Description
Silky butternut squash soup combines roasted autumn vegetables with rich, warming spices from Mediterranean kitchens. Creamy comfort awaits in each spoonful, inviting you to savor seasonal warmth and nourishing ingredients.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 lbs (1.36 kg) butternut squash, peeled and chopped (seeds removed)
- 4 cups (946 ml) chicken stock
- 1 large onion, chopped (white or yellow)
- 1 large bell pepper, chopped
- 1 stalk celery, chopped
- 5 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 tbsps (30 ml) olive oil
- 2 tbsps paprika (hot paprika preferred)
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme
- 1 tbsp fresh rosemary
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp cumin
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Toasted pepitas
- Red chili flakes
- Fresh chopped parsley
Instructions
- Preparation: Sauté butternut squash, onion, bell pepper, and celery in olive oil over medium heat until vegetables caramelize and soften, developing rich golden edges.
- Spice Integration: Incorporate minced garlic, paprika, thyme, rosemary, cayenne pepper, and cumin into the vegetable blend, stirring comprehensively to distribute aromatic seasonings and unleash their profound flavors.
- Liquid Infusion: Add chicken or vegetable stock, elevating heat to trigger a vigorous boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer for 20 minutes, ensuring vegetables transform into a tender, succulent composition.
- Texture Transformation: Utilize an immersion blender to create a silky, uniform puree, alternatively transferring contents to a blender or food processor in measured increments for consistent smoothness.
- Flavor Refinement: Calibrate seasoning profile by adjusting salt levels and potentially introducing additional stock or water to achieve ideal liquid consistency and balanced taste.
- Final Harmonization: Allow soup to simmer for an additional 5 minutes, permitting flavors to meld and intensify, creating a cohesive and deeply satisfying culinary experience.
- Presentation: Garnish with toasted pepitas, delicate red chili flakes, and freshly chopped parsley, serving immediately to preserve optimal temperature and flavor complexity.
Notes
- Caramelize with Care: Sauté vegetables slowly to develop deep, rich golden edges that enhance the soup’s overall flavor complexity.
- Spice Activation Technique: Toast spices briefly in the hot pan to release their essential oils and maximize aromatic potential before adding liquid.
- Blending Best Practices: Work in small batches when pureeing to ensure a silky-smooth texture without overflow or splattering, using caution with hot liquids.
- Flavor Balancing Tip: Taste and adjust seasoning gradually, understanding that the soup’s flavor will continue to develop and intensify during the final simmering stage.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 140
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg