Butternut Squash Soup with Cider Cream

I found this butternut squash soup with cider cream recipe on Epicurious that sounded perfect, and it reminded me of a soup I had years ago in Seattle. I put some of the cider cream into a squeeze bottle and drizzled a swirl on top.  My daughter and I both loved and devoured this soup and thought it paired nicely with a harvest salad and crusty bread! My husband thought it was tasty without the cider cream (he’s not a fan of sour cream), while my son thought it was okay but not his favorite–more for me!

Butternut Squash Soup with Cider Cream

Ingredients:

• 5 tbsp butter
• 2 ½ lbs butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 6 cups)
• 2 cups leeks, white and pale green parts only, sliced thinly
• 2 carrots, peeled and diced
• 1 celery stalk, diced
• 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, diced
• 1-2 sprigs of fresh thyme
• Dash of dried sage
• 5 cups chicken broth (use vegetable broth for a vegetarian version)
• 1 ½ cups apple cider, divided
• ⅔ cup sour cream

How to Make Butternut Squash Soup with Cider Cream

Melt the butter in a large heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Add butternut squash, leeks, carrot, and celery; sauté until slightly softened, about 15 minutes.

Mix in the diced apples, thyme sprigs, and a pinch of dried sage. Add the chicken broth and 1 cup of apple cider, then bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low.

Cover and simmer until apples are tender, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes. Cool slightly. Remove thyme sprig stems from the soup.

Purée soup with a handheld immersion blender (or in a blender) until creamy and smooth.

In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the remaining ½ cup apple cider to a boil, until it reduces to ¼ cup, about 7-10 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Place sour cream in a small bowl. Whisk in reduced cider. Ladle soup into bowls.

Drizzle with cider cream to make a pretty design with a skewer, and serve with bacon crumbles, if desired.