Everyone makes butternut squash soup, so how can we make it more interesting? The walnut pesto adds layers of flavor from herbs, funkiness from cheese, and crunch from the nuts so the one-dimensional, everybody-makes-it standby is now a lot more interesting. I use Pecorino instead of Parmesan because it is sharper (I think of it as more “sheepy”), so it stands out instead of fading into the squash, which Parmesan will do.
Ingredients
For the soup
- 6 pounds butternut squash, halved lengthwise
- 1 quart water
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons salt
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper
For the pesto
- ¼ cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
- 2 tablespoons grated pecorino cheese
- 1 tablespoon walnut oil
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
- 1 teaspoon chopped sage
- Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
How to Make It
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To make the soup
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the squash (with seeds) cut side down in a roasting pan and fill with the water. Roast until the skin is completely blistered and the squash is fork-tender, about 45 minutes. Let cool. To make the pesto
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the walnuts, cheese, walnut oil, parsley, sage, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
- Scoop the flesh and seeds from the squash and transfer them to a large bowl. Add the maple syrup, honey, butter, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice, and pepper. Working in batches, puree the mixture in a blender until smooth. Ladle into soup bowls and garnish with the pesto.