Butternut Squash Soup

Butternut Squash Soup

Introductory Text

This is a simple soup that comes together quickly, but the squash takes a while to roast and cool. The roasting can be done a day in advance if you are pressed for time in the evenings.

Yield: 6-7 cups

Ingredients:

whole butternut squash (2-3 lbs)
4 cups GF chicken broth, divided (recommended: Kitchen Basics brand)
1 medium onion

2-4 tablespoons olive oil

white pepper

salt ground cayenne pepper

nonstick cooking spray

optional: sour cream

Other Equipment:

baking dish

immersion or stand blender

6Q pot

mesh strainer

spatula

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400ºF. Trim off the stem of the squash and carefully cut the squash in half. Scrape out the seeds and discard them. Spray the baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and fit the squash halves inside. Add two tablespoons of water to the bottom of the baking dish. Place the dish in the oven and roast until the squash is cooked, 40-50 minutes. Test for doneness by piercing a thick portion of the squash with a knife – when it is done the knife will pierce it easily. Set the squash aside and allow it to cool to room temperature, which will take about an hour. Any liquid in the bottom of the baking dish can be discarded.

Once the squash is cool, use a spoon to scoop the flesh out of the skin. Set the flesh aside and discard the skin. Chop the onion into a medium dice. Coat the bottom of the 6Q pot with olive oil, and warm over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook until the onion begins to brown, 10-12 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and add the squash and 3 cups of the chicken broth. Puree with an immersion blender or stand blender. If using a stand blender, make sure to follow safety procedures for warm liquids- do not fill the blender more than halfway and make sure to remove the vent hole in the lid. Puree until the soup is mostly smooth.

Set the mesh strainer over a large bowl, or the same 6Q pot, and fill the strainer halfway with soup. Use a rubber spatula to force the soup through the strainer. Continue until all the soup has been strained. There should only be 1/4 – 1/2 cup of fibrous material that cannot be forced through the strainer.

Add additional broth to the soup to make it the desired thickness. Season with salt, white pepper and ground cayenne pepper- start with 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon white pepper, and a dash of cayenne pepper, and add more to taste. Heat before serving. Optional: serve with a dollop of sour cream.

Easy to print recipe:

Butternut squash

Yield: 6 – 7 cups

Ingredients:

whole butternut squash (2-3 lbs)
4 cups GF chicken broth, divided (recommended: Kitchen Basics brand)
1 medium onion

2-4 tablespoons olive oil

white pepper

salt ground cayenne pepper

nonstick cooking spray

optional: sour cream

Other Equipment:

baking dish

immersion or stand blender

6Q pot

mesh strainer

spatula

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400ºF. Trim off the stem of the squash and carefully cut the squash in half. Scrape out the seeds and discard them. Spray the baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and fit the squash halves inside. Add two tablespoons of water to the bottom of the baking dish. Place the dish in the oven and roast until the squash is cooked, 40-50 minutes. Test for doneness by piercing a thick portion of the squash with a knife – when it is done the knife will pierce it easily. Set the squash aside and allow it to cool to room temperature, which will take about an hour. Any liquid in the bottom of the baking dish can be discarded.

Once the squash is cool, use a spoon to scoop the flesh out of the skin. Set the flesh aside and discard the skin. Chop the onion into a medium dice. Coat the bottom of the 6Q pot with olive oil, and warm over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook until the onion begins to brown, 10-12 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and add the squash and 3 cups of the chicken broth. Puree with an immersion blender or stand blender. If using a stand blender, make sure to follow safety procedures for warm liquids- do not fill the blender more than halfway and make sure to remove the vent hole in the lid. Puree until the soup is mostly smooth.

Set the mesh strainer over a large bowl, or the same 6Q pot, and fill the strainer halfway with soup. Use a rubber spatula to force the soup through the strainer. Continue until all the soup has been strained. There should only be 1/4 – 1/2 cup of fibrous material that cannot be forced through the strainer.

Add additional broth to the soup to make it the desired thickness. Season with salt, white pepper and ground cayenne pepper- start with 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon white pepper, and a dash of cayenne pepper, and add more to taste. Heat before serving. Optional: serve with a dollop of sour cream.