A Copycat Trader Joe’s Take
Butternut squash soup is nothing novel, but here’s my take on the dish, inspired by Trader Joe’s famous butternut squash mac n cheese. I finally tried it and have to admit it was worth the hype.
Cheesy and Savory Butternut Squash
So here’s my interpretation. It’s cheesy, nutty, and savory. I don’t know about you, but I think there are way too many squash and pumpkin recipes that are an odd combination of sweet and savory — to the degree that I can’t tell what they’re supposed to be. The only sweetness in my butternut squash soup comes from the natural sweetness of the squash and maybe a little from the onions.
Cheesy Butternut Squash Soup
What if the Trader Joe’s Butternut Squash Mac N Cheese was soup? Well, now it is, or at least this is my interpretation of it. A warm cheesy savory bowl of soup for chilly fall nights — with sage, thyme, and a hint of spice.
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the oven to 400. Peel and cut butternut squash into large chunks. Toss squash with 1 tbsp of olive oil, salt, pepper, sage, and thyme on a large rimmed baking sheet. Roast in the oven until squash is easily pierced with a fork, about 20-25 minutes. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, chop the onion and smash the garlic. Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil and 1 tbsp of butter in a dutch oven or large pot on medium/low heat and add the onion, garlic, and a large pinch of salt. Saute until the onion becomes soft and translucent and just starts to caramelize, usually about 6-10 minutes depending on the size of the diced onion.
- When the onion and garlic are softened, add the 1 tbsp mustard, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp turmeric, 1/4 tsp cayenne, and freshly ground black pepper and stir to incorporate. Cook the onion and garlic with the spices until they become fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Add the chicken stock to the pot and bring soup to a simmer. If you roasted the squash with fresh sage and thyme, wait until cool enough to touch and crumble the sage leaves over the squash and strip the thyme leaves from the stems. Then add the squash to the soup.
- After the soup simmers for about 10 minutes, turn the heat down to low and blend the soup until smooth. You can use an immersion blender, or, if using a regular blender, blend the soup in batches and add the soup back to the pot when you're done blending.
- With the heat still on low, gradually add the cheddar and gouda cheese one handful at a time. Stir the soup until the cheese is fully melted after each handful. Once the cheese has been added, add salt and pepper to taste. Serve the soup in mugs or bowls and top with the parmesan cheese.
