There is a subset of my friends who think I’m completely mad. Cooking for fun? Cooking AT ALL? Why?? — when there’s a deli at the local market? Or Lean Cuisine? Or takeout? Or better yet, bat your eyelashes and get some cute guy to take you out to dinner. As in – “what’s wrong with you, Lisa?” And then to obsessively take pictures of the food and write about it? Clearly, I have mental issues, right?
As if to underscore my compulsion, I’m highlighting this Apple Butternut Bisque. What, you don’t get the tie-in?
Well, it started because I was peeking back through some of my older posts (before I understood lighting and had a big, bad DSLR) and I came across the saddest photo. One for oven-roasted butternut squash .
I remember the dish. Scott and I went through a time when it was on the menu every week. The recipe is really good, but the photo was such a bomb. I thought, I can do better! (OCD-Me!)
So I re-made the recipe — and RESHOT it and swapped out the old pictures for the new in the post. I even made a new Pinterest pin and shared it on Facebook — it was such an improvement.
And it gave me a springboard for this new soup. Apple Butternut Bisque.
I know that butternut squash soups ABOUND on the internet and especially in the food blogging world. So you may be thinking, what’s so special about this one? It’s the apple. But not just the apple. The apple flavor! And here’s where it gets special — Calvados.
Calvados is a French apple liquor — and it’s VERY APPLE-Y! At the last minute, stir it into the pot along with a little cream – and voila! It’s like no butternut soup you’ve ever tasted!
Impressive enough for company, easy enough for a weeknight dinner along with a wedge of cornbread. And it makes a ton — so even if you’re not feeding a crowd, you can bring it for lunch or freeze some for later. Friends, I may be mad, but I’m well fed!
Apple & Butternut Bisque
Ingredients
- 1 recipe Butternut Squash Oven-Roasted (from this site - but skip the garlic addition)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 large apples preferably Macintosh, peeled, seeded and diced
- 1 large onion diced
- 2 large carrots peeled and diced
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg freshly grated
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup Calvados or other apple brandy
Instructions
- In a large dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add the diced apple, onion, carrots and kosher salt. Saute until softened and onions are slightly translucent (do not brown, adjust heat lower if vegetables start to take on color). Add the cinnamon and nutmeg and cook for an additional minute or so until very fragrant.
- Add the roasted squash and chicken broth. Heat just to boiling, then reduce heat to low and cover with the lid slightly askew. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- Working in batches transfer the mixture to a blender and puree until smooth. If soup is too thick, add additional broth about half a cup at a time. Return the soup to the dutch oven, and add the cream and Calvados. Heat the soup over medium heat, stirring occasionally until it's hot. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve.
Nutrition
More Silky Soups:
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- Curried Carrot and Parsnip Soup
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- Creamy Mushroom Bisque
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- Creamy Asparagus Sunchoke Soup
Thank you so much for this great recipe. I have made it several times now and shared with many. A couple questions: is it chicken broth, or vegetable broth? The list of ingredients says vegetable, and the instructions say chicken. Also can you do this in a slow cooker, or is it better on stove top? Thank you again, and happy Thanksgiving!
Yes, you can do this in the slow cooker. I would go for 2-3 hours on high or 6 on low, until the apples and vegetables are tender, then puree and add the Calvados and cream. You can use either vegetable or chicken broth for this recipe. I’ve done both and it’s been great!
I just made your bisque…help! I followed the recipe but all I can taste is the onion. Any suggestions on how I can make it better?
Thank you so much!
Thanks for your comment. I’m not sure why the onion would be so prominent unless it’s not cooked completely. Onion should be tender and almost translucent when it’s done. What type of onion did you use and how large was it?
In order to mitigate the onion flavor, I would probably add another cup or two of cooked butternut squash and perhaps some more cooked apple (or a cup of applesauce) and re-blend the soup til smooth. If it needs a bit more liquid, add broth about 1/2 cup at a time until you get to the consistency you want.
I have a habit of never following a recipe exactly, so I added sweet potato to this one, along with a dash of garlic, pepper, and other seasonings. Turned out awesome! Thank you so much for posting.
I am I skeptic when it comes to online recipes. I stumbled across your recipe for this bisque while looking for something new to try with my butternut squash. I must say this is the best butternut soup I have ever tasted!! I did not add the apple brandy as I don’t keep liquor in the house and the taste was still amazing. Definitely adding this as the soup course for Thanksgiving!
Today, I will be trying your Tuna Casserole!
I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Karen. Butternut soup is one that my daughter always requests, I’m so happy that you liked it too! I wish you a Happy Thanksgiving!
Your photos look so amazing!!! I love a good vegetable soup – and all my favorite fall flavors are in this one. Can’t wait to try it!! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Thank you, Fiona!
Lisa, you sure know how to put flavors together for a great outcome. This sounds and looks perfect. I really appreciate all the thought & effort that you put into your posts. : )
That’s very kind of you — I’m glad you like the soup — we enjoyed it here too — and it’s pretty simple to make!
Your photos are gorgeous, and this soup looks amazing!
Glad you like Michelle!
The soup just looks so creamy and delicious! Love the combination.
This sounds amazing Lisa! Need to try this combination 🙂
The color of the bisque is so beautiful!
Thank you Megha!
This soup looks amazing! Definitely need to try this!
Thanks, Katrina! Let me know how you like it!
OMG!!! I love this. Your photos are gorgeous and now I must have that wood bowl. I’m going to be making this for sure this weekend. Yessss!
Wood bowl is from Crate and Barrel! Let me know how you like the soup!
Great images! Absolutely love this recipe will be trying it out soon
Thank you, I really appreciate that! Hope you enjoy the soup!
Oh Lisa, what GORGEOUS pictures! I seriously can’t take my eyes off that golden perfection!
Wow, this soup looks so amazingly rich and creamy. I love the combination of butternut squash and apple. I’m sure the apple brandy takes this recipe over the top. I can’t wait to try it!
The Calvados really intensifies the apple flavor (which I love)!
Fall is all about apple, pumpkin, butternut squash, soups recipe!! This soup looks amazing!!
Thank you Ludmilla!
I have seriously been craving all sorts of stew and soup lately and this recipe looks like one I need! So flavorful! And we love anything with squash. I can’t wait to try this one. 🙂