Butternut Soup with Homemade Croutons

It’s starting to get cold here in Waterloo and that means it’s time for soups! Butternut soup is my absolute favorite soup – probably because my mom makes an amazing butternut soup. This version was made lighter by not adding any cream or coconut milk; it’s creamy enough without it! And, because it is so light, you can top it with some delicious homemade croutons. I used the Seed Bread from Elora Bread Trading Co.  but you can use any crusty bread.

Butternut Soup 

Ingredients 

• 1 large butternut squash, quartered and roasted
• 6 large carrots, peeled and chopped
• 6-8 stalks of celery
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tbsp sage
• 1 or 2 apples, peeled and sliced
• 2 onions, peeled and diced
• 900 ml low sodium chicken/vegetable broth
• Water to cover veggies in pot
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Process 

Preheat oven to 400F. Cut squash into 4-6 pieces and placed on a baking tray. Drizzle 1 tbsp of olive oil over squash and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

While the squash is baking, chop up all your veggies and add them to a large pot. Add your broth and spices. Once the squash is done, scoop it out of the skin and into the pot. Bring to a boil for 30 minutes then let simmer for 20-30 minutes.

**Let the soup cool a bit before you use your immersion blender**

Use an immersion blender to blend your soup. Soup will keep for about 4 days in the fridge and about 3 months in the freezer.

Homemade Croutons 

Ingredients 

• 1 loaf of crusty bread
• 1/4 cup of olive oil
• 1 tbsp Italian Seasoning

Process 

Preheat oven to 375F. Slice bread into cubes about 1 inch by 1 inch. In a large bowl, toss bread cubes with olive oil and seasoning. Bake at 375F for 10-12 minutes or until the croutons reach desired crispness.

Happy eating!