Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients

• 2 cups butternut squash (cubed)
• 1/2 white onion (cut into large chunks or diced)
• 1/2 bulb of garlic (or 3 to 4 cloves)
• 1 green apple (cored and cut into slices)
• 1 to 2 teaspoons fresh ginger (minced)
• 2 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth for a vegetarian version)
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Instructions

1. 1

   --- Roasted Vegetables (Oven Method): ---

2. 2

   Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).

3. 3

   Peel the butternut squash and chop into 1 inch chunks. Place the cubed butternut squash, onion chunks, garlic cloves (still in their skins), and sliced green apple on a baking sheet.

4. 4

   Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat the vegetables evenly.

5. 5

   Roast in the preheated oven for about 30-40 minutes or until the squash is tender and caramelized, and the onions and garlic are softened.

6. 6

   --- Roasted Vegetables (Air Fryer Method): ---

7. 7

   Preheat your air fryer to 375°F (190°C).

8. 8

   In a large bowl, toss the cubed butternut squash, onion chunks, sliced green apple, and whole garlic cloves (still in their skins) with a bit of olive oil, salt, and pepper.

9. 9

   Place the coated vegetables in the air fryer basket in a single layer. You may need to do this in batches, depending on the size of your air fryer.

10. 10

    Air fry for about 15-20 minutes, shaking the basket or tossing the vegetables halfway through, until they are tender and slightly caramelized.

11. 11

    --- Prepare the soup: ---

12. 12

    Once the roasted vegetables are done, remove the garlic cloves from their skins.

13. 13

    Peel the butternut squash and chop into 1 inch chunks. In a blender or using an immersion blender, combine the roasted vegetables, peeled roasted garlic, fresh ginger, and chicken broth.

14. 14

    Blend until smooth and creamy. Make sure your blender top is on tight and place a towel over top of the blender top, for safety. You may need to do this in batches, depending on the size of your blender.

15. 15

    Serve the roasted butternut squash soup hot. Garnish with a drizzle of olive oil and cubed bacon if desired.