Description
A creamy, rich, and flavorful weeknight dinner that comes together in under 30 minutes. This vegetarian soup features sweet butternut squash simmered in broth and topped with nutty brown butter and crispy sage leaves.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3–4 pounds butternut squash, peeled and cubed into 1-inch pieces (or pre-cut)
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3–4 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups vegetable or chicken broth (low-sodium)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream (optional)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 10–12 fresh sage leaves
- Freshly cracked black pepper
- Red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion and a pinch of salt; cook for 3-4 minutes until soft and translucent.
- Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to burn it.
- Add cubed butternut squash, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt to the pot. Stir to coat.
- Pour in the broth until it just barely covers the squash. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10-12 minutes until squash is tender.
- Remove pot from heat. Use an immersion blender to blend the soup until smooth, or transfer to a blender in batches.
- Stir in heavy cream if using. Taste and adjust salt as needed.
- In a small skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Cook until it turns light amber and smells nutty.
- Immediately toss in sage leaves and cook for 30-60 seconds until crisp. Remove from heat.
- Ladle soup into bowls and drizzle with the brown butter and crispy sage. Garnish with black pepper and red pepper flakes if desired.
Notes
If using a regular blender, let the soup cool slightly before blending in batches to avoid steam explosions. Ensure sage leaves are completely dry before frying to ensure they crisp up properly. Brown butter goes from perfect to burnt quickly, so watch it closely. The soup base can be made up to 3 days in advance; add the brown butter topping fresh before serving.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 8
- Sodium: 450
- Fat: 12
- Saturated Fat: 7
- Carbohydrates: 28
- Fiber: 6
- Protein: 4
Keywords: butternut squash soup, brown butter, crispy sage, weeknight dinner, vegetarian soup, gluten-free, easy soup, fall recipes