The Simple Trick for the Best Butternut Squash Soup

Gourd season might be my favorite time of the year. I love decorating my porch with all sorts of oddly shaped gourds (cornucopia optional) as well as funky pumpkins (the wartier, the better). But my favorite gourds of all are the edible kind: winter squash.

From nutty and earthy acorn squash to tender and sweet delicata squash, there are a variety of tasty applications that highlight the flavors of storage-friendly winter squash. If I was forced to choose a favorite winter squash, it would have to be butternut, thanks to its vibrantly-hued orange flesh and its sweet and nutty flavor. Although there are plenty of delicious ways to cook this variety, I find that nothing beats a warm bowl of butternut squash soup on a chilly day.

And to bring the vibrant soup even further into fall territory, I love adding maple syrup. Of course I’m talking about the 100-percent-pure maple syrup, not “pancake syrup.” (Since I live in Northern Wisconsin, here’s where I get to humblebrag and say we tap our maple trees in the early spring to make our own syrup, but as Ina would say, “store-bought is fine.”) Pure maple syrup has a distinctly caramel, toffee, and sometimes smokey flavor depending on how it’s made, and adding it to butternut squash soup enhances the vegetable's natural sweetness.

How to Add Maple Syrup to Butternut Squash Soup

There are a few options for adding maple syrup to butternut squash soup.

The method I use most often is to start by roasting the squash in the oven. After brushing the squash halves with olive oil, I drizzle on one to two tablespoons of maple syrup. (You can toss cubed butternut squash with maple syrup before roasting, too.) Adding the maple syrup pre-bake enhances the caramel flavors of the syrup and deepens the flavor of the squash.

Other avenues include simply stirring in a few teaspoons of maple syrup when blending the soup, or drizzling a little over each bowl of soup before serving.

To prevent the soup from becoming too sweet, I like to add savory notes by incorporating minced shallot, garlic, and sage, and season generously with salt and pepper. A sprinkle of nutmeg or cinnamon also pairs well with these flavors, guaranteeing a simple soup that's perfect for a cozy night in.