Curried Butternut Squash Soup

My wonderful wonderful mother-in-law shared this recipe for Curried Butternut Squash Soup. It's velvety and rich with just a hint of heat from the curry. With squash, apples, celery, and onion, it is chalked full of things that are good for you. We enjoyed this soup with beer bread and found that the soup was even more delicious sopped up in a big soft piece of bread. Beer bread + thick, rich soup = heaven! So comforting and warming --perfect for those of you who are snowed in right now during the "snowpocalypse". Meanwhile, here in Virginia it was sunny and 70 degrees tonight, not exactly soup weather! And yes, I am bragging! :)

Curried Butternut Squash Soup
Serves 10 (next time I will halve the recipe)
Printable Version


Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into chunks
1 yellow onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
3 apples, peeled and chopped
2 quarts of vegetable or chicken stock
2 tablespoons curry powder
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon white pepper
3 tablespoons softened butter
3 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup heavy cream (I used fat free half&half and it made no difference on the taste)


Directions
In a soup pot or Dutch oven drizzle olive oil and add celery and onion. Cook the vegetables until softened but do no allow to brown.

 Add squash, stock, apples, and seasonings. 

Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a low boil. Cook until the squash is very soft. If you have a hand blender, puree the vegetables until thick and smooth. If not, strain the liquid and reserve. Then puree the chunks with some of the soup liquid until thick and smooth. Return to pot and bring to a boil. Mix the butter and the flour together in a small bowl with a whisk. Turn down the heat and add mixture into the soup. Bring the soup back to a boil. Add cream and taste for additional salt and pepper. Serve with a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt. 

Butternut Squash Soup

Butternut squash is one of my favorite vegetables. I like to roast them in a pan and eat them with butter, salt, and pepper. Delicious! I decided to make soup because due to the lovely Nor'easter, the weather down here in Virginia has been nasty and cold - soup weather!!

This recipe is Martha Stewart's. It's simple, easy, and requires very few ingredients. I'm no Martha, but I can make her soup and it's really great!! The onion taste is strong, it's a nice consistency, and best of all, its a comforting, belly warming soup.

Martha Stewart's Pureed Butternut Squash Soup


Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, coarsely chopped
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
3 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 to 3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice















Directions:

In a large Dutch oven or pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion. Season with salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes.
Add squash, broth, and enough water (4 to 5 cups) to cover. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium, and simmer until squash is tender, about 20 minutes.
Using a blender or an immersion blender, puree broth and vegetables until smooth. If using a blender, work in batches and fill only halfway, allowing heat to escape: Remove cap from hole in lid, cover lid firmly with a dish towel, and blend. Transfer to a clean pot as you work. Adjust soups consistency with a little water if necessary. Season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice.

Note: I added about 1/2 a cup of fat free half and half to make the soup a little creamier. I also garnished it with a dollop of soup cream. If you like your squash sweeter, I recommend adding brown sugar to taste.