I’ve been always intimidated by butternut squashes. Maybe it’s because I didn’t grow up eating them or maybe it’s because whenever someone talked about using them in a recipe it involved long periods of roasting or baking. Either way, deciding to buy one and start a new tradition at our house was a Fall time goal.
So we purchased a butternut squash and thought that the easiest thing to do would be to make a simple squash soup that didn’t require any roasting or baking.
Here’s how:
Ingredients
◊ 1 butternut squash
◊ 2 tbsp salted butter
◊ 1 medium onion, chopped
◊ 2 cups chicken broth
◊ 1/2 cup heavy cream
◊ 1/4 tsp nutmeg
◊ 1/4 tsp cumin
◊ salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
♦ Melt butter in a medium sized pot
♦ Add chopped onion
♦ Cook for 2 minutes on medium heat, until translucent
Meanwhile,
♦ Cut the squash into two
♦ Remove the seeds by scooping them out with a spoon
Side note: Don’t throw away the seeds. Save them for later.
♦ Peel the squash using a vegetable peeler
♦ Cut the squash into 1/2 inch cubes
♦ Add the squash cubes into the pot
♦ Cover with the chicken broth
♦ Add the spices
♦ Cover and cook for 20 minutes, until the squash is tender
♦ Puree the soup using a hand blender
♦ Blend in the cream
Done!
Serve plain or top with croutons.
You can also freeze the soup! Simply omit the cream, store and freeze in containers. Add the cream before serving, once the soup is re-heated.
A little snack while waiting for the soup to cook…
Squash seeds are very nutritious (full of vitamin A and C), so instead of throwing them out why not have them as a healthy snack? Simply season and roast.
Spicy Butternut Squash Seeds
Remove the squash flesh from the seeds collected earlier.
In a bowl, add:
◊ squash seeds
◊ 1 tbsp of olive oil
◊ pinch of salt
◊ pinch of cayenne pepper
◊ pinch of paprika
◊ pinch of garlic powder
◊ pinch of onion powder
After seasoning the seeds, scatter them on a non-stick pan.
Roast the seeds under the broiler for 4-6 minutes, flipping them over once after 2-3 minutes.
Enjoy!
