Roasted Butternut Squash Bisque
This vegetarian bisque can easily be altered to a vegan soup by substituting the cream and butter with more vegetable stock. The end result will be just as warm and delicious.
Equipment
- Aluminum Foil (or parchment paper)
- Dutch oven (or large pot)
Ingredients
- 2½-3 lb butternut squash
- 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small shallot minced or ½ of a large shallot
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp salt 1¼ tsp if using unsalted butter
- ¼ tsp fresh cracked black pepper
- ⅛ tsp nutmeg
- 4 tbsp salted butter, cut in individual tbsp pieces omit butter for vegan soup
- 2 cups vegetable stock if using store-bought watch the taste the bisque before adding salt
- ½ cup heavy cream omit heavy cream for vegan soup and substitute with vegetable broth
- 1 tbsp fresh sage chopped 1 tsp is using dried sage
Garnishing Options:
- warm cream
- lingonberries
- pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
- fleur de sel
Instructions
How To Roast Butternut Squash:
- Move the oven rack to the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.
- Using a chef's knife, cut the butternut squash lengthwise in half, resulting in two even pieces.
- With a large metal spoon, scoop out the seeds.
- Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper and place the butternut squash flesh-side down and skin-side up.
- Place on the middle rack in the oven and bake for 45 minutes.
- Check the tenderness of the butternut squash by poking the skin with a fork. If the fork slides easily through the skin and squash, remove it from the oven. If there is resistance from the squash to the fork, bake for 10 more minutes and check again. Repeat this process until tender.
- Set the pan aside to cool for about half an hour until you can handle the butternut squash without burning your hands.
To Make The Bisque:
- Using a large metal spoon, scoop the flesh out of the butternut squash and out from the skin and into a large mixing bowl. Set aside.
- Compost or discard the skin.
- In a Dutch Oven over medium heat, add olive oil. Once the oil is glistening, add the minced shallots, ¼ tsp of salt, stir to coat evenly with oil, and cook until tender and translucent, about 3-5 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic and nutmeg and stir, cooking until aromatic—about 15 seconds.
- Add the entire mixing bowl of butternut squash and stir, coating evenly with the shallots, garlic, and nutmeg.
- Sprinkle in the fresh sage, ¾ tsp salt, evenly space out the 4 tbsp of butter and stir to mix and melt the butter.
- Add in 2 cups of vegetable stock and stir.
- Using an immersion blender or a blender and blend until completely smooth. You should have no lumps. Taste with a spoon to check the mouthfeel. It should feel velvety and not grainy. Blend until you achieve the desired result.
- If you used a standing blender, return the butternut mixture to the Dutch oven over medium heat.
- With a mixing spoon, stir in the heavy cream and cover for 5 minutes before serving. You can adjust the thickness of your bisque by adding more vegetable stock if need be.
For Vegan Roasted Butternut Soup:
- Follow the instructions above but omit the butter and cream, replacing those 2 ingredients with an additional ½ cup of vegetable stock.
Garnishing options:
- A drizzle of warm cream and lingonberries (as pictured)Roasted butternut squash or pumpkin seedsFleur de Sel (finishing salt)
Pro Tip:
- Line your baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy cleanup.
No-Waste:
- Roast the butternut squash seeds to use as garnish, topping for salad, or enjoy as a snack!
Notes
How to include your child(ren): Have your child(ren) scoop out the seeds from the butternut squash before roasting as a sensory activity. Teach them about the anatomy of the squash and all of its edible parts (science!). If you plan on roasting the seeds, give them the job of separating them from the pulp. Removing the seeds from the pulp and placing them in a separate bowl teaches them sequencing, an essential problem-solving component.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!