Best Butternut Squash Soup

By: Red Hot Mamas

Published: September 29, 2014

Best Butternut Squash Soup

Total prep time: 30-40 minutes

Total cooking time start-to-finish: ~ 1.5 hours

Contributed by: Dr. Goodman

Ingredients:

You can make this recipe as big or small as you wish, depending on the # and sizes of the squash.

Dr. Goodman’s suggestion is if you’re going to make it, it is little additional work to make a lot!
This soup keeps in the refrigerator for a week and freezes quite well.

This recipe takes 2 large, or 3 medium squash, and makes ~ 8-10 servings, but you can make it bigger to freeze, etc….

• 2 large or 3 medium-sized butternut squash
• 3-5 shallots, or 2 medium sized onions or combination
• Enough oil (~3 tbsp.) to sauté shallots/onions
• Butter and light cooking oil (walnut is nice, but canola or safflower may be substituted), enough to brush on the squashes while par-baking
• Spices: salt, pepper, fresh grated or ground nutmeg, yellow curry powder (may substitute turmeric), Chinese 5-spice is nice if you have it, cinnamon if want that flavor. Vanilla extract is a nice touch.
• Ras el Hanout Moroccan Spice Blend is a wonderful blend for this soup. In fact, you can do this recipe with this alone, but be inventive! It’s fun to ‘mix-n-match’.
• 2% low-fat milk (can substitute 1%, or whole milk)
• Non-dairy creamer (like vanilla, caramel, hazelnut, etc.: your choice)
• Chicken broth ~ 2-3 cups

Cooking tools:

• Baking dish sufficient to hold “cut-in-half” squash segments for the initial baking
• Stock pot or large pot enough to accommodate ~ 1.5 gallon liquid
• Large spoon to scoop out squash. Ice cream scooper works great here.
• Blender (can use a food processor, but blender is easier, pours better)
• (Storage containers for leftovers)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375
2. Cut squashes in half lengthwise. One good way is to start by inserting the blade of a large sturdy chef’s knife, cook’s knife or cleaver horizontally, bisecting the squash starting at the stem end and advancing the knife downwards to the base.
   Hint: a hammer can be utilized to lightly tap the back of the sharp end while holding the handle as you slice down.
3. Set the squash in baking dishes, cut side up, with an inch of water in each dish. Brush a mixture of ~ ½ cup butter/oil (I use 75% oil; 25% melted butter) whisked with spices (I’d recommend the Moroccan spice mix (1 tsp) & 1 tsp curry here) onto the edges and inside the squashes. Put into oven to bake ~ 1 hour @ 375.
4. Put stockpot on low heat, add ~3 Tbsp. oil, dice shallots and/or onions, put into oil, add ~ ¼ tsp pepper and ~ 1 tsp yellow curry or turmeric and gently sauté until soft and glistening & set aside.
5. When Squash is fully cooked, allow to cool for 10 min and scoop out (be aggressive), place into stockpot and add 2-3 cups of chicken broth (depends on how thick you want it…) and ~ ½ tsp ground nutmeg and ~ ½ tsp vanilla extract and an additional ~ ½-1 tsp Moroccan Spice Blend (or curry & Chinese 5-spice…). Cook medium heat ~ 10 minutes until squash is soft, unless it’s soft enough from the bake.
6. Put the squash mixture into a blender (you’ll need to do this in batches) and BLEND ~ half-minute until smooth. You’ll need an extra pot or large storage container to hold the pureed mixture until you’re all done & can transfer it back into the stockpot…)
7. Put back into stock pot. Add ~ 1-2 cups milk and ~ ½ cup creamer to taste. (The creamer and the Moroccan Spice Bled are the ‘secret ingredients’.)
8. Adjust seasoning as you wish.
9. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and fresh ground nutmeg if you have it, or ground nutmeg, a sprig of parsley, etc.

Note: This is a sweet ‘n savory recipe. To make it less sweet, cut down on the creamer.

Enjoy your Butternut Squash Soup!