Even Better Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Just over a year ago, I posted my first attempt at butternut squash soup. It was really good and got rave reviews. This time it's better, I promise.

It's a little bit time-intensive, but it is totally worth it in the end. It honestly tastes like it just came out of an expensive restaurant.

The credit for this recipe belongs to someone else, you can find the original recipe here. I changed some of the quantities to add more flavor.

INGREDIENTS:

1 (3 pound) butternut squash - peeled, seeded, and cubed

1 tablespoon olive oil

salt and ground black pepper to taste

8 strips bacon, chopped

1 large onion, chopped

6 stalks celery, chopped

6 carrots, chopped

2 bay leaf

4 teaspoons curry powder

2 teaspoon dried thyme

salt and ground black pepper to taste

1 apple - peeled, cored, and cubed (I used a Tango apple)

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups apple cider

1 1/2 quarts chicken stock

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)

Directions

Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Place squash in a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil; mix to coat; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spread squash into a single layer on a baking pan. Roast the squash in the preheated oven, turning once, until fork-tender and caramelized; 30 to 40 minutes.

Place the bacon in a Dutch oven and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Remove the bacon slices to a paper towel-lined plate, reserving the drippings in the pan.

Place the onion, celery, carrot, bay leaf, curry powder, thyme, and salt and pepper in the Dutch oven; cook in reserved bacon drippings until the carrots and celery are soft. Mix in the apples and cooked squash and cook another 5 minutes. Stir the garlic into the mixture and cook another 1 minute. Pour the apple cider over the mixture; reduce heat to medium-low and bring to a simmer; allow to reduce to about half its original volume. Stir in the chicken stock; simmer over medium-low heat for about 20 minutes.

Puree the soup in small batches in a blender, or use an immersion blender. If using a blender, don't fill the blender more than half-way. Always remove the center lid piece of a stand blender when blending hot liquids so the steam can escape. Cover the hole with a dish towel while blending. Stir the nutmeg into the soup. Garnish each bowl with some of the bacon pieces to serve.