I love autumn because it's when squash starts showing up at the markets. And butternut squash is a comfort food from way back, when my mom used to buy the frozen blocks of it and then serve it with salt, pepper, and a pool of melty margarine.
I still sometimes buy the frozen blocks, but I'd much rather buy the actual squash, throw it in a roasting pan, and play with the cooked chunks. This soup comes together very quickly if your squash is already roasted. The crispy sage leaves and toasted pepitas add crunch and just the right herby note to the smoky soup.
note: this recipe was originally published here in 2011, it has been updated slightly in 2020.
16 ounces butternut (about one large squash)
3 ounces potatoes (optional)
2 cups low-sodium vegetable stock
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp ground chipotle pepper
8 fresh sage leaves
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds pepitas, raw, unsalted
Preheat the oven to 400F/180C/gas mark 6.
Roast the butternut squash: cut off each end, slice lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds with a grapefruit spoon. Spray or brush cut sides with oil. Place cut side down on a rimmed baking sheet.
Bake for 45 minutes or until soft and tender.
Scoop out the flesh from the skin.
Wash the potato (if using) and cut up into small cubes. Boil in water and 1 t. salt on the stove or in the microwave. Cook until fork-tender. Drain. [You can also roast the whole potato in the same pan as the squash.]
Combine all the ingredients except the sage and the pepitas in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a sauce pan and heat until just boiling. Or, if you have a stick blender or immersion blender, combine all ingredients in a sauce pan, heat and blend directly in the pan.
Toast the pepitas in a dry skillet until fragrant.
Lightly spray the skillet (or heat some oil) then add the sage leaves and lightly fry on each side until crispy.
Top the soup with crispy sage leaves and the toasted pepitas right before serving.
