There is nothing more satisfying than curling up on the couch to enjoy a seasonal, hearty and nourishing bowl of pureed soup. Inspired by Vogue’s latest article on Shopping the Fall Farmers’ Market, I thought the rest of you might be interested to read about what I like to make every Sunday – a seasonal pureed soup. Shopping seasonally is really important. You get the freshest ingredients, the taste is better and it’s healthier. Do you ever wonder why when you travel to Italy and you eat everything in site, you return home without a pound of weight gain? It’s partially because Italians eat seasonally. I love making roasted soups because there is so much flavor and nutrition, plus they are easily digested. This is what I made last week, and it’s basically the best thing ever.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

Ingredients

For the soup:
4 pounds butternut squash, peeled and seeded
2 yellow onions
2 Macintosh apples, peeled and cored (if you like something sweet try Fiji Apples)
3 tablespoons(ish) good olive oil (you can be generous since there is no cream or butter)
4 cups vegetable stock
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the condiments:
Roasted salted pumpkin seeds, toasted and chopped
Chives, chopped
Scallions, white and green parts, trimmed and sliced diagonally
Flaked sweetened coconut, lightly toasted

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut the butternut squash, onions and apples in 1-inch cubes. Place them on a sheet pan and toss with the olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Divide the squash mixture between 2 sheet pans and spread it across each to make a thin layer. Roast for 45 minutes, until very tender. Really roast them. It’s all about the slow roast here.

Meanwhile, heat the vegetable stock to a simmer. When the vegetables are done, place them in batches in a Vitamix. Add some of the veggie stock and coarsely puree. When all of the vegetables are processed, place them in a large pot and add enough vegetable stock to make a thick soup. Add salt and pepper for taste. Give it a good taste test to be sure there’s enough salt and pepper to bring out the flavor. Reheat and serve hot with condiments.

This was adapted from Ina Garten’s Roasted Butternut Squash Soup from her book Back to Basics.