Butternut Squash Soup with Cider Cream

I found this recipe for a butternut squash soup with cider cream on Epicurious that sounded perfect and it reminded me of a soup I had years ago that I loved. I put some of the cider cream into a squeeze bottle and drizzled a swirl on the top, and to make it look extra fancy for my kids, I slid a skewer through the swirl to make a fun design. My daughter and I both really loved and devoured this soup! 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!

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 pinch of dried sage. Add the chicken broth and 1 cup of apple cider then bring to 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, boil the remaining 1/2 cup apple cider until reduced to 1/4 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 and serve with bacon crumbles, if desired.

Butternut Squash Soup with Cider Cream

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Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour

Total Time: 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Servings: 6 - 8

Author: Pam - For the Love of Cooking / Original by Epicurious

Equipment

• Large Heavy Pot or Large Dutch Oven
• Immersion Blender or Blender
• Small Saucepan

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 vegetarian)
• 1 ½ cups apple cider divided
• ⅔ cup sour cream

Instructions

• Melt the butter in a large heavy pot or large Dutch oven 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 pinch of dried sage.
• Add the chicken broth and 1 cup of apple cider then bring to 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, boil the remaining 1/2 cup apple cider until reduced to 1/4 cup, about 7-10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• Place sour cream in a small bowl.
• Whisk in reduced cider.
• Ladle soup into bowls and drizzle with the cider cream and bacon crumbles, if desired. Enjoy!

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