Butternut Squash Leek Soup
Savory notes of leeks along with thyme and garlic accent golden roasted butternut squash creating a soul-satisfying soup perfect for a chilly fall night. This is a gorgeous soup, simple to make and full of flavor.
Equipment
- Rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper
- Large stockpot or Dutch oven
- Immersion blender or blender
Ingredients
- 2 butternut squash, about 4 to 5 pounds
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- ¾ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper, divided
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 leeks, root end and green portion trimmed, thoroughly cleaned* and chopped, about 3 cups
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
- 5 cups chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon concentrated chicken base, such as Better Than Bouillon®
- ½ cup half and half
- Grated Parmesan for serving
Instructions
- For roasted butternut squash:
- Split the butternut squash in half lengthwise. Remove the seeds and brush the squash with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of the kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon of the black pepper.
- Place the squash with the cut side down on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil and sprayed with a cooking spray. Roast the squash in a 400-degree oven for about 45 minutes or until the pieces of squash are cooked through and tender.
- When cool it’s cool enough to handle, peel the squash and cut it into chunks. You should have about 9 to 10 cups of squash.
- For the soup:
- Place a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat and melt the 3 tablespoons of butter with the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the chopped leeks and thyme and sauté until the leeks are tender, about 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chopped garlic and cook for an additional 3 minutes.
- Add the roasted squash and pour in the chicken stock. Add the concentrated chicken base, the remaining ½ teaspoon of kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon of black pepper.
- Bring the stock to a boil over medium heat, then partially cover the pan, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Using an immersion blender purée the soup until it’s smooth.
- Stir in the half and half and cook for an additional 5 to 10 minutes to heat through.
- Serve with grated Parmesan cheese.
Notes
If you don't have an immersion blender you can also process the soup in batches using a traditional blender.
*Cleaning leeks is an important step. As the leaves push up through the ground, they capture a lot of dirt along the way. To clean, cut the dark green leaves off, leaving the whiter portion of the leek. Trim off the root end of the leek. Then starting on the leaf side, cut an “X” about 3” to 4” down towards the root portion of the bulb. Place the leeks cut side down in a large measuring cup or bowl filled with cold water. Let them soak for about 20 minutes to let the leeks open up a bit. Rinse the leeks under cold running water to make sure all the dirt is removed.