
Do you have any recipes you make over and over again, and never write down? This is a recipe I’ve made a riff of pretty much every year I can remember. I have no idea where the original recipe/idea came from; it’s been in my head, tweaked and modified every year since. I like to use it in the first couple of weeks of private cooking classes with clients, because it’s great to practice knife skills, and the flavor payoff is big for a really simple recipe with few ingredients- my favorite! It goes to show the beauty of how simple, seasonal ingredients can really make a dish.
Modifications: I use heavy cream in this recipe, but it is very easy to modify using full-fat canned coconut milk, instead. The original recipe stands on it’s own; savory but slightly sweet, additional spices and flavoring components are up to you!

Creamy Autumn Squash Soup
Makes about 4 cups
1 tbsp coconut oil or butter
1 small sweet onion, diced
2 small stalks celery, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp minced ginger
3 small parsnips, peeled and chopped
2 small carrots, peeled and chopped
1 small butternut squash (about 5 cups) peeled, seeded an
sea salt, as needed
2-3 tbsp fresh sage, chopped*
2 cups chicken or vegetables broth
1/2 heavy cream or full-fat coconut milk
toasted almonds or pumpkin seeds to top
sea salt to taste
Change it up:
– add in 2 tsp curry powder in place of sage to make it curried soup (use canned coconut for a thai feel)
– make it sweeter: add in 2 tbsp maple syrup and top with chopped cooked bacon for contrast
– make it warmer; add in a pinch of cinnamon + nutmeg
1. Heat butter or oil in heavy bottomed pot until melted.
2. Add onion and celery and sweat until translucent.
3. Add in carrot and parsnip and stir to combine. Cook another 3-4 minutes until starting to soften.
4. Add in garlic and ginger, just to begin cooking.
5. Stir in squash or sweet potatoes and sage (or other spices) and cover with 2 cups broth or stock. Season lightly.
6. Let simmer for 10-15 minutes, until squash is soft. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
7. Add in half and half or cream and blend with an immersion blender or gradual high-speed blender.
Season to taste with sea salt and pepper, if desired.
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Creamy Autumn Squash Soup
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20-25 minutes
- Total Time: 44 minute
- Yield: 4 cups 1x
Ingredients
1 tbsp coconut oil or butter
1 small sweet onion, diced
2 small stalks celery, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp minced ginger
3 small parsnips, peeled and chopped
2 small carrots, peeled and chopped
1 small butternut squash (about 5 cups) peeled, seeded an
sea salt, as needed
2-3 tbsp fresh sage, chopped*
2 cups chicken or vegetables broth
1/2 heavy cream or full-fat coconut milk
toasted almonds or pumpkin seeds to top
sea salt to taste
Instructions
1. Heat butter or oil in heavy bottomed pot until melted.
2. Add onion and celery and sweat until translucent.
3. Add in carrot and parsnip and stir to combine. Cook another 3-4 minutes until starting to soften.
4. Add in garlic and ginger, just to begin cooking.
5. Stir in squash or sweet potatoes and sage (or other spices) and cover with 2 cups broth or stock. Season lightly.
6. Let simmer for 10-15 minutes, until squash is soft. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
7. Add in half and half or cream and blend with an immersion blender or gradual high-speed blender.
Season to taste with sea salt and pepper, if desired.
Notes
Change it up:
– add in 2 tsp curry powder in place of sage to make it curried soup (use canned coconut for a thai feel)
– make it sweeter: add in 2 tbsp maple syrup and top with chopped cooked bacon for contrast
– make it warmer; add in a pinch of cinnamon + nutmeg

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