Butternut Squash & Sweet Potato Soup

Nourishing soups are coming to the forefront of everything that I’m doing as the weather turns colder (sorta – I mean, does it ever get REALLY cold in California?).  This nourishing butternut squash and sweet potato soup is literally bursting with flavor, nutrients, vitamins, minerals, good fats, and tastes delicious. And every mama needs simple and healthy this time of year.  So I got you!

You can make this is massive batches.  You can freeze it. You can throw it over veggies.  We even throw it over pasta as a sort of “mac and cheese” which goes over pretty well if your kids haven’t ever had the boxed stuff!  If they have, then I wouldn’t go calling it mac and cheese if it were me!  

One of the things I try to do in the winter is make extra soup whenever possible.  Here’s my strategy for how to make this super simple. Whatever day you meal plan or sorta meal plan or just try to sort of have an idea for food for the week, start a batch of bone broth early in the day.  Then in the afternoon when you’re doing your planning or prep, you can make a batch of soup with a solid 8 cups of broth allowing for tons of leftovers for the week or to freeze.  Then don’t even wash the Instant Pot and get another batch going without cleaning a thing!

This past week, I did a quadruple batch of chicken noodle soup and was able to have it for lunches and leftovers while also having another round of chicken broth for other dishes.  I was still able to have that second batch of broth for when tummies were aching or we wanted egg drop soup for breakfast. Or even when I just needed a little liquid to saute my veggies in! Having that extra broth is so helpful during the week.  

The other reason I love to make this particular soup in large batches is so I can have extra for our Butternut Squash Lasagna.  That dish takes a bit more time, so to have the filling ready is so helpful!  

Let’s dive into these ingredients real quick.

The Bone Broth

I know a lot of people love butternut squash, but I thought it would be fun to chat quickly about what’s in this soup that is going to help keep your family healthy this winter.  Chicken and bone broth is absolutely full of vitamins, minerals and fats along with great collagen and good protein. Just remember that QUALITY of the bones for broth is of the utmost importance.  It’s so healthy because you are drawing everything out of the bones. That is great in a healthy animal, but if you have an animal that is toxic, you’re actually pulling those toxins out into your broth.  The marrow of the bone is where much of the toxic load can be found in our bodies, just like with animals, so do yourself a favor and spring for that truly well sourced chicken and bones

Garlic and Onion

You then have oodles of garlic and onions which have a lengthy list of health benefits.  Both of these foods from the allium family of vegetables are known to help fight off infections, fight cancer, and even keep your heart healthy!  The sulfur compounds in these vegetables are best to eat in whole foods, which means they are perfect for soups!  They create flavor and help boost the nutrition side of the soup dramatically! This is a great meal to have around when colds and flus start to circulate around the school or workplace.  And if you add extra garlic, I won’t tell!

The Sea Salt

While it’s a simple little ingredient, it’s amazing what a good quality sea salt can do.  Sea salt is known to help our body absorb minerals and keep the adrenals functioning properly.  Believe it or not (and contrary to what we would often think), good quality sea salt actually helps prevent dehydration and balances fluids in the body. And of course, I would want you to know that it helps with gut health and balancing of bacteria in the gut.  If you haven’t taken the gut health quiz yet, be sure to do that and get my PDF of what other things you can be doing to keep the oh so important tummy healthy!

The Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Soup

These vegetables, though starchy, are great sources of vitamin A, potassium, and fiber!  You’ll love the mixture of these vegetables, but if you prefer one over the other, the amounts of each are not particularly important!  Experiment with what ratios you enjoy the most and go with it.  

So now that you know that this soup is a total powerhouse when it comes to nutrition, it’s time to see how easy it is to make.  You can make this in either a pot or the Instant Pot.  Either way, you’ll want a high speed blender like the Vitamix to be sure this comes out smooth!

INGREDIENTS

• 2 Cups Cubed Sweet Potato (I leave the skins on for fiber!)
• 2 Cups Cubed Butternut Squash
• 1 Medium Onion
• 4-6 Garlic Cloves (feel free to add more!)
• 4-6 Cups Broth
• 2 Teaspoons Sea Salt
• 1 Tablespoon Organic Cold Pressed Olive Oil

Directions

1. Cube the sweet potatoes and squash into 1 inch cubes and set aside.  For easiest chopping of the butternut squash, peel the outside first and cut around the outside so you don’t have to deal with the seeds!  (video coming on Instagram for you to show you how!)
2. Chop onions and throw them in the pot with the olive oil over medium/high heat.  If using the Instant Pot, use the saute button. Keep moving the onions around until they are translucent and softening.
3. Mince or press the garlic and throw it into the pot and saute for 1-2 minutes until slightly brown.  
4. Add the salt, squash and sweet potato and add broth until *just* below the rest of the ingredients.  This may be more or less than called for in the recipe.  
5. You don’t want too much broth or it will turn out runny and not thick and hearty!
6. Bring to a low simmer and cover for 10 minutes or until squash and sweet potatoes are fork tender.  
7. CAREFULLY transfer the soup in batches to the blender and blend all ingredients until smooth.  Be sure the top is on securely with a vented lid to prevent any accidents.  
8. Return the soup back to the pot and add more sea salt to taste if needed.

**We love to eat this with green beans and toasted almonds (as pictured), but any roasted vegetable is phenomenal in this soup.  

**For a one pot meal, add additional roasted veggies and leftover or rotisserie chicken to the soup!

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