Soup, Roasted Butternut Squash

Ingredients

• 3 pound butternut squash cut in half lengthwise, seeds removed
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp butter or vegan butter
• 1/2 cup full-fat coconut milk
• 4 cloves garlic
• 3 large carrots diced
• 1 medium onion chopped
• 2 ½-3 cups chicken or vegetable broth as needed
• ¼ tsp cinnamon
• salt and pepper to taste
• thyme and toasted pepitas for garnish

Directions

Roast the squash

1. Preheat your oven to 425F. Place the butternut squash halves on a baking sheet, cut side up. Drizzle with olive oil and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 45-55 minutes, or until the squash is tender and easily pierced with a fork. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.

Cook the Vegetables

1. In a pan with avocado oil, add 1 tbsp butter (or vegan butter). Once melted, add the chopped onion, garlic and carrot chunks. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5-7 minutes until the vegetables start to soften.

Scoop the Squash

1. Once the roasted squash has cooled enough to handle, scoop the flesh out of the skins and add it to the pot with the cooked vegetables.

Season and Add Broth

1. Sprinkle in ¼ tsp cinnamon and season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour in 2 ½ cups of chicken or vegetable broth and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and let it simmer for 10-15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.

Blend the Soup

1. Remove the pot from heat and add the coconut milk. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth. If the soup is too thick, add more broth until you reach the desired consistency. If you don’t have an immersion blender, carefully transfer the soup in batches to a regular blender.

Serve

1. Ladle the soup into bowls. Top each serving a drizzle of coconut milk, crispy bacon, toasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas), and a sprinkle of fresh thyme or cayenne pepper for an additional kick. Serve hot