Our family has a soup obsession. From chunky to spicy, sweet to savory. For us, soup celebrates the season we are in, and the seasonal ingredients available to us. With it being fall and cooler temps, it seems we've ramped up cozy, with this ultra comfort food. What says fall more than squash soup, am I right? We searched the internet and taste-tasted at least a half a dozen Apple-Butternut Squash soup recipes from famous chefs and celebrities. We have chosen our top 3 faves from the kitchens of Martha Stewart, Oprah Winfrey and Gordon Ramsay.
You're going to want to try all of them.
Soup #1
Apple - Butternut Squash Soup
By: Martha Stewart
Ingredients
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 medium onion, diced
1 butternut squash (about 2 pounds), peeled, seeded, and chopped
4 red or golden apples, peeled, cored, and chopped, plus 1 apple, finely diced and tossed in lemon juice, for garnish (optional)
2 teaspoons coarse salt
1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
2 ½ cups water, plus more if needed
1 jalapeno chile, thinly sliced, for garnish (optional)
Sour cream, for garnish (optional)
Directions:
Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to soften, about 4 minutes. Add squash, and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 10 minutes. Add apples, salt, cumin, coriander, ginger, cayenne, black pepper, stock, and the water (just enough to cover). Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and cook until vegetables are very soft, about 30 minutes.
Puree in batches in a food processor or blender until smooth. Return to saucepan. Heat over low, thinning with more water if necessary. Ladle into bowls; garnish with roasted squash seeds, diced apples, jalapeño slices, and sour cream if desired
Soup # 2
Spiced Butternut Squash and Apple Soup
With Maple Pumpernickel Croutons
By: Oprah.com
Ingredients
Soup:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion , cut into 1/2-inch chunks
2 stalks celery , cut into 2 pieces
1 butternut squash (about 3 1/2 pounds), peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
6 cups vegetable or chicken stock
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 bay leaf
3 McIntosh apples , peeled, cored and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup plain yogurt , for garnish
Croutons:
3 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon maple syrup
3 tablespoon , finely minced chives
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon , freshly ground pepper
1 loaf pumpernickel bread (small) , cut into 1/2 inch chunks
Directions:
To make soup: In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and celery and cook, stirring, until tender and lightly browned, about 7 minutes. Add squash and cook an additional 3 minutes. Add stock, fennel seeds, cinnamon, cardamom and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer; cook 15 minutes. Add apples and vinegar and continue cooking 12 minutes. Remove from heat and puree either in batches in a food processor or blender or all together with an emulsion blender. Season with salt and pepper. To make croutons: Preheat oven to 375°. In a large bowl, combine olive oil, maple syrup, chives, salt and pepper. Add bread and toss well. On a baking sheet, spread croutons in a single layer and bake until golden brown and crispy, 7 to 12 minutes, using a spatula to turn once or twice. Remove from oven and cool. Garnish soup with yogurt and croutons.
Soup # 3
Skinny Butternut Squash and Apple Soup
By: Gordon Ramsay
Ingredients:
2 Lb. Butternut Squash
4 Tsp. Light Butter, Divided
1 Medium Apple, Peeled & Chopped
1/2 Medium Yellow Onion, Chopped
2 Garlic Cloves, Minced
4 Fresh Sage Leaves
1/2 Tsp. Dried Thyme
1 1/2 Reduced Sodium Chicken Broth
1 1/2 Water
1/4 C. Reduced Fat Milk
Salt & Pepper to Taste
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. and line a baking sheet with foil. Set aside.
Cut the squash in half and scoop the seeds and pulp out.
Place the squash on the prepared baking sheet and place 1 tsp. butter over each half. Season the squash with some salt and pepper to taste and place into the oven to bake for about an hour or until the squash is tender and cooked through.
While the squash is baking, place the remaining 2 tsp. of butter into a large sauce pan and melt it over a medium heat. Once the butter is melted, add in the apple, onion, garlic, sage leaves, and thyme.
Sauté until all is softened, about 6-7 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside. When the squash is done, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool enough to be handled. Scoop the squash from the shell and place it into the sauce pan along with the cooked apple and onion mixture. Discard the flesh of the squash.
Add the water and broth to the sauce pan and season with more salt and pepper to taste. Place the pan over a high heat and bring it all to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes, then cover and continue to simmer for another 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and add in the milk.
Use an immersion blender or regular blender to puree the soup.
You may need to do this in batches if using a standard blender. Also, be sure that you remove the small cap for the ‘vent’ at the top of the blender and cover with a towel to prevent hot soup explosions.
Divide the soup evenly among bowls.
Garnish and serve right away!
Which one did we love the best?
Drum roll please ...
Gordon's !!!!!!!
Try all three! Let us know which one is your favorite.
Enjoy,
Tracy x