This is a wonderful soup that uses two of our area’s best local products, apples and maple syrup. Enjoy!
Heat your oven to 375 degrees. Peel 3 lbs. of butternut squash and cut into 1” cubes. (You could also try sweet potatoes or pumpkin for a different version of this soup.) Bake until the cubes are softened, about 45 minutes.
Anne Donnelly shared her “easy-peasy” method for cooking squash: cut the squash in half, scoop out the seeds, and place the halves cut-side down in a baking pan in a 350-degree oven. Cook until soft and then cool. Use the squash in this recipe or store any extra in plastic bags for another meal or another recipe. If you prefer less knife work, you may favor this alternative.
In a large pot or Dutch oven, sauté:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 sweet onion, diced
- 1 stalk celery, diced
- 1 apple, diced
When the vegetables are softened, add the squash to the pot. Then add:
- 6 cups of water (you can substitute chicken or vegetable broth for some or all of the water, if you like)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ to 1 teaspoon cinnamon, to taste
- 1 tablespoon real maple syrup
Simmer for 20 minutes. Puree in a blender or food processor. If you have an immersion blender, you can complete this last step right in the pot and be on your way to the table with less clean-up afterwards.