I've been a chef for years. Everyone needs to try my recipe for 3-ingredient butternut-squash soup.

During any season, I love making using butternut squash for a stunning side dish, a savory, sweet pasta sauce, or a fun addition to a salad. However, I think this nutrient-rich vegetable shines brightest in my butternut-squash soup.

I've perfected a fast and easy technique for making a butternut-squash soup perfect for all seasons. With this easy technique, you can even cook squash in your microwave (that's right, your microwave).

Here's my simple recipe for four to six servings of my delicious butternut-squash soup.

First, halve a medium, 2- to 3-pound butternut squash and scoop out its seeds. Wash your seeds until they're clean and set them on a paper towel to dry.

Cut each half into three sections and lay the pieces of the squash face-down on a microwave-safe plate. Add a few spoonfuls of water to the plate to ensure there's enough moisture, cover it with another microwave-safe bowl or splatter guard, and set the cooking time for five minutes.

The squash should take about 10 to 15 minutes to cook but I recommend checking on it after each five-minute interval since some microwaves are stronger than others.

Now, the real flavor-bomb component: roasting garlic in extra-virgin olive oil. While your squash is in the microwave, add eight to 12 peeled garlic cloves to a small pan and splash in enough olive oil to cover them, about 3 to 4 tablespoons.

Crank the heat up on your stove to medium — there's no need to go higher than that or you'll risk burning the oil.

Keep a close eye on the garlic, especially any smaller bulbs, making sure to flip them over so they brown on both sides. Once both sides of the garlic start browning, turn the stove off and let them sit in the hot oil so the residual heat gently toasts the bulbs.

By the 15-minute mark, you should be able to pierce the squash's bright-orange flesh with a fork.

Once the squash is cooked and has cooled, scoop the flesh out with a spoon and place it directly into your blender.

Add a 1/2-cup of water and begin to blend your squash. I like to use water to thin the soup so the clean taste of the squash and any other seasonings shine through.

Incorporate the roasted garlic cloves and a pinch of salt and blend until smooth, adding more water as necessary. If the mixture is too thick and stops blending, move the squash mixture around with a spatula to allow for water to get to the bottom.

Mix until smooth and creamy. Taste for salt and add more as necessary.

A bowl of soup wouldn't be complete without a garnish. Take those reserved butternut-squash seeds and toss them back into the garlic oil.

Turn the heat up to medium and let them cook for three to four minutes.

To serve, spoon the soup into bowls and top with garlic oil and the squash seeds. If you want to be fancy, you can even add a splash of balsamic or sherry vinegar.