. Then stir in the spices and herbs. Splash a little white wine in and deglaze the pot. Let this cook down a bit and then scoop out the squash from the peel and add it to the pot. Add the chicken stock and more salt and let it simmer for about 15 minutes.
Ladle the soup into a blender (in batches, if necessary) and blend until smooth. Be careful as it’s very hot…you might want to open the lid a touch to let some of the steam escape but make sure you put a kitchen towel over the top so that none of the blended soup sprays out of that opening. You can always use an immersion blender but the result won’t be quite as creamy. Both ways yield a delicious soup!
Place the blended soup back into the pot and add the heavy cream and cheddar cheese. Stir it until the cheese is melted.
Serve this soup topped with the granola, freshly cracked pepper and fresh thyme leaves over the top. Be ready for accolades!
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Spiced Butternut Squash Soup with Cheddar and Granola
Makes: 4-6 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour & 40 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours
Ingredients
Granola:
- 1 egg white
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted + slightly cooled
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1 & 1/4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
Soup:
- 1 (3 pound) butternut squash, halved lengthwise and seeds scooped out
- olive oil
- kosher salt
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 large onion, diced
- freshly cracked black pepper
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 small bunch fresh thyme sprigs, tied in kitchen twine
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh sage
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 1 quart chicken (or vegetable) stock
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
Instructions
Granola:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a sheet pan with a piece of parchment paper.
Add the egg white, cinnamon, cayenne, salt, and nutmeg to a mixing bowl. Whisk to combine. Whisk in the melted butter and brown sugar until smooth. Fold in the oats, pecans, and pumpkin seeds until evenly coated.
Spread the granola mixture evenly onto the prepared sheet pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp. Allow to fully cool. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
Spiced Butternut Squash Soup:
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the butternut squash halves on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil, rub to coat, and season with a good pinch of salt. Arrange the squash cut-side down. Roast for 45 minutes, or until tender.
Once the squash is cool enough to handle, heat a 5 & 1/2-quart Dutch oven (or heavy bottomed pot) over medium heat. Add the butter and let it melt. Add the diced onions. Season well with salt and black pepper. Sauté for about 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the cinnamon, cayenne, nutmeg, bay leaves, thyme sprigs, and sage. Deglaze the pot with the white wine. Allow the wine to simmer for a couple of minutes.
Use a large spoon to scoop the squash out of the skins and add it to the pot. Pour in the chicken stock. Season with more salt. Bring the soup to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and gently simmer for about 15 minutes. Remove bay leaves & thyme.
Ladle the soup into a large blender and blend until smooth, working in batches as needed. Wipe out the pot and transfer the soup back into it. Add the cream and cheddar cheese. Stir until the cheese is melted. Taste the soup and season to taste. Serve the soup with the granola, freshly cracked black pepper, and fresh thyme leaves on top.
Recipe from The Original Dish
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