Perfect, Low Carb Butternut Squash and Apple Soup
There is something about butternut squash soup that screams of fall. The brilliant orange color, the rich creamy taste, and the amazing flavor all are comforting and filling- just what you need when the weather begins to turn cold! This is the perfect butternut squash recipe that also includes some extra flavor boosters (aka bacon and apples!) and don’t worry, it is still completely keto with only 12 grams of net carbs.
Butternut squash is at its peak at the end of the summer and beginning of fall when the orange squash is at its sweetest. While many consider butternut squash to be a vegetable, it is actually a fruit and its sweet flesh can be just as saccharine as any fruit out there. That is also why it pairs well with spices usually associated with baked goods like cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.
Regardless of if the squash is a fruit or a vegetable, it is loaded with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. In fact, one cup of butternut squash has more than 450% of the recommended daily intake of vitamin A and over 50% of your recommended vitamin C. Vitamin A is essential to regulate cell growth as well as general immune functions and your eye health. Vitamin C, on the other hand, is essential for your immune health and wound healing. Both vitamins work together as antioxidants in your body and protect your cells from damage. Sounds like you should have a second helping of this soup!
If you have ever questioned if butternut squash was keto-friendly, you are not alone. Many people may see a butternut squash nutritional breakdown and automatically rule it out on a low carb diet. However, before you write off squash, remember that the majority of carbs in butternut squash are from fiber. Fiber does not affect your blood sugar levels and is a type of carb that your body can’t digest meaning it passes right through you. Therefore, it does not really count toward your daily carb intake as your body does not absorb it. The net carbs of a butternut squash (total carbs minus the carbs from fiber) are actually pretty low, making butternut squash a delicious, keto-friendly food!
While the apples and carrots in this soup truly make it even more outstanding, you can cut back on these ingredients in order to make the soup even lower in carbs. Yet if you want the full fall-season impact of the soup, keep the carrots and apples- you will be happy you did!
| Servings: servings |
- 3 cups butternut squash chopped
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 medium apple cored and chopped
- 1 cup chopped carrots
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 3 sage leaves
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ginger
- 1/8 tsp allspice
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 cups coconut milk unsweetened
- 1 cup cooked, chopped bacon
- Peel the butternut squash and chop into cubes about one inch in size. Place the squash on a lined sheet tray and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the coconut oil. Bake in a preheated 400 degree F oven for 30 minutes. The squash will be slightly crisp and a golden brown color. Set aside once cooked.
- Add the coconut oil to a large stock pot along with the chopped onion and carrot. Heat on the stove top over medium, stirring occasionally. Cook until the onion begins to soften, about 5 minutes.
- Add the apple and cook for another minute.
- Add the vegetable broth, sage, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and allspice to the pot as well. Bring the soup to a boil and then lower the heat and cover the pot, letting the soup simmer for 45 minutes.
- Add the salt and pepper to the soup and then use a stick blender or a regular blender to puree the soup until smooth.
- Pour the soup back into the pot then stir in the coconut milk. Serve while warm with the chopped bacon as a garnish.
NUTRITIONAL DISCLAIMER
The content on this website should not be taken as medical advice and you should ALWAYS consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. We provide nutritional data for our recipes as a courtesy to our readers. We use Total Keto Diet app software to calculate the nutrition and we remove fiber and sugar alcohols, like erythritol, from the total carbohydrate count to get to the net carb count, as they do not affect your blood glucose levels. You should independently calculate nutritional information on your own and not rely on our data. The website or content herein is not intended to cure, prevent, diagnose or treat any disease. This website shall not be liable for adverse reactions or any other outcome resulting from the use of recipes or recommendations on the Website or actions you take as a result. Any action you take is strictly at your own risk.
Dr. Rosmy Barrios, MD is an aesthetic medicine specialist whose work focuses on patients who are treated for obesity, metabolic syndrome, and other weight-related issues through nutritional analysis, keto diet programs, and supporting medications.
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