Warm Up With This Creamy and Comforting Butternut Squash Soup Recipe

When it comes to weeknight dinners, I’m an unabashed soup fan. Sure, it might take slightly longer to simmer up than a pot of pasta, but by and large it’s a hands-off affair, and few foods soothe the soul better after a hectic day.

Smooth, creamy (without being heavy), and subtly sweet, this iteration will be entering my rotation throughout the fall and winter months, and I encourage you to do the same.

Like many pureed soups, this seasonal soup gets even better with age, and is therefore an excellent candidate for leftovers — I usually put mine in a thermos to enjoy for lunch all week long.

Notes

Don’t have sherry vinegar on hand? Apple cider vinegar is a good substitute.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large leek, thinly sliced and cleaned (about 1 cup)
1 3- to 4-pound butternut squash, peeled and roughly cubed
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Kosher salt, to taste
3 tablespoons dry sherry, plus more to finish
2 to 3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup whole milk
2 tablespoons heavy cream, plus more for garnish
Sherry vinegar, to finish

Directions

Melt the butter in a medium stockpot or dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add the leeks and sweat, stirring occasionally, until softened but not yet browned, about 5 minutes.
Add the butternut squash, nutmeg, pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, for another 5 minutes.
Add the sherry to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until reduced slightly, then add enough stock to just cover the vegetables. If 3 cups isn’t sufficient, make up the difference with water.
Turn the heat up to high and bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat to keep it at a bare simmer, and simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes, or until the squash is fork-tender.
Add the milk and 2 tablespoons cream and blend until smooth, either using an immersion blender or by carefully transferring to a blender in batches.
Season to taste with salt, pepper, sherry, and sherry vinegar.
Ladle into bowls and drizzle with cream.