Cooler temperatures have made their appearance in New England and it put me in the mood for this delicious Winter Squash Soup {with Homemade Applesauce}. Butternut and acorn squash are combined with carrots, onions, broth and a little bit of brown sugar. It is all roasted together in the oven for a hearty soup full of vitamins and nutrients.The perfect bowl of soup to curl up on the couch with on a cool night.
A friend of mine put together a beautiful cookbook celebrating the the heritage of the town we live in. Our town has a lot of multiple generation families that were born and raised here. I am one of them! And now I am raising my family here. It is such a beautiful quaint New England town that I guess people just never want to leave!
The cookbook is a compilation of recipes shared by people from the town. Some old townies. Some new ones. This recipe was shared by the author’s sister and has become one of my family’s favorites. I made a few adaptions to the recipe to please my family’s palate. One addition that I made this time was a HUGE hit. The homemade applesauce added to the top complimented the flavors perfectly!
Winter Squash Soup {with Homemade Applesauce}
Ingredients
For the soup
- 2 Acorn squash
- 1 Large butternut squash
- 6 Tablespoons Unsalted butter
- 6 Tablespoons Brown sugar
- 3 Carrots ,peeled and halved
- 1 Large onion ,thinly sliced
- 48 ounces Chicken broth ,divided
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
- Pinch of cayenne
For the applesauce
- 3 pounds Apples, peeled, cored and chopped (I used macintosh)
- 1/2 Cup Water or apple juice/cider
- 1/2 Cup Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon ,optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven 350 degrees F. Cut squash in half and scrape out seed and pulp and discard. Place squash with the cavity side facing up in a very large roasting pan. Fill each cavity with a tablespoon of butter and brown sugar. Arrange carrots and onion around squash. Fill pan with 2 cups of the chicken broth and tightly cover pan with aluminum foil. (Make sure it is sealed tightly or broth will evaporate and it may burn.) Bake for 2 hours.
- Remove pan from oven. Remove aluminum foil carefully. Let vegetable cool for about 10 minutes. Scoop squash out of it's skin and place in a large stock pot. Discard skins. Add carrots, onion and any left over broth to the stockpot. Add cinnamon, cayenne pepper and remaining broth. Mix well and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Puree the soup in a blender or food processor in batches. Return to a clean pot.
For the applesauce
- Place all ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until apples are tender.
- You can serve chunky or add to a blender and puree for a smoother texture.
Nutrition
You can also serve your Winter Squash Soup {with Homemade Applesauce} with a spoonful of sour cream, greek yogurt or creme fraiche swirled through it.
Here are a few other great soup ideas to serve this fall:
If you would like to follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest or Google+ just click on the social media buttons at the top right hand corner of the page and it will bring you right to my page. Once you’re there just hit “like” or “follow”! Easy! It’s a great way for you to see when I add something new!
I will be sharing this recipe at the following link parties:
Courtney at A Life From Scratch says
This looks so perfect for a crisp fall evening. Yum! Making my way here through the Project Parade link party. Stop by my blog sometime if you get a chance!
Nicole Crocker says
Thanks for stopping by Courtney!
Michelle @ A Dish of Daily Life says
Love squash soup…I’ve been looking forward to that. We just started getting butternut squash from our CSA. Your recipe looks wonderful!
Nicole Crocker says
Thanks Michelle! Hope you get a chance to try it! Enjoy!
Zan says
I love squash soup – in fact, I made some last week. I have not thought to put apple sauce in it though. Looks great!
Nicole Crocker says
Thanks Zan! The soup is yummy with or without the applesauce but it was definitely an awesome addition. Everyone here loved it!
Giovanna @ Love, Thyme and Honey says
This is just my kind of soup, I looove squash! 🙂 I also love your addition of apple sauce… I haven’t heard of it before and am anxious to try!
Nicole Crocker says
Thanks Giovanna! The applesauce was a huge hit here! It’s just as delicious with or without though. Enjoy!
Pure Grace Farms says
I love the combinations here. Squash and applesauce sound so fall-ish. Thanks for sharing at Foodie Fridays. Hope to see you there again tomorrow!
Blessings,
Shari