Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

With a sharp chef’s knife or large knife, carefully cut the butternut squash in half from top to bottom and scoop out the stringy part with the seeds and discard them. Place the squash halves flesh side up in a large baking pan.

Brush the butternut squash with 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast it in the oven for 35-40 minutes until it begins to brown, and it becomes fork tender.

While the butternut squash roasts, finely dice the onions and mince the garlic.

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large stock pot over medium heat then add the diced onions. Sauté the onions for 6-8 minutes until they begin to caramelize and brown.

Add the spices and the minced garlic and sauté for another minute.

Add 4 cups of the vegetable stock (or chicken stock) and bring it to a simmer.

Once the butternut squash is roasted and fork tender, scoop it out from the skin and add it to the simmering pot and let it cook together for 10 minutes.

Turn the heat off and blend the soup with an immersion blender until it is completely smooth. If it is too thick, add the rest of the vegetable stock and heat through.

Portion the soup out into bowls and garnish each bowl with a splash of heavy cream, 1 tablespoon of toasted pine nuts and more fresh cracked pepper. Serve and enjoy!