Curried Red Pepper & Butternut Squash Soup
The squash are here! Oh all the piles of squash, arriving during the second week of school, at precisely the same time leaves start falling, some so big you have to cradle them under one arm like a small child. Sometimes, there’s such comfort in predictability. Especially when it necessitates wooly socks.
I called this butternut squash soup, but it doesn’t have to be butternut, which is familiar and easy to handle, readily available, smooth and far more clean and manageable when it comes to peeling and cubing than the gnarly monsters you see in farmers’ market bins at this time of year. But feel free to use any kind of winter squash you like – even if you can’t identify it. And because peppers are piled high at this time of year too, it seems fitting to deliver a double whammy of beta carotene.
Also? I’m trying to cut back on my caffeine consumption, and I’m hooked on having something warm to sip out of my plethora of favourite mugs at my desk. This fits, and is actually good for me. (Not that coffee isn’t, just perhaps not in the quantities of cream I’ve been consuming.)
This batch has no cream, but you could add a splash or more of cream, thick plain yogurt or coconut milk – in fact, the seasonings themselves can be tweaked to suit your dining situation. Try swapping a sprig or two of thyme or sage for the curry powder, and fry fresh sage leaves in a little oil until crisp to nestle on top, with a drizzle of the oil from the pan.
Curried Red Pepper & Butternut Squash Soup
AuthorJulie
In a Dutch oven or soup pot, heat a drizzle of oil over medium-high heat and sauté the onion and peppers with a pinch of salt for 4-5 minutes, until soft. Add the garlic and curry paste or powder and cook for another minute.
?Add the squash, stock and lime juice, bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes, or until the squash is very soft. Let cool slightly, and blend until smooth right in the pot using a hand-held immersion blender. (Alternatively, transfer the soup carefully in batches to a blender and blend until smooth, holding a tea towel over the lid in case of splatters.)
If you like, stir in some cream, yogurt or coconut milk. Serve topped with chopped pumpkin seeds, if you like. Serves 6-8.
Ingredients
Directions
In a Dutch oven or soup pot, heat a drizzle of oil over medium-high heat and sauté the onion and peppers with a pinch of salt for 4-5 minutes, until soft. Add the garlic and curry paste or powder and cook for another minute.
?Add the squash, stock and lime juice, bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes, or until the squash is very soft. Let cool slightly, and blend until smooth right in the pot using a hand-held immersion blender. (Alternatively, transfer the soup carefully in batches to a blender and blend until smooth, holding a tea towel over the lid in case of splatters.)
If you like, stir in some cream, yogurt or coconut milk. Serve topped with chopped pumpkin seeds, if you like. Serves 6-8.
Hi Julie,
Wanted to tell you what I’ve discovered is so great to do with those gourds and other root veggies coming fast and furious out of our gardens now in Calgary. I’ve been frying up a garden onion in 2 -3 slices of chopped bacon. I’ll then use that fat and grate in (via box grater) any manner of squash (zucchini, pumpkin-ese ones,etc.), kohlrabi, carrot, and of course potato (starch squeezed out). Let this cook down for about two or more hours, s and p and then this gorgeous fried hash is ready to eat either by itself, or with whatever one might fancy.
I was inspired by the Swiss dish rosti and the real key I found was the grating.
As always – love your blog and the Tuesday segment on the cbc.
thanks!
WOW – that sounds amazing! I’m totally going to try it! I have some nice thick bacon in the fridge now too. Thanks!!
Made a huge pot of of this – delicious – even better the next day (and the day after that)….
So great to hear it Annie!
Sounds YUMMY!!!