Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

This month on our video series From Seed to Spoon, we've been teaching you all about winter squash. Head over to our YouTube Channel to check out all the episodes where we teach you some squash basics and how to peel, slice and dice winter squash. This week Chef Douglas Katz is showing us how to roast butternut squash and turn it into a delicious soup! Watch the episode now and then check out his soup recipe below to make it from the comfort of your own home.

Now that you know how to prepare that squash for roasting, let's get cooking! Here's Chef Katz's recipe for Roasted Butternut Squash Soup. It is sure to become a family favorite. And it's a perfect way to use up all of the winter squash you receive in your Perfectly Imperfect Produce boxes.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Serves 6-8

Part 1: Roasting the Squash

1/2 cup water

1 medium butternut or delicata squash, remove stem, bottom and seeds

Kosher salt, to taste

1 tbs maple syrup

2 thyme sprigs

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Place the water, kosher salt, maple syrup and thyme sprigs in a casserole or baking dish. Place the butternut squash into a baking dish, cut side down. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour until soft. Allow to cool. Using a spoon, scrape the squash of all usable flesh into a bowl. Chill until ready to use.

Part 2: Making the Soup

2 ounces sunflower oil

1 medium yellow onion, peeled, and sliced

2 tbs garlic, minced

1 rib celery, washed and sliced

1 large carrot, peeled and sliced

1 bay leaf

2 tsp turmeric, ground

2-3 quarts of water or chicken stock (depends on the size of the squash)

Juice of 1/2 lemon

In a Dutch oven or sauce pot, heat the sunflower oil over high heat. When the oil begins to ripple, add the onions and sauté for 1 minute. Add the garlic, kosher salt to taste and stir to combine. Continue cooking over medium high heat for 1-2 minutes. Add the turmeric and stir to combine. Continue cooking for 1 minute. Add the celery, carrot, butternut squash (from part 1) and bay leaf and allow to cook for 5 minutes or until slightly softened. Season again to taste with kosher salt. Add the water or chicken stock to cover by about 2 inches and cook for 35-40 minutes until all vegetables are soft. Taste the broth for seasoning and remove the bay leaf. In a blender or food processor, purée the soup until smooth and adjust consistency with additional water or stock if necessary. Season to taste with kosher salt and lemon juice.