Super Bowl Eats: Spicy Roasted Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

By Danielle Rosenfeld, RD, LDN

This Super Bowl Sunday, why not kick it up a notch with a hearty butternut squash soup? It’s a great alternative to chili, loaded with nutrition and has just enough spice to get you warmed up for the big game.

Butternut squash has a sweet, nutty taste similar to that of a pumpkin and tastes awesome roasted and blended into a soup. Butternut squash contains approximately 60 calories per cup and is packed with fiber, potassium, vitamin A, and vitamin C. I like to add cannellini beans to the soup to boost the protein content and add another layer of flavor and texture.

This recipe is great because it is incredibly simple to make and incorporates a beautiful balance of flavors between the cinnamon, cumin and cayenne pepper. To make this soup even more fun, add a whole wheat grilled cheese “crouton”. See recipe below.

Spicy Roasted Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

Ingredients

• 1 lb. butternut squash, cubed
• 1 small yellow onion
• 1 small apple, peeled (I prefer honey crisp or McIntosh)
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 4 cups low sodium chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
• 1/8th tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp. ground cumin
• Fresh ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
• 1, 16 oz can white cannellini beans
• Toasted pumpkin seeds and pinch of grated Parmesan (to serve)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Cut the butternut squash, onion, and apple into 1 inch cubes. Place on a sheet pan and toss with olive oil and a pinch of freshly ground black pepper. Roast for 35-45 minutes, tossing occasionally, until very tender.
3. Meanwhile, heat the chicken stock to a simmer. When the vegetables are done, put them through a food mill or food processor to puree. Add some chicken stock, if needed.
4. Once vegetables are pureed, add to the large pot with chicken stock. Add cayenne pepper, cumin, cinnamon and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir well to combine.
5. Add 1 can of white cannellini beans to simmering pot.
6. Cook for 10 minutes and serve with 1 tsp. toasted pumpkin seeds and a pinch of grated Parmesan cheese.

Whole Wheat Grilled Cheese “Croutons”

Make a grilled cheese sandwich with two slices of “light style” whole wheat bread, one slice of American cheese and 1 tsp. Smart Balance spread to coat the pan. Cook until crisp and cheese is melted, slice into quarters and serve 1 crouton per soup bowl. Enjoy!

Penn Medicine Can Help You Lose Weight

Let Penn Medicine help you lose weight. Learn about weight-loss surgery and if weight-loss surgery at Penn is right for you at a free information session.

Register for a weight-loss surgery information session here.