Butternut Squash Soup

 From:  Butternut Squash Soup Recipe (Stovetop, Instant Pot or Crock-Pot!)

Yields:  6-8 servings

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 white onion, peeled and diced

4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

2 cups vegetable broth

1 carrot, peeled and roughly chopped

1 Granny Smith apple, cored and roughly chopped

1 medium (about 3–4 lb) butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced

1 sprig fresh sage

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

pinch of ground cinnamon and nutmeg

1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk

fine sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper, to taste

optional garnishes: smoked paprika, extra drizzle of unsweetened coconut milk, or see more ideas above

Sauté the onion and garlic. Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 to 2 more minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant.

Simmer: Add the vegetable broth, carrot, apple, butternut squash, sage, cayenne, cinnamon and nutmeg and stir to combine. Continue cooking until the soup reaches a simmer. Then cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 20-30 minutes until the vegetables are all tender and mash easily with a fork. Remove and discard the sage. Stir in the coconut milk.

Purée: Use an immersion blender to purée the soup until smooth. (Or alternately, see instructions in the notes below for how to purée the soup safely using a traditional blender.)

Season and serve: Taste and season the soup generously with salt and pepper as needed. Serve warm, topped with your desired garnishes, and enjoy!