Spicy Butternut Squash Soup

Butternut squash and I are not friends.

We have tried to make it work, but it just isn’t happening.

Three years ago, I bought a beautiful butternut squash and ended up cutting myself with a knife as I tried to peel it (epic fail).

Two years ago, I bought a beautiful butternut squash and ended up hurting myself with a vegetable peeler as I tried to peel it (again, epic fail).

One year ago, I stared at the beautiful butternut squashes at the farmer’s market and decided that it was safer that I avoided them all together (*sob*).

BUT, this year my mom decided that it was time to get back on the horse and try making butternut squash again. So I let her do the peeling!

I love roasted butternut squash by itself and in many different dishes, but I think my favorite butternut squash recipe is a beautifully simple butternut squash soup. No muss, no fuss, and it’s absolutely delicious.

It starts with butternut squash.

This is one medium-sized butternut squash that my mom peeled and I chopped into about 1-inch cubes. With the squash all prepped, you can move forward with the soup.

In a large, heavy soup pot set over medium heat, add in some butter.

And then toss in some chopped onion and cook until the onion becomes soft and translucent.

Now, it’s time to throw in the squash. Toss it around in the butter and onions to get everything combined.

To pump up the orange color and add a touch of sweetness, we added in some carrot. This is one soup that is loaded with vitamin A (which is important for healthy skin and eyes!).

Then all that’s left is to add in some chicken broth and water, bring the soup to a boil, and then simmer it for about 30 minutes until the squash becomes fork tender.

Now comes the slightly dangerous part – the pureeing of the soup. If you have an immersion blender, I am super jealous. You can puree the soup right in the pot and be done with it. If you don’t, grab your blender or your food processor. Working in small batches (either filling only half the blender or filling to only the max liquid line of a food processor), puree the soup until smooth. I transferred the pureed soup to a big bowl so that I could reuse my soup pot – it made it a little easier!

Pour the pureed soup back into the pot and then season with salt, pepper, a touch of nutmeg, and the one surprise ingredient – cayenne pepper! It doesn’t overpower the flavor of the squash, but it adds another dimension to the soup.

All that’s left is to heat the soup through and then serve it up.

We garnished out soup with some diced apple and a sprinkle of nutmeg, but if you want to be really bold, add in a sprinkle of cayenne too!

A perfect soup for a chilly fall day.

(And a hopeful future for a friendship between butternut squash and I!)

Happy Tuesday, kiddos!

oxox,

The Girl Who Is Frenemies with Butternut Squash

Spicy Butternut Squash Soup

 

Save Print

Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

45 mins

Total time

1 hour 5 mins

 

Simply A (RD) Fact: Butternut squash is a great source of vitamin A, which is important for eye health. Added bonus? Butternut squash becomes perfectly smooth and creamy when blended, which means that you don't need to add any cream to the soup (saving calories!).

Serves: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 medium-sized butternut squash, cut into 1-inch chunks (about 4 cup of squash)
• 1 cup carrots, chopped
• 3 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup water
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper – use less if you’re more sensitive to heat
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. In a large, heavy-bottom soup pot set over medium heat, melt the butter. When the butter is melted, add in the onion and cook until they become soft and translucent, about 2-3 minutes.
2. Add in the butternut squash and the carrots and stir to mix all the vegetables together. Pour the chicken broth and water over the vegetables and bring the mixture to a boil. When the liquid is boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for about 30 minutes or until the squash is fork-tender.
3. To puree the soup, use an immersion blender, conventional blender, or a food processor. If you are using an immersion blender, you can blend directly in the soup pot.
4. If you are using a conventional blender, fill only halfway, slightly crack the lid (to prevent the top from blowing off), and then cover the lid with a towel before blending. If you are using a food processor, only fill to the max liquid line. Working in batches, puree the soup and then pour into another soup pot.
5. Return the soup to medium heat and stir in the nutmeg, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.
6. Serve immediately with a fresh chopped apple garnish and an additional sprinkle of nutmeg.
7. Enjoy!

Notes

Recipe lightly adapted from Simply Recipes: http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/butternut_squash_apple_soup/.

Nutrition Information

Serving size: 1 serving Calories: 168 calories Fat: 7gm Saturated fat: 4gm Carbohydrates: 24gm Sodium: 322mg Fiber: 4gm Protein: 6gm Cholesterol: 84mg

3.5.3208