Creamy Butternut Squash Soup

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Place the butternut squash on the pan and rub the oil over the outside and inside of the squash and sprinkle it with salt and pepper.

Turn the squash face down and roast until it is tender and completely cooked through, about 40 to 50 minutes (don’t worry if the skin or flesh browns—that’s good for flavor).

In a large soup pot, warm 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat until shimmering

Add the chopped onion and cook stirring often, until the onion has softened and is starting to turn golden on the edges, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds

Transfer the contents to your stand blender.

Use a large spoon to scoop the butternut squash flesh into your blender. Discard the tough skin.

Add the maple syrup, nutmeg and a few twists of freshly ground black pepper to the blender.

Pour in 3 cups vegetable broth, being careful not to fill the container past the maximum fill line (you can work in batches if necessary, and stir in any remaining broth later).

Blend on high being careful to avoid hot steam escaping from the lid. Stop once your soup is ultra creamy and warmed through.

If you would like to thin out your soup a bit more, stir in the remaining cup of broth.

Add 1 to 2 tablespoons butter or olive oil, to taste, and blend well.