In my humble opinion, that is. The melt-in-your-mouth texture, the slightly sweet flavor, and the high nutritional value of this seasonal vegetable makes it good enough to eat every day. And this Butternut Squash and Thyme soup is simple enough to let the awesome earthy flavor of the squash shine, subtly enhanced by the fresh thyme. No frills, no fuss, and very few ingredients… just pure cozy fall butternut squash deliciousness!
This soup would also be fabulous with fresh rosemary (Butternut Squash and Rosemary Fettucini Alfredo is one of Bowl of Delicious’s most popular posts, and the flavor combination is AMAZING). On it’s own, this soup is completely vegetable-based. To add a bit more “oomph” to the soup to make it into a meal, I recommend adding one or two poached eggs to it. Like in this soup. YUM. When you break into the yolk of the egg and it combines with the rest of the soup, it makes it extra creamy and decadent. Toasted or candied pecans would be delicious sprinkled on top of the soup, as well as roasted pumpkin or squash seeds. (Did you know you can roast the seeds from a butternut squash the same way you would roast pumpkin seeds? It’s delicious, and a great way to reduce kitchen waste.)
One of my favorite things about this soup is how EASY and simple it is to make, and that it requires no special equipment– just a simple potato masher. You can certainly use an immersion blender to make this soup extra creamy (like in my Curried Butternut Squash Soup), but I like the rustic texture of this recipe. Somehow, I think it makes it seem more filling. Kind of like how eating whole fruit feels for breakfast more like a “meal” than drinking a smoothie. A dollop of Greek yogurt (or cashew cream, for a vegan version) and a sprinkling of extra herbs on top makes this soup absolutely beautiful, and perfect for an impressive first course at a dinner party. Here’s what to do. First, saute some onions in olive oil. Then, add garlic, cubed squash, salt and pepper, and chicken or vegetable broth, and simmer until the squash is tender. Add some fresh thyme (or rosemary), mash with your potato masher, and you’re done! Depending on how small the butternut squash pieces are, this soup can take as little as 25 mins to make start to finish. Easy peasy.
This recipe can just as easily be made in your slow cooker: just add all of the ingredients besides the herbs and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours, or until the squash is tender. Then, add the herbs (it makes the flavor much more pronounced if you add fresh herbs at the end of a recipe). Recipe below. Enjoy!
