Creamy Butternut Squash and Apple Soup  yellow_icon  Green_icon

Serves 4 • Cooking Time 6 to 8 hours on Low or 4 to 6 hours on High • Slow Cooker Size 4 to 7 Quarts

Slug Icon WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: For soup with intense squash and apple flavor, traditional recipes instruct you to roast the main ingredients to concentrate their flavors. But for our slow-cooker version, we learned that when the apples and squash are simmered long enough, their flavors meld and shine through without the tedious step of roasting. A 2:1 ratio of squash to apples let each ingredient be present without one overpowering the other and without the soup becoming overly sweet. For our aromatics we initially started with onions, but they imparted a sharp taste to this simple soup, so we switched to sweeter, milder shallots. We microwaved these with cayenne and cinnamon to punch up the flavors, and butter to give a richer and deeper flavor. To further enhance the soup’s vegetable flavor, we chose vegetable broth and water over chicken broth. We also found that half-and-half added just the right amount of richness—no heavy cream necessary. What really put this soup over the top was steeping a sprig of fresh sage in the soup while it cooked. Once pureed, our soup offered all the rich, creamy, sweet squash and apple flavor we were craving. Serve with Spiced Croutons. See the sidebar that follows the recipe.

4

shallots, minced

1

tablespoon unsalted butter

½

teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pinch cayenne pepper

3

cups vegetable broth, plus extra as needed

1

cup water

2

pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces (5 cups)

1

pound Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch pieces

1

sprig fresh sage

Salt and pepper

½

cup half-and-half

1. Microwave shallots, butter, cinnamon, and cayenne in bowl, stirring occasionally, until shallots are softened, about 2 minutes; transfer to slow cooker. Stir in broth, water, squash, apples, sage sprig, and ½ teaspoon salt. Cover and cook until squash is tender, 6 to 8 hours on low or 4 to 6 hours on high.

2. Discard sage sprig. Working in batches, process soup in blender until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Return soup to slow cooker, stir in half-and-half, and let sit until heated through, about 5 minutes. (Adjust soup consistency with extra hot broth as needed.) Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

Per 2-cup serving:
Cal 230
Fat 7g
Sat Fat 4g
Chol 20mg
Carb 44g
Protein 4g
Fiber 7g
Sodium 880mg
*To reduce sodium level to 410mg, use low-sodium broth.