Apple, Carrot and Butternut Squash Soup

From Urban Cottage Life’s Cozy Fall recipe collection, Apple, Carrot and Butternut Squash Soup is comfort and a pop of surprise in a bowl. And with a pound each of the main ingredients, it’s easy to make too.

Carrot, Squash & Apple Soup | © UrbanCottageLife.com 2014

Apple, Carrot and Butternut Squash Soup by the Pound

Can a recipe get any easier than a pound each of the main ingredients, with a little of this and that added for good measure? Fall is apple season, and they steal the show in this delicious soup, with a strong supporting cast of carrots, butternut squash, and onions. The first step of this recipe is to the vegetables and apples at a fairly high temperature to caramelize them and intensify their flavours. Believe me, it’s worth it!

Before developing this recipe, I’d never made soup with apples before, and the experience was a revelation. They add a bright, sweet counterpoint to the richness of the roasted root vegetables. Your taste buds will take note right from the first sip.

I left the apples unpeeled, and after pureeing they added a hint of toothsomeness to the texture. If you prefer, go ahead and peel them before roasting. The thyme, which is quite prominent, and the sage add earthy herbaceousness and my somewhat lavish use of black pepper brings heat.

I took the photographs for this post on the second day, when the soup tasted even better. It also had thickened up during its overnight sojourn in the refrigerator. I opted to leave it that way instead of thinning it out because there’s nothing like a stick-to-your-spoon soup this time of year. But you can easily adjust the texture to your liking.

A Few Notes

I used Ambrosia apples in this recipe. A crisp, sweet yet tart apple such as Cortland or Paula Red would work as well. If you tried another variety, let me know in the comments how it turned out.

And while this is a “soup by the pound” recipe, there’s no need to be too precise about that. As long as the quantities of carrots, squash, apples, and onions more or less balance, you’re good to go.

A Fall and Winter Homecoming

All in all, this soup is everything you could want on a chilly fall day or in bitterly cold February weather: hearty, thick, full of flavour and oh so warming. And you won’t believe how amazing the house smells after you make it. Apple, Carrot and Butternut Squash Soup is the perfect fall and winter homecoming dish.

Let’s Make Soup

Apple, Carrot and Butternut Squash Soup

Time: about 15 min prep time and 75 minutes roasting/cooking time
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Pre-heat the oven to 425℉. Line two baking trays with parchment paper.

1 pound butternut squash (1 small)

1 pound carrots (4 medium to large sized)

1 pound onions (3 yellow cooking onions)

1 pound Ambrosia apples (2 large)

2 whole cloves of garlic

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/4 tsp Kosher salt

2 tbsp olive oil

1 litre organic vegetable broth

6 leaves sage, finely chopped

1 tsp dried thyme

2 cups water (plus more if needed)

Trim the vegetables and cut into large chunks. Core the apples but leave them unpeeled and cut each into thick slices.

Toss the squash, carrots, onions, apples and garlic with the oil, pepper and salt in a large bowl, then divide between the two baking sheets. Ensuring no crowding helps promote caramelization during the roasting process. Roast for about 45 minutes, turning over the vegetables and apples after about 25 minutes. When the vegetables are caramelized and softened (but not necessarily tender enough to serve, since they’re going to cook in the soup), transfer them to a Dutch oven.

Pour the broth and water over the vegetables, add the sage and dried thyme and bring to a boil. Stir well, then simmer, covered, for about 30 minutes.

Use an immersion blender to puree the soup as finely as possible. If it is too thick at this point, add another cup of water and blend again to achieve a thinner but still thick and rich texture. The seasoning was robust enough to stand up to the dilution, but you should always taste and adjust seasonings if necessary before serving.

Like many soups and stews, this one tastes even better on the second day.