Butternut Squash Soup

I've made this soup about three times, switching out ingredients and changing up spices to see how everything works together. I feel like I finally got it right this last time, and it was so good I wanted to share it with you. It packs A TON of vitamin A and C, and is gluten-free, dairy-free, and can be easily modified for vegan/vegetarian diets by swapping out the chicken broth for vegetable broth. It's seriously my favorite soup ever. Maybe next time I'll actually remember to take a picture...


This recipe serves 4-6 people, and the soup freezes and refrigerates well. 


1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cubed (about 5 cups)
1 yellow onion, diced
2 small zucchini, peeled and cubed
1 carrot, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp dried thyme
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups water
2 cups chicken stock (or vegetable broth to make it vegan)
salt and pepper to taste




Bring 1/2 cup water to simmer in a large sauce pot over medium heat. Add in the onion, garlic, carrot, celery and cook until translucent (about 6-7 minutes). 


Add in the stock, water, squash, onion, dried thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat and allow to simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.


Add the zucchini and continue simmering for 15-20 minutes, until all vegetables are fork tender. Turn off the heat and allow to sit for a few minutes (also, remove the bay leaf). Pour half of the soup mixture into a food processor and blend until smooth (about 2 minutes), then pour into a serving dish and repeat with the second half of the mixture. Alternately, use an immersion blender. 


Add salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy.


Nutritional Information (for 4 servings):
Calories: 157, Carbs: 37g, Fat: 1g, Protein: 5g, Fiber: 3g