Butternut Squash Soup is the ultimate cozy fall soup! A creamy soup packed with nutritious vegetables. My Mom's famous roasted butternut squash soup takes the classic soup up a notch as she roasts the veggies first! This brings out the natural sweetness of the squash and adds a deep caramelized flavor.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Line two baking sheets or two 9"x13" baking trays with parchment paper. Two trays are recommended so that the vegetables can lay in a single layer on the sheet pans in order to evenly roast them. If the vegetables are stacked on top of each other they will steam and take longer to cook.
Evenly divide the cubed squash, carrots, onion, garlic, salt and pepper between the two baking sheets. Evenly divide the oil between the two trays and drizzle over the vegetables. Toss to evenly coat the vegetables in oil and spread the vegetables into a single layer on the baking sheets. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until squash and carrots are tender.
Once the vegetables are cooked, transfer to a large soup pot. Add in the vegetable broth, heavy cream, thyme, cinnamon, nutmeg and cayenne pepper (optional). Stir to combine.
Bring the soup to a simmer on medium heat. Once simmering, reduce heat to low. Cover with the lid and simmer for 5-10 minutes to allow the flavors to come together.
To purée the soup, use an immersion blender in the pot and carefully blend until creamy and smooth. Or, carefully transfer the soup to a blender, that is safe for hot foods, and blend until smooth. Be careful when blending hot liquids in a traditional blender as the heat and steam will build pressure in the blender. Work in batches to blend the soup in a blender, depending on the size of your blender it may take 2 or 3 batches. Leave space at the top of the blender so it is not over filled. Be sure to slightly lift the lid of the blender to allow steam to escape and cover with a towel to avoid any spilling.
Stir the puréed soup. If you prefer a thinner soup, add more vegetable broth at this time.
Taste and season as needed for personal preference (add salt and pepper to taste, cinnamon for warmth, nutmeg for nuttiness, or cayenne for heat)
Serve as is, or garnish with toasted pumpkin seeds, croutons, thyme leaves, roasted pieces of butternut squash, an extra drizzle of heavy cream or coconut milk (optional). Enjoy!