Roasting the vegetables before combining them makes a rich, delicious fall soup.
Butternut squash has a sweet, nutty flavor, although acorn, honeynut, or kabocha squash can be used instead.
– 1 butternut squash (about 2½ pounds), peeled, seeded and cubed (1-inch; about 6 cups) – 1 sweet onion, cut into 1-inch wedges (about 1¾ cups) – 1 Honeycrisp apple, peeled, cored and coarsely chopped (about 1¼ cups) – ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil –
– 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, plus more for garnish – ½ teaspoon plus ⅛ teaspoon salt – ¼ teaspoon ground pepper, plus more for garnish – 3 cups lower-sodium vegetable broth or no-chicken broth – 1 cup heavy cream
Start with a 425°F oven. Spread squash, onion, apple, ¼ cup oil, 2 tablespoons thyme, ½ teaspoon plus ⅛ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in a single layer on a wide rimmed baking sheet.
Roast the squash and onion for 35–40 minutes, turning once, until soft and golden brown.
Blend the squash and pan drippings with 3 cups broth and 1 cup cream. Cover blender; remove centre piece to release steam.
Cover the hole with a clean cloth. For 1 minute, process until smooth. If preferred, add thyme and pepper.