I love surprises. It’s just something I never get tired of! When I tried this recipe for butternut squash soup, I was a lot more than pleasantly surprised with the results — I was totally blown away!

The real surprise in this recipe is the taste of butternut squash blending delightfully well with Granny Smith apples. It sounds like a bit of a stretch at first, but their natural flavors turn out to be quite the pair. On the butternut squash side, you’ve got a dense, rich, nutty-sweet taste that resembles potatoes or even butterscotch. Granny Smith apples, on the other hand, are juicy but acidic, lending it a refreshing tart flavor. Blend them together with some coconut milk, chicken broth, and a host of herbs and spices. Flick your magic wand and voila! You’ll get a creamy, delectable soup that has both sweet and tart undertones punctuated by just the right amount of spice.

Well, okay, you don’t just flick your magic wand — you actually have to cook the soup in a slow cooker. It’s three to four hours on high, or as long as six to eight hours on low. Take your pick, but you can’t change the fact that there’s no rushing good food. That’s the secret to this surprise butternut squash soup.

It doesn’t stop there! After you’ve cooked it and turned the soup into a purée, you can top it off with a nice dollop of crème fraîche. This fancy sounding cream is just like sour cream, except with a tangier, richer taste. Once that’s settled, a sprinkling of fried sage leaves is the glitter sitting prettily on top of this gift. So, surprise yourself — and even your family — once in a while with this surprise butternut squash soup!

Surprise Butternut Squash Soup

Give yourself a gastronomic gift with this butternut squash soup. It’s a magical blend of sweet and tart flavors punctuated by a sprinkling of spice.

• Author: Addie Gundry
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 4 hours
• Total Time: 4 hours 20 minutes
• Yield: Serves 6
• Category: Soups

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 4 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed
• 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1 jalapeño, seeded and chopped
• 1 large shallot, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 (14-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 6 fresh sage leaves
• Crème fraîche, for serving

Instructions

1. In a slow cooker, combine the squash, apple, carrot, jalapeño, shallot, garlic, cumin, nutmeg, cayenne, salt, black pepper, and broth.
2. Cover and cook on High for 3 to 4 hours or on Low for 6 to 8 hours, until the squash is tender.
3. Stir in the coconut milk.
4. Carefully transfer to a blender or an immersion blender and puree the soup, working in batches, if desired, to prevent splashing. The soup will be hot.
5. In a small pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the sage leaves and fry until crispy, about 4 minutes.
6. Ladle the soup into bowls. Dollop the crème fraîche on the soup, top with the fried sage leaves, and serve.