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Quick Creamy Acorn Squash Soup with Brown Butter

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A velvety, nutty acorn squash soup made quick and easy with brown butter. Ready in under 45 minutes, this comforting bowl is perfect for busy weeknights and tastes like it came from a French bistro.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 medium acorn squash (about 2 pounds each), peeled and cubed (about 6 cups)
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (½ stick)
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced
  • 3–4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth (950 ml)
  • ½ cup heavy cream (120 ml)
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 6–8 fresh sage leaves (for garnish, optional)
  • 1 tablespoon butter (for crispy sage, optional)
  • Flaky salt (for finishing, optional)

Instructions

  1. Prepare the squash: Cut each acorn squash in half from stem to tip. Scoop out seeds and stringy pulp. Use a vegetable peeler to remove the skin, then cut flesh into 1-inch cubes (about 6 cups).
  2. Brown the butter: Place a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add 4 tablespoons butter and let melt completely. Swirl occasionally until butter foams, then subsides, and tiny brown specks form at the bottom. When butter turns warm amber and smells nutty (like toasted hazelnuts), immediately add diced onion and stir.
  3. Sauté the aromatics: Cook onion in brown butter over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent (about 4 minutes). Add minced garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
  4. Cook the squash: Add cubed acorn squash, salt, pepper, and cinnamon to the pot. Stir to coat. Pour in vegetable broth (should just cover squash). Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer 12-15 minutes until squash is fork-tender.
  5. Blend until silky: Remove pot from heat. Using an immersion blender, blend soup directly in pot until completely smooth (about 2 minutes). If using a regular blender, let soup cool 5 minutes, then blend in batches—never fill blender more than halfway with hot liquid; remove center cap from lid and cover with a kitchen towel; start on low speed.
  6. Finish with cream and maple: Return blended soup to pot (if using regular blender). Stir in heavy cream and maple syrup. Taste and adjust seasoning. Warm over low heat 2-3 minutes—do not let boil after adding cream.
  7. Make crispy sage garnish (optional): While soup warms, melt 1 tablespoon butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add sage leaves and cook 30-60 seconds per side until crispy and dark green. Transfer to paper towel to drain.
  8. Serve immediately: Ladle soup into bowls. Drizzle with extra cream if desired, top with crispy sage leaves and a sprinkle of flaky salt.

Notes

Don’t rush the brown butter—watch closely as it goes from perfect to burnt in seconds. To easily peel acorn squash, microwave the whole squash for 2 minutes first. For a vegan version, use vegan butter or coconut oil and full-fat coconut milk instead of heavy cream. For a spicy kick, add ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes with the garlic. The soup tastes even better the next day. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: acorn squash soup, creamy squash soup, brown butter soup, quick soup, fall soup, winter soup, easy soup, vegetarian soup, gluten-free soup

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