Butternut Squash Soup

This soup came together easily and very quickly, on a Tuesday afternoon after a long day at work.

I had purchased a Butternut Squash at Trader Joe’s with zero plans for it. It’s the season, it was pretty and I just had to have it. Similar story to a lot of the items I pick up at grocery stores lately. Naturally, this squash was sitting on my counter for about a week. I got home and needed a quick meal, so I decided it would be a soup kinda day. It took less than 30 minutes, and it turned into the best Butternut Squash Soup I have ever tasted.

Do you like Butternut Squash?

My husband enjoyed it just as much as I did, and we both ate it for lunch a couple of days later too. It reheated really well in my to go soup containers. I was really proud of what I created from scratch in less than 30 minutes!
This was my first go at Butternut Squash Soup so I just scanned my fridge for other veggies to pair with it. I ended up using carrots, celery, onions, red peppers and garlic. What a nice combination these all made, especially the addition of the red peppers.

I do wish that peeling and chopping a Butternut Squash would be a little easier.

Cutting yourself is not an option, friends. I certainly did not like getting a nice bloody gash on my thumb. Sorry for the gross thoughts. But, I recommend using a vegetable peeler for this. It saves a lot of the flesh (no pun intended) and it is much safer for those fingers than a sharp knife. Use the knife to chop the squash though, into chunks.
I have a wonderful Calphalon Dutch Oven that I use for most of my cooking. It works perfectly and I love the fact that I can throw it in the oven after starting the cooking process on the stove. I have the 8 quart pot. It is great for sauteing and scrapping up those bits in the bottom of the pan. It’s also great for soups and large recipes, like stews too. This is a heavy duty pan. I’ve had it for nearly 8 years and looks indestructible. It is the best!

Next, after everything cooked for a bit, it was time to puree the chunky mix of veggies and broth. I used my blender to get the job done!

Please be extra careful with doing this step as the contents are very hot. Make sure the lid is on securely and that there is a little venting going on while you are blending the hot mixture. I used my Ninja for this and it worked great.

I poured the pureed contents into a clean pot and added the heavy cream. If you have the time, bring it to a simmer. If you don’t, just give it a good mix and the soup is ready to be served.
For added texture and seasonal flare, I served the soup with candied walnuts and burrata cheese. I sure love my burrata. My husband, not so much. Burrata is a mozzarella shell filled with cream. Here’s a great article about Burrata and Mozzarella from The Kitchn website. That’s if you need a little reader on the subject. Give it a try and see if you like it.

As for the walnuts, they are a great and sweet addition to this creamy soup. Toss them in a little honey and toast them slightly on the stove top.

This is a great recipe to serve for a dinner party as a little teaser, in small ramekins. It’s a beautiful start to a nice meal and . Make it for your Thanksgiving feast this year. The color alone is so festive and gorgeous.
Make it vegan or vegetarian by substituting the chicken broth with vegetable broth and the heavy cream with coconut milk. Don’t be afraid to switch up the ingredients to what works best for you and your lifestyle. After all, cooking can get boring without a little experimentation. Trust me, I experiment a lot and that is how I learn.
Pin this recipe and start cooking. Need more soups in your life? Check out some of my soup recipes HERE.

Here’s the recipe for this beautiful and satisfying Butternut Squash Soup:

5 from 1 vote

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Butternut Squash Soup

The perfect hearty Butternut Squash Soup to warm your belly this fall and winter season. Turmeric, cinnamon, and chipotle chili make a killer combo.

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 6

Author Hannah Hiller

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 Small Onion Chopped
• 1 Small/Medium Butternut Squash Chopped
• 1/2 Medium Red Pepper Chopped or 1 small
• 2 Medium Carrots Sliced thick
• 2 Celery Stalks Chopped
• 1 Medium Garlic Clove Minced
• 1 Tsp Salt
• 1/4 Tsp Chipote Chili Pepper Powder
• 1/4 Tsp Cinnamon
• 1/8 Tsp Turmeric
• 1/8 Tsp All Spice
• 1/8 Tsp Black Pepper
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 32 Oz Chicken Broth Organic- Low Sodium
• 1/3 cup Heavy Cream
• 1 Cup Walnuts
• 1 Tbsp Honey

Instructions

1. In a dutch oven on medium, heat the olive oil.
2. Add the chopped veggies to the pan. Onion, squash, red pepper, carrots, and celery. Cook for 5-7 minutes.
3. Add the garlic, mix and cook for about a minute, until fragrant.
4. Next, add the seasonings: Salt, Chipotle Chili Pepper, cinnamon, turmeric, all spice, black pepper and bay leaf. Mix in.
5. Pour the chicken broth over the sauteed vegetables and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Or until the squash is fork tender.
6. Remove the bay leaf and toss before blending the mixture.
7. Use a blender or a food processor to puree the mixture. Be careful as the contents are very hot.
8. Pour the puree into another pan and add the heavy cream . Mix and serve with walnuts, burrata and a sprinkle of fresh parsley (optional).
9. WALNUTS: Place the walnuts in a small sautee pan and add the honey. On low heat, toss the walnuts until they are all covered with honey. About 3 minutes.

Recipe Notes

Recipe developed and tested by Hannah of Detroit Is For Foodies