I honestly can’t believe I haven’t used this recipe yet! A few years ago, I watched Queer Eye, and Anthony, the food and wine expert, taught a sweet cowboy how to make a butternut squash soup for a farm-to-table dinner event he was hosting. It looked so easy and fantastic; I immediately raced to the store the next day for the ingredients. The results were incredible, and I’ve made it probably twenty times since then. I make it regularly for my picky toddler, who adores it. I've brought it to RidgeCrest for our herb family and even submitted it to a soup contest fundraiser (I didn’t win, but you wouldn’t believe the competition considering it was for a preschool). I even planted a butternut squash plant in my garden this year, and I’m eagerly awaiting the fall for the beautiful gourds to be ready. I make mine vegan with one easy, healthy swap from the original recipe (replace heavy cream with coconut milk), and it’s delicious. In the episode of Queer Eye, they weren’t very specific about the amounts, but after a few years of experimenting, here is how I make it:  

Ingredients:

2 butternut squash, cubed

1 onion, roughly chopped

5 garlic cloves, no need to chop

2 stalks of celery, roughly chopped

4 sprigs of rosemary

Salt and pepper to taste

1 can of coconut milk

Spread the chopped butternut squash in a pan or a baking sheet and spread the onion, garlic, and celery across the top. Drizzle with olive oil and mix. Lay the sprigs of rosemary across the top and add your salt and pepper. 

Bake at 400 degrees for about 50 minutes. The longer you leave it in, the more ingredients at the bottom of the pan will caramelize, adding incredible flavor, so I like to let everything get lovely and squishy.

When it’s cooked to your liking, pull it out of the oven (don’t forget to turn it off, I know I always do!) Allow it to cool for a few minutes, then place everything into your heat-resistant blender. Add your can of coconut milk and blend. If it’s thicker than you would like, you can add some chicken or vegetable broth until you achieve the desired consistency. Serve with a bit of sour cream if you want and your favorite fall bread. Enjoy, and be sure to tag us on social media if you make it!