Slow Cooked Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

I saw an inspiring recipe for Butternut Squash soup in a cookbook called The Italian Slow Cooker.  I wanted to enhance the squash by roasting before slow cooking, similar to my Roasted Pumpkin Soup. This one serves 6 and can be easily doubled for 12.

1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, unpeeled
1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded & cut into 2-inch chunks
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 tsp dried sage, or 3 fresh leaves
4 cups chicken broth
salt & pepper, or Goya Adobo to taste

Peel butternut squash and remove seeds.  With a sharp knife, carefully cut into sections to make 2-inch cube of uniform size. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Coarsely chop onions. Peel potatoes and cut into 1-inch cubes.

On a foil-lined baking tray(s), place the butternut squash, potatoes, onions and unpeeled garlic cloves.  If using two trays, place onions and garlic cloves on one tray, separated from squash & potatoes.  Drizzle extra virgin olive oil on all vegetables and mix with hands, coating well.  Place trays in oven.

Roast onions and garlic for 20 minutes then let cool.  Let butternut squash and potatoes roast for an extra 20 more minutes.  Unpeel garlic cloves and chop into a few coarse pieces.  Add onions and garlic to slow cooker insert.

Add roasted butternut squash and potatoes on top of onions and garlic.  Add sage to mix, crushing between fingers if using dried.  Pour in chicken broth and season with salt & pepper (or use Goya adobo).

Cook on low for 4 hours.  Let cool slightly, then puree mix in blender.  Serve hot with a little sour cream or a drizzle of olive oil.