Easy Butternut Cheddar Soup with Onion Croutons

September 21, 2015

Jill Melton

Mashed winter squash practically makes itself into soup. It just requires a little seasoning and thinning out. I’ve always loved the combination of sweet squash with salty cheddar cheese. So I diluted the squash with some chicken stock and stirred in some finely grated extra reserve Kerrygold cheddar, and milk. I made some quick croutons with leftover onion rolls. A perfect crunch to the silky soup.

You can certainly make this soup strictly with pumpkin or squash or a combination of the two, as I did. You can also use any kind of cheese, cream, or milk you have in the fridge. It’s super adaptable. But I must say, it was pretty perfect as is.–Jill Melton, Editor

Ingredients

1 butternut squash, cooked and mashed (or pumpkin)

1 1/2 cups chicken stock, heated

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 cup sour cream

1/2 cup 2% low-fat milk

3 ounces finely grated sharp cheddar cheese

salt and pepper

4 cups cubed onion rolls or other leftover rolls

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 ounce Romano cheese, grated

Preparation

In a medium saucepan, combine mashed squash and next 7 ingredients. Whisk well and heat over low heat. Blend with an immersion blender or just mash with a potato masher.
Combine cubed onion rolls, olive oil and cheese. Toss well. Place on a baking sheet and bake at 375 for 20 minutes or until crunchy and browned. Serve with soup.