Recipe ReDux: Cumin-Scented Winter Squash Soup

This month's Recipe ReDux post is dedicated to the orange colors of autumn. What better way to celebrate the arrival of fall than with a warm, comforting bowl of winter squash soup? (And if squash soup isn't your bag, scroll down past the recipe - there are some other great fall recipes there from other bloggers.)

 

This soup is thick and creamy without any use of actual cream (it has less than 150 calories a serving!), and is so easy to make. The addition of a small amount of cumin, curry and ginger give it a great warmth as well.

A few weeks ago when I was home in Vermont, a family friend gifted me a huge Blue Hubbard Squash, one of my favorite fall treats. It was enormous!

I absolutely love Blue Hubbards for their creamy, thick consistency and deep flavor. Not to mention the great orange color.

When cooked, the flesh has a lot of body and can be even thicker and smoother than mashed potatoes. Unlike most potatoes, though, these babies are packed with vitamins and antioxidants. Blue Hubbards don't grow by me in New Jersey; I've only ever seen them at one farm here, and they were plucked when still tiny and sold as gourds. So if you can't find a Hubbard, a butternut squash will work just as well for this soup.

To cook the squash, just cut it in half, set it cut side down, and bake it for about an hour at 375, until it becomes tender. 

The skin then becomes almost hard and shell-like, so it's really easy to peel it away from the cooked flesh. Then scoop out the seeds and the flesh. At this point you can store the cooked squash in the fridge or freezer until you're ready to use it. 

To make the soup, you basically just sautee some veggies, then dump the squash and seasonings in the pot and let it cook for an hour or so. Done and done.

I served the soup alongside green apple & smoked cheddar paninis for dinner (and I bet it would go great with these chipotle, butternut squash and pepperjack cheese paninis too), but ate the soup all on its own for lunch the next day. Fall in a bowl!

Cumin-Scented Winter Squash Soup

Serves 6

Ingredients
1 onion, diced
1 carrot, chopped
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tsp. sea salt
2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. mild yellow curry
6 cups cooked winter squash (Blue Hubbard or butternut)
6 cups water or vegetable broth
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. ground ginger
Dash crushed red pepper flakes

In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat and add onions and carrots. Sweat for a few minutes until the onions become translucent, but not brown. Add the garlic, salt, cumin and curry, and cook for one minute more.

Add the squash, water or broth, black pepper, red papper flakes and ginger, stir well until combined, then bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low, and let simmer for 1-2 hours. Taste soup for seasonings. Using an immersion blender, standing blender or food processor, puree soup until smooth.

Eat immediately, or store in the freezer for 2-3 weeks.

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