Butternut Squash, Carrot and Pepper Soup

4.95 from 17 votes

Butternut Squash, Carrot and Pepper Soup

Roasted butternut squash, carrots, bell pepper, garlic, and shallots blended with stock and milk or coconut milk into a smooth soup, served with herby garlic bread.

Prep Time20

Cook Time1 15

Total Time1 35

Course: Soup, Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine: American

Servings: people

Author: Gaby Dalkin

Ingredients

For the Soup:

2 medium butternut squash sliced in half and seeds scooped out
2 large carrots chopped into large pieces
1 red bell pepper halved and seeds removed
1 head garlic
1 shallot halved and skin removed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup milk or coconut milk
2-4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 teaspoons red pepper flakes

For the Garlic Bread:

1 16- ounce loaf of Italian bread or French bread
1 stick unsalted butter softened
2 large cloves of garlic smashed and chopped
1 heaping tablespoon of freshly chopped basil
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

For the soup:

Preheat oven to 425°F.
Place the halves of squash on a large baking sheet with the carrot, bell pepper, garlic, and shallot, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper; roast for 50-60 minutes until the squash is fork-tender.
Once cooked, remove the baking sheet from the oven. Scoop out the insides of the butternut squash and discard the skins. Transfer all the vegetables to a high-powered blender and add the liquids and red pepper flakes. Start with 2 cups of stock and puree for 2-3 minutes until completely smooth. If you want a thinner soup, add more stock until it reaches the desired consistency. Transfer the blended soup to a pot and bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper and serve with garlic bread.

For the garlic bread:

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Cut the bread in half, horizontally. Mix the butter, garlic, and basil together in a small bowl. Spread butter mixture over the two bread halves. Place on a sturdy baking pan and heat in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove pan from oven. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese and crushed red pepper over the bread, if desired. Return to the oven on the highest rack and broil on high for 2–3 minutes, until the edges begin to toast and any added cheese is bubbling. Watch carefully while broiling. Watch carefully while broiling.
Remove from oven, let cool a minute, slice and serve.

Notes

Roast the vegetables until tender. The butternut squash, carrots, bell pepper, garlic, and shallots need enough time in the oven to soften and develop flavor. The squash should be easily pierced with a fork before blending.
Season before roasting. Toss the vegetables with olive oil, salt, and pepper before they go into the oven. This helps build flavor from the beginning.
Remove the squash skins. Once roasted, scoop the soft squash flesh away from the skins before adding it to the blender.
Start with 2 cups of stock. Blend the roasted vegetables with the milk or coconut milk and 2 cups of stock, then add more stock gradually until the soup reaches your preferred consistency.
Blend until completely smooth. A high-powered blender works especially well for this soup. Blend for about 2 to 3 minutes, or until the vegetables are fully pureed and the texture is silky.
Warm the soup before serving. Transfer the blended soup to a pot and bring it to a gentle simmer. Taste and adjust the salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes as needed.
Use softened butter for the garlic bread. Mix softened butter with garlic and basil so it's easy to spread evenly over the bread before baking.
Watch the garlic bread under the broiler. Once you've added the Parmesan and red pepper flakes, broil just until the cheese bubbles and the edges turn golden. Keep a close eye on it because broilers work quickly.

Nutrition (estimated)