Curried Butternut Squash & Apple Soup with Gruyère Sage Crouton Sticks

Curried Butternut Squash & Apple Soup with Gruyère Sage Crouton Sticks
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Curried Butternut Squash & Apple Soup with Gruyère Sage Crouton Sticks

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This is the soup that makes you actually look forward to the colder months. Butternut squash, fennel, and apple are roasted until deeply caramelised, then simmered with warming curry spices and blended into something velvety smooth and full of flavour. A touch of maple syrup and a dollop of crème fraîche round out the sweetness and heat, while golden Gruyère and sage crouton sticks — a far lighter lift than a full grilled cheese — turn the whole thing into a proper meal. Make the soup ahead and it only gets better; the croutons take just a few minutes under the broiler right before serving.

Ingredients

  • Soup

  • 2 small yellow onions, large-diced

  • 1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and large-diced

  • 1 fennel bulb, cored and large-diced

  • 1 large apple, cored and large-diced

  • 2 garlic cloves

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger

  • ¼ teaspoon ground coriander

  • ¼ teaspoon ground allspice

  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • ¼ teaspoon ground cumin

  • ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom

  • ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

  • 4 cups vegetable stock

  • Pinch red pepper flakes

  • ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric

  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup

  • Pinch freshly grated nutmeg

  • Full-fat sour cream or crème fraîche, to garnish

  • Gruyère Sage Crouton Sticks

  • 1 baguette or sourdough loaf, cut into 3-inch sticks (about 24 sticks)

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

  • 1 tablespoon fresh sage, thinly sliced

  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

  • 1 tablespoon honey

  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1½ cups Gruyère, grated

  • 1 small ripe pear, finely diced (optional)

Directions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). In a large mixing bowl, toss the onions, squash, fennel, apple, and garlic with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, the ginger, coriander, cumin, allspice, cinnamon, cardamom, salt, and black pepper until evenly coated. Spread onto a foil-lined baking sheet in a single layer and roast for 45 minutes, until fork-tender and caramelised at the edges. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.
  • While the vegetables roast, prepare the crouton sticks. Combine the softened butter, sage, and salt in a small bowl and mash together until evenly distributed. In a separate small bowl, stir together the Dijon mustard and honey. Arrange the bread sticks on a baking sheet, brush each with a little of the honey-Dijon mixture, then spread with the sage butter. Top with the grated Gruyère and scatter over the diced pear, if using. Set aside until ready to bake.
  • Heat the remaining olive oil in a medium stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Transfer the roasted vegetables to the pot, add the vegetable stock, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the red pepper flakes and turmeric, and blend until completely smooth using an immersion blender, or in batches in a stand blender. Stir in the maple syrup and nutmeg, then taste and adjust the salt and pepper as needed.
  • Just before serving, preheat the broiler. Broil the crouton sticks for 3 to 5 minutes, watching closely, until the cheese is melted and bubbling and the edges of the bread are golden.
  • Ladle the soup into bowls and finish with a dollop of sour cream or crème fraîche. Serve immediately with the crouton sticks alongside for dunking.

Notes

  • The soup can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, or frozen for up to 3 months. Reheat gently on the stovetop, thinning with a splash of stock or water if needed.
  • The crouton sticks are best made just before serving, as they lose their crispness once cooled. If you want to get ahead, assemble them up to the point of broiling and keep covered in the refrigerator for a few hours, then broil right before serving.
  • A sharp white cheddar or Comté makes a good swap for the Gruyère. If pear isn’t available, a few thin slices of apple make a fitting substitute and echo the apple already in the soup.
  • For a smoother, silkier soup, pass it through a fine-mesh sieve after blending. This is optional and purely a texture preference.