Creamy Butternut Squash Soup

This has now become my ultimate comfort food hack.

The real game-changer here isn’t just the roasted squash (though that’s pretty crucial) – it’s how the cinnamon plays with the caramelized onions. Took me three attempts to get that balance right.

Most butternut soups end up tasting like baby food or dessert. This one hits different because we’re building layers of flavor before everything gets blended together.

What You’ll Need

For the base:

• 3 lb roasted butternut squash
• 2 tbsp butter or olive oil
• 1.5 cups chopped yellow onion
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
• 6 cups vegetable or chicken broth

For garnish:

• Heavy cream for drizzling
• Toasted pumpkin seeds

Steps

1. Start by roasting your butternut squash if you haven’t already. Cut into cubes, roast at 400°F for about 30 minutes until tender and slightly caramelized.
2. In a large pot over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the chopped onion, salt, and pepper. Let them cook slowly for 10 minutes – you want them soft and translucent, not browned.
3. Once your onions are ready, add the roasted squash cubes and cinnamon. Stir constantly for 2 minutes – you’ll know it’s ready when the cinnamon becomes fragrant.
4. Pour in the broth, crank up the heat to high until it boils, then drop it to a simmer. Let everything mingle for 2 minutes.
5. Time to blend. Either use an immersion blender right in the pot (less dishes!) or let it cool slightly and transfer to a regular blender in batches. Blend until silky smooth.

Substitutions That Actually Work

• Swap butternut for kabocha squash – use the same amount but reduce broth by 1 cup as kabocha is drier
• Replace butter with coconut oil for dairy-free version – adds subtle sweetness that works well
• Use sage instead of cinnamon – start with 3 fresh leaves or 1/4 tsp dried

Making It Diabetes-Friendly

• Cut squash amount to 2 lb and add 1 head of cauliflower for lower carb content
• Use full-fat coconut milk (1/2 cup) instead of cream for garnish
• Add 1 tbsp chia seeds during blending to help stabilize blood sugar response

Tips & Storage

• Make-ahead: Roast squash up to 3 days before, store in airtight container
• Soup keeps in fridge for 5 days, freezes beautifully for 3 months
• When reheating, add splash of broth if too thick – warm slowly over medium heat
• For extra richness, brown the butter before adding onions