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Creamy Butternut Squash Soup
The secret here is using the often-discarded seeds and fibers to build a deeply savory base broth. Instead of roasting, the squash steams gently right over this flavorful liquid until completely tender. Once blended until velvety smooth, a splash of heavy cream, a hint of dark brown sugar, and a pinch of nutmeg round out the flavors. It's a comforting, from-scratch bowl that captures the absolute best of autumn produce.
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 large shallot, chopped
- 3 pounds butternut squash, quartered and seeded, with fibers and seeds reserved
- 6 cups water
- Salt and pepper
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon packed dark brown sugar
- Pinch ground nutmeg
- 1. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in Dutch oven over medium heat. Add shallot and cook until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in squash seeds and fibers and cook until butter turns orange, about 4 minutes.
Instructions
- 1Melt two tablespoons of butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chopped shallot and cook for two to three minutes until soft. Stir in the reserved squash seeds and fibers, cooking for about four minutes until the butter turns orange. This extracts deep, savory flavor for the base broth.
- 2Pour in the water and one teaspoon of salt, then bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer. Place the squash pieces cut-side down in a steamer basket and lower it into the pot. Cover and steam for 30 to 40 minutes until the squash is completely tender.
- 3Use tongs to move the steamed squash to a rimmed baking sheet. Let it cool slightly so it's easier to handle. Scrape the soft flesh from the skin using a soup spoon, then discard the skins.
- 4Pour the cooking liquid from the pot through a fine-mesh strainer into a large liquid measuring cup.
- 5Working in batches, blend the cooked squash flesh with three cups of the strained cooking liquid. Process for one to two minutes until the mixture is completely smooth. Don't overfill the blender with hot liquid.
- 6Pour the smooth puree back into a clean pot. Stir in the heavy cream, dark brown sugar, nutmeg, and the remaining two tablespoons of butter.
- 7Bring the soup back to a brief simmer. Add more of the strained cooking liquid if needed to reach your preferred consistency. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.
Notes
- Variation: For a curried apple version, reduce the squash to 2.5 pounds and add one peeled, cored, and quartered Granny Smith apple to the steamer basket. Swap the nutmeg for two teaspoons of curry powder.
- Variation: To make a Southwestern twist, replace the brown sugar with one tablespoon of honey and the nutmeg with half a teaspoon of ground cumin. Stir in two tablespoons of minced fresh cilantro and two teaspoons of minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce at the end.
- Variation: For a fennel twist, reduce the squash to two pounds. Add one teaspoon of fennel seeds to the pot with the squash fibers, and place one large sliced fennel bulb in the steamer basket.
- Storage: Keeps in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container. Reheat gently on the stove.