Roasted Butternut Squash Ginger Soup

Directions

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   1. Prepare and roast butternut squash: Preheat oven to 425 F. Peel, seed and cube squash. Toss cubed squash in olive oil and roast on a rimmed baking sheet until squash is soft and begins to brown, 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.
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   2. Melt butter in a stock pot on medium-low heat. Then add leek and saute until soft, 8-10 minutes. Add in garlic and stir for 1 minute. Add in spices, salt and sugar and let it cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until golden and soft.
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   3. Stir in broth and roasted squash. Let it simmer for 40-45 minutes, until squash begins to break down and the soup starts to thicken.
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   4. Puree soup using an immersion blender or in a regular blender. If using a regular blender puree in batches, filling blender less than halfway and not sealing lid completely (I usually just leave the removable part in the middle of the lid off). The heat of the soup can cause the air in a sealed blender to expand and make the lid fly off! It's happened to a friend I know and it was a pretty crazy exploding soup mess!
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   5. Salt and pepper soup to taste. If soup is too thick it can be thinned using additional broth or water.
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   6. Optional: Garnish with roasted pumpkin seeds, sour cream and parsley. Enjoy!