Ingredients
- 1 whole head of garlic (roasted (see notes))
- 3–4 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cups leeks (thinly sliced (substitute onions if needed))
- 1 cup onion (diced)
- 4 cups butternut squash (cooked (see notes), peeled and cubed (3/4-inch) (about 1 medium squash))
- 2 granny smith apples (peeled, cored, and diced)
- 4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ginger
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- season with salt and freshly pepper to taste (about 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper)
Optional Garnish:
- Sour cream
- Pepitas/Pumpkin seeds
- green onion tops or chives
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large 8-quart saucepan. Add leeks, onions, and saute until tender (about 5 minutes). Stir in garlic, squash, apples, broth, maple syrup, and ginger. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes until the ingredients are tender.
- Use a blender (immersion or traditional) to puree the soup until nice and smooth, being careful to not burn yourself.
- Season soup with salt and pepper to taste. If desired, garnish with sour cream, roasted seeds, and green onions/chives..
Notes
We recommend organic ingredients when possible.
To roast a head of garlic, remove the outer, papery white skin from the head keeping the head/cloves intact. Trim the tip of the garlic head off, drizzle with a little oil, then wrap it in foil. Bake at 350F for one hour. Squeeze to extract garlic pulp and discard the skin. If you’re short on time, here’s a link to a quicker method to roast garlic in a microwave.
The squash can be cooked a day or two ahead of time. Cut the squash in half lengthwise and place cut side down in a baking dish. Add 1/2 inch of water and cover. Bake for 30 minutes at 350F. Squash should be cooked but not mushy.
Make sure the leeks are washed thoroughly and free of sand. A quick way to do this is to cut them in half lengthwise, then chop into 1/2-inch pieces using only the white part. Soak the pieces in a large bowl of water and swirl it around, then let the sand settle to the bottom of the bowl. Using your hands, scoop the leeks from the bowl and drain.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 20 minutes