If you're craving a cozy bowl of comfort on a chilly evening, look no further than this Roasted Garlic and Butternut Squash Soup recipe. The rich, earthy flavors of roasted garlic and sweet butternut squash come together in a velvety-smooth soup that's perfect for warming both body and soul. Roasting the garlic and butternut squash before blending them creates a depth of flavor that's simply irresistible. Top it off with some roasted pumpkin seeds for the ultimate autumnal indulgence. This soup is not just a meal; it's a hug in a bowl, guaranteed to satisfy your fall cravings.

Roasted Garlic and Butternut Squash Soup

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 

Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Serves: 6

Ingredients

1 large butternut squash halved, seeded and scored

1 honey crisp apple, halved

1 vidalia  onion, peeled and quartered

2 heads garlic, tops cut off

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to drizzle over garlic. 

3 sprigs thyme, stems remain ved

1 tsp paprika

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 

3 tablespoons salted butter

5 cups vegetable stock

1/2 cup of heavy cream

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. To a baking dish or rimmed sheet pan add the squash, onion, garlic to the baking sheet, cut sides facing up. Brush the cut sides of the vegetables with olive oil and season with paprika, salt, pepper and thyme. 

3. Cut the tops off your garlic bulbs and place them onto of a piece of aluminum foil (large enough to warp the garlic). Drizzle some olive oil over top, a pinch of salt and pepper then fold all corners together and twist to seal the package. Place the two garlic parcels onto the baking sheet.

4. Turn the squash and apple cut-side down onto the sheet pan and roast for 30-40 minutes, until the squash is fully cooked. If the onion and garlic are roasted before the squash, remove them from the sheet pan and return the squash to the oven and allow it to cook for an additional 10 minutes if needed. 

5. Remove from oven and allow to the squash and roasted garlic to cool. Then scoop out the roasted squash, squeeze out the roasted garlic, remove the peel from the apple and add everything including the onion into the bowl of a food processor or powerful blender (I used my Vitamix). Blend until smooth.

6. In a large stockpot, pour in the squash puree, add butter, ginger, nutmeg, and vegetable stock. Bring to a boil and simmer gently for 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in the heavy cream.

7. Garnish with a dollop of sour cream, a drizzle of spicy chilli oil, and a sprinkle of pumpkin seeds and serve immediately. 

Author: Mary Mammoliti / Kitchen Confession / kitchenconfession.com