One of my absolute favorite parts about fall is the food and flavors! I have always been a fan of sweet potatoes and squash, and I wanted to whip up something warm and delicious to enjoy curled up on the couch while watching Step Mom (One of my many top fall movies)!
Soup is something I never have in the Spring or Summer, and I stumbled across this recipe one day and had to give it a go! If you are looking for something creamy, delicious, and easy to make this fall, this is the dish for you! I seriously felt like raking leaves and picking pumpkins at the pumpkin patch after eating this! Pair it with a large chicken caesar salad for dinner and some warm buttered bread!
Butternut Squash & Carrot Soup
Ingredients:
- 1 medium butternut squash
- fresh sage (4 springs) & fresh thyme (4 sprigs) tied together
- pinch of cayenne
- 2 tbsp. diced sage leaves
- 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 large onion cut into quarters
- 2 medium carrots cut into 2 inch chunks
- 2 stalks of celery cut into 2 inch chunks
- 1 tsp. olive oil
- 1/4 tsp. paprika
- sour cream
Directions:
Using a potato peeler, peel the butternut squash. Chop the top and bottom of the squash off. Cut squash in half and scoop out the seeds and set aside in a bowl. Cut the squash up into 2 inch pieces.
In a crock pot add 5 cups of water, the squash, carrots, celery, onion, tied herbs, cayenne, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Cook on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 4-5 hours or until vegetables are soft and tender.
While you wait rinse off the seeds, and lay out to dry.
After the vegetables are soft, remove the tied herbs and scoop out the crock pot contents into a large blender. Blend until smooth. (You can also use an immersion blender in the crock pot.) Once the soup is blended smooth return to crock pot and keep warm.
Ten minutes before serving, heat olive oil in a sauté pan. Add seeds and lightly roast for 2-3 minutes. Add diced sage and sprinkle with paprika and cinnamon to taste. Toss for 2 more minutes, and then set aside.
Ladle soup into bowls, sprinkle with seeds, and dollop with sour cream. ENJOY!
Let me know what you think! You can more or less cayenne depending on your spice preference!
XOXO