The generic recipe for winter squash soup or puree typically begins by calling for a scary amount of the squash “peeled, seeded, and cubed,” and then steamed or boiled. Have you ever tried to peel, let alone cut, even one of these hard winter squashes? There may be no easier way to cut yourself in the kitchen. And why bother boiling or steaming a vegetable, which makes it watery, when you can roast it and concentrate the flavor?

My favorite way to cook winter squash is to cut it in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds (or not they’re even easier to scoop out and discard after the squash is cooked), and bake it, cut side down, on a sheet pan in the oven. Now caramelized, it is delicious straight up. But puree it and add other ingredients and it can go anywhere.

My Gruyère pesto isn’t really a classic pesto. I added some Gruyère to the standard recipe, left out the oil, and did not puree the mixture. But whatever you call it, my “pesto” adds a nice crunch and a fresh final touch.

This is a satisfying soup that freezes well. You can concoct alternative versions of it by flavoring it with fresh ginger and lime or garnishing it with sautéed apple, crispy bacon, and Cheddar or with crumbled blue cheese and toasted walnuts.