Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Sage Brown Butter

Method

1. Roast the squash. Heat the oven to 425°F. Toss the squash with 1 tbsp olive oil and 1/2 tsp salt on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast 35–40 minutes, flipping once, until soft and browned at the edges.
2. Build the base. While the squash roasts, warm the remaining oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and apple with 1/2 tsp salt; cook 8 minutes until soft and golden. Stir in the garlic and ginger for 1 minute.
3. Simmer. Add the roasted squash and stock. Bring to a simmer and cook 10 minutes so the flavors come together.
4. Blend. Purée with an immersion blender until completely smooth, or blend in batches in a countertop blender with the lid vented. Stir in the half-and-half. Season with salt and pepper; thin with stock if needed.
5. Make the sage butter. Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the sage leaves and cook, swirling, 2–3 minutes until the butter smells nutty and the leaves are crisp. Transfer the leaves to a paper towel and sprinkle with flaky salt.
6. Serve. Ladle the soup into bowls, drizzle each with brown butter, and top with a few crisp sage leaves.