Butternut Squash Soup
I shared this seasonal soup a few weeks ago on The Everygirl, before taking a break from the kitchen to focus on baby. It’s one of my husband’s creations and addictively good (creamy texture), but totally healthy (not a drop of cream). It’s a simple but flavor-packed soup with a special ingredient (chipotle peppers in adobo) that warms your heart as you devour it. Definitely a recipe that you’ll want to have in your repertoire for fall. And since this makes a big batch, you can eat some, keep some in the fridge, and freeze the rest in quart-sized plastic bags for a quick weekday lunch later on. We stocked our own freezer with this soup and others in preparation for baby, and especially right now, I’ve found it so helpful for taking the guesswork out of lunchtime and saving me precious time!
Butternut Squash Soup
2 medium butternut squash
1 c. diced onion
1/2 c. diced carrot
1/2 c. diced celery
Extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can chipotle peppers in adobo (find in the Mexican aisle)
4 c. chicken broth
1 sprig of fresh thyme
Salt and pepper
1 c. Greek yogurt or sour cream
1 big handful of roasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut each butternut squash in half. Coat a large baking dish with olive oil. Place the squash in the dish, face down. Using a fork, poke holes in the skin side of each half. Bake for 45 minutes, until tender. Meanwhile, saute onion, carrots, and celery in olive oil in a Dutch oven or large stock pot. Remove one pepper from the can of chipotle peppers in adobo and chop. Add the pepper and garlic to the pot, saute a minute more, then set aside. Once squash is cooked, let cool. Scoop out the meat and add to the pot of sauted veggies, along with 4 cups of chicken broth. Bring to a simmer. Season with thyme leaves and salt and pepper to taste. Let cook 10 minutes. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth. Alternatively, transfer soup to a blender.
In a small bowl, combine 1 cup of Greek yogurt or sour cream with 1 tablespoon of the sauce from the can of chipotle peppers in adobo. Serve the soup into shallow bowls, add a dollop of chipotle crema, and a sprinkle of roasted pepitas.