Butternut Squash Soup for the soul; that’s exactly how we’ll describe this velvety, creamy, subtly sweet, and warming soup. Now that Arizona has finally, finally graced us with cooler evenings, a proper (soul-soothing) soup is in order.

And trust me, this recipe is proper comfort food. If there’s one recipe I look forward to when the hot summer months finally turn crisp, this Roasted Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Soup is it. Not to mention, seeing dusty old bins filled with creamy white butternut squash at the farmer’s market is enough to make me squeal with excitement. Eeek!

This soup takes advantage of all the seasonal goodies popping up at your local market right now; like butternut squash, sweet potatoes, apples, onions, and garlic. Even if you’ve never tried butternut squash before, or you consider these pairings odd; give this soup and try and fall in love with its soul-soothing powers. When they roast in the oven oh so nicely with coconut oil, butternut squash and sweet potatoes get all soft and caramelized and make your kitchen smell like pure bliss. Other delicious ingredients, like onions and garlic, balance the sweetness and bring another layer of delicious comforting flavors. Apple provides the most essential hint of sweetness and bite, while the cinnamon and nutmeg envelop you in warming soup happiness.

Of course, this soup has all sorts of nutritious goodies to go along with its comforting abilities. The gorgeous orange color from the squash and sweet potato is due to a high amount of beta-carotene, a carotenoid, that is converted to antioxidant powered Vitamin A in our bodies. Even better, the bioavailability of beta-carotene is increased when it’s cooked or eaten with a healthy fat, like coconut oil. Beta-carotene powered Vitamin A protects us from free radical damage and is essential for healthy vision, skin, and a properly functioning immune system to fight off germs and ick. When cold/flu season rolls around, it’s important to feed your body with plenty of Vitamin A rich foods – like hellooooo, this soul-soothing soup!

Grab your sweet potato and squash and get roasting; your soul is about to be soothed big time.

Roasted Butternut Squash & Sweet Potato Soup

Serves 4-6

1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed, and chopped*
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and chopped
1 T coconut oil
Freshly ground salt and pepper
1 T coconut oil
1 medium white onion, diced
2 gloves of garlic, chopped
1 large crisp apple (such as honeycrisp or fuji)
2 cups low sodium vegetable broth
1 cup filtered water
1 ½ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg

Preheat oven to 400° F. Drizzle 1 T coconut oil over a large baking squash and add chopped butternut squash and sweet potato. Stir to coat potato and squash with oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast squash and sweet potatoes in the oven for 35-40 minutes, stirring every 20 minutes or so. Remove from the oven and set aside.

Add 1 T coconut oil to a skillet over medium heat. Add in chopped onions and sauté for 5 minutes, until tender and fragrant. Add in garlic and cook for 2 minutes more.

Add roasted butternut squash, sweet potatoes, onion, garlic, and remaining ingredients into a Vitamix, high-speed blender, large food processor, or emersion blender and blend until smooth and creamy. If using a high-speed blender, blend soup until mixture is hot – about 5 minutes on the highest speed. If not, simply pour soup into a large pot on the stove to heat up.

Serve warm/hot and garnish with pumpkin seeds, a dollop of unsweetened coconut yogurt, walnuts, or freshly ground nutmeg if desired. Dipping sourdough bread into this soup is also too good for words.

*Use a sharp vegetable peeler to remove the skin from your squash. Once the skin is removed, you will be left with bright orange flesh. Cut the squash lengthways using a sharp knife, and scoop out the seeds. Cut into cubes and voila!