Roast Butternut Squash Soup With Spinach Pesto
By: Noelle Twiggs
Published: October 30, 2013

Here in New York, the weather is finally starting to turn colder, and the leaves on the trees have begun to take on tinges of red, orange and gold. The colder weather has inspired me to regularly embrace  the comfort and warmth of a good fall soup. A butternut squash soup has become one of my favorites in recent weeks because it’s so versatile and can really be dressed up to suit any occasion. You can leave it thick and creamy as a basis for a filling dinner or thin it out to enjoy as a light snack by adding a twirl of good milk or cream. In this particular butternut squash soup recipe, I incorporated a sweet apple and a few caramelized onions. The sweet apple, in particular, really makes it a delight to enjoy on its own. But, lately I’ve been also adoring this recipe complimented with a spoonful of a nice pesto (like this one) and a good ricotta or feta cheese. The pairing really makes for a truly simple but delicious lunch or dinner. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do.
 Roast Butternut Squash Soup With Spinach Pesto
	For an extra protein punch, add a tablespoon or two of hemp seeds. 
Serving Size: 4-6
Ingredients
	For the soup
	2 medium butternut squash, sliced in half, seeds removed (~4 1/2 cups cooked and puréed squash)
	1 apple, preferably green, peeled, cored and diced
	1/2 yellow onion, peeled, roughly chopped
	1 tablespoon coconut oil
	1 cup almond milk
	3 cups water
	1/2 teaspoon sea salt
	1 sprig rosemary, stem removed, finely chopped (1 teaspoon)
	4 sprigs thyme, stems removed, finely chopped
for the garnish
	1/4 cup fresh ricotta, or cubes of Feta
	4 tablespoons pesto (I used a spinach pesto)
Better-for-you ingredients
	Learn more about the better-for-you ingredients in this recipe:
Butternut Squash – Rich in phytonutrients and antioxidants, butternut squash also serves up a healthy dose of potassium (important for bone health) as well as vitamin B6 (crucial to the healthy functioning of the nervous and immune systems).

Directions
	Preheat oven to 425F degrees.
Place squash face down on a baking sheet for 45 minutes, until caramelized and fork tender.
In a large pot, warm coconut oil and onions. When onions are slightly brown and fragrant, add apples, rosemary and salt until the apples are just tender.
Remove the squash from the oven and add to the large pot. Pour in almond milk and water. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 15 minutes. Working in batches, place the soup in a blender or in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and process until smooth.
Pour the soup back into the pot. Add additional almond milk or water if desired to reach your desired consistency. Serve with a dollop of fresh ricotta cheese, or Feta, and a tablespoon of pesto!

More healthy soup recipes
	Craving more soup this fall? Give some of these recipes a try!
Roast Tomato Soup
Baja-Style Vegetarian Tortilla Soup