Friday, November 4, 2011

Butternut Squash Soup...very tasty


For the last week, I have been searching for a butternut squash soup recipe.  I wanted something tasty, simple and simple.  I saw all kinds that were very intriguing.  Adding curry, different spices, etc.  Then this morning I woke up and told the Trout that I wanted butternut squash soup for dinner.

So, we were off to the farmer's market and there sat a very large butternut squash for $1.50.  What is not to love.  In fact, we only used about 1/2 of it for this soup.  Now I need to find something to do with the rest.

The recipe I used from Whole Foods Market was excellent.  Simple, as I wanted, but extremely tasty.  What you do not see in the picture is me dipping my warm, crusty bread into the soup and getting every last drop out of the bottom of the bowl.

Actually, as we were preparing it in the kitchen....the Trout is definitely the chopper and dicer, I started thinking that maybe this will be too bland.  Nah....not at all.  If you want a simple but great tasting soup that will be on the table with only 30 minutes of cooking.....look no further.  Enjoy.

Classic Butternut Squash Soup
  from Whole Foods Market

2 tablespoons olive oil
2/3 cups diced carrots
1/2 cup chopped celery
2/3 cups diced onion
4 cups cubed butternut squash
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
4 to 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
seat salt and ground black pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in a large soup pot.  Add carrot, celery, and onion.  Cook until the vegetables have begun to soften and the onion turns translucent, 3 to 4 minutes.  Add the butternut squash and thyme.  Stir to combine with vegetables.  Stir in chicken broth and season with salt and pepper.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until squash is fork-tender, about 30 minutes.  Use an immersion blender to puree soup.  Alternatively, carefully puree soup in batches in a traditional blender.  (CAUTION: do not put the lid on tight without leaving an opening for steam to escape)  Don't ask for reasons...just believe.

A butternut squash is difficult to prepare.  Use a carrot peeler to get the skin off the squash and go deep enough to remove all the light yellow colors.  They will be stringy otherwise.  It will not be too difficult then to cut in half, remove the seeds and then cube in uniform sizes.

By the way, the immersion blender is on my wish list!!!

17 comments:

  1. An immersion blender is on my wish list, too!

    Love butternut squash, but hate trying to cut them up! I'm going to give the peeler trick a try. Thank you!! blessings ~ tanna

    ps had a red currant and butternut squash cheesecake recently at Houston's... it was sublime. If you happen across a recipe... I'm just sayin'...

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  2. This says "fall"! I purchased several butternut squash at our last farmer's market of the fall and will be making soup very soon. I purchased an immersion blender last year and don't know how I managed so long without one!!

    Best,
    Bonnie

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  3. I love butternut squash! I was thinking about making a recipe like this for the weekend! Thanks for saving me the research time! I'm sure this is delicious and tasty! Thank you!

    Mary

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  4. Yum...it's time to start the soups and the stews up here, we have 2-3 inches of snow on the ground as of this evening...LOL! I was thinking of you and your facial expression...LOL! But it's so pretty Susan...hahahahaha!

    ;)

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  5. Kindresd spirits once again - guess what I cooked last night?

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  6. Love your version; so much simpler than mine. Gotta try this soon.
    Rita

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  7. Thought id say hello while passing your blog by, and i hope you folks have a very nice weekend. We are maybe a little past fall peek colors for taking pictures of our tree's here in central Pennsylvania, but ill try anyway to go out one last time to snap some images. Richard from the Amish community of Lebanon Pennsylvania.

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  8. I cheat by microwaving the squash for about 7 minutes before peeling and cleaning and cutting up......

    Think I pierce the skin with a knife first.

    Celeriac softens completely in about 3.5 minutes in the microwave and can then be halved and scooped out. It used to be so HORRIBLE to clean and get ready to cook.

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  9. Butternut is just the greatest of all soups. Nigel says my recipe is the best soup he has ever tasted, what a compliment :) http://www.recipe.nidi.org.uk/Butternut_Soup.htm Diane

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  10. Hate to tell you I have two immersion blenders, pity I cannot lend you the one!! Diane

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  11. I had an immersion blender for years. It has to be at least 20 years ago. It was an Italian brand and came with several different blades. Someone gave me a new one she never used, and I donated mine to church. This one isn't as good, but it gets the soup done.
    I love butternut squash soup. I use some apples in mine.
    I wonder if an electric knife would work cutting it? My friend gave me one of those I never used. I have some butternut, I will give it a try! I bought a spaghetti squash too at the farm. .49 a lb.
    Have a great Sunday!

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  12. I like the recipe, Susan. I have done several versions, the last having apples in it, but it is sweet if you like sweet. Actually, I prefer your version. And you must have an immersion blender!

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  13. Hi, Susan. I always love to come here because your food photos always look so delicious! I am going to copy your recipe and get my son to make it for me one day(he is a young chef!) -- and if you still have the other half of the butternut squash, please try cooking it this way, you and Trout will love it: cut it in small cubes, put in a roasting pan, drizzle olive oil on it, add salt and pepper. Roast at about 350 degrees (or higher if you prefer) until soft. Turn it over with a spatula a couple of times while roasting. The roasted flavor is out of this world, with the butternut squash so nice and sweet and caramelized. Easy and delicious.
    Thank you again for your sweet comment on the loss of my cat. God bless you.
    Best,
    Gloria

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  14. Anonymous10:45 AM

    Butternut squash amazes me as to how it adapts to be everything. Soup is luscious.

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  15. Gloria, took your advise and had the rest of the squash your way tonight. Delicious! Thanks for suggesting.

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  16. Love butternut squash. I made risotto with butternut and it was like eating candy! We'll be eating lots of soups this winter - we've already started. And... there's a butternut sitting on my counter :) I have an immersion blender... now where *did* I put that thing??

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