With cold weather sweeping across the country, it just felt like soup time. I had the Sesame Beef side dishes ready to post, but I’m going to save those for later. I’m sure you’d rather have soup first!
The news broadcasts and talk show hosts are having a field day talking about the weather. I am particularly enjoying Jimmy Kimmel’s take on how California is dealing with the cold which you can watch here and here for a chuckle.
Nothing I love more to warm up with than a butternut squash soup. It has such a vibrant color, you just know it’s packed with nutritious goodness. Plus it’s one of those fill-you-up-without-weighing-you-down kind of dishes. When I make butternut squash soup, I usually just go simple: sauté onion, garlic, add thyme and sage, add butternut squash and broth, boil until soft, then puree and eat. When I was in Colorado, my friend Justin made us a variation which I loved. He added apple, carrot, sweet potato, coconut milk, 1/2 t cumin, and 1 t curry. It was fantastic. Just for you, mom and dad, I stayed traditional and omitted the cumin and curry! Feel free to mix it up with whichever variation you like with the spices. Justin’s version inspired me to change mine up a bit.
Don’t forget about soup for entertaining. With some simple garnishes, soup can look glamorous. If I’d had bacon or prosciutto on hand, they would have been crisped up and been my garnish on top with a little chopped chive or parsley! This soup can be made ahead too, so that is always great when feeding a crowd around the holidays. Just re-heat and serve. My mom served a similar soup as our appetizer/ first course at Christmas once and we loved it! Here’s to keeping warm with a nice bowl of soup.
(Garnished here with sunflower seeds, parsley, and coconut milk.)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (or coconut oil)
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and diced
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and diced
- 1 apple (like honeycrisp, Granny Smith, or fuji) peeled and diced
- 1 carrot, peeled and diced
- 2 cups chicken (or vegetable) broth
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ cup coconut milk
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic. Saute until translucent and soft, about 5 minutes.
- Add the sage, thyme, and cayenne. Cook for 1 minute.
- Add the butternut squash, apple, carrot, broth, salt and pepper. Cover with a lid and bring to a boil. Turn heat down to medium, and boil for 15 minutes or until butternut squash is fork tender.
- Add the coconut milk and combine. Transfer mixture to a blender and puree until smooth, working in batches if you need to.
- Serve with your choice of garnish: crispy bacon or prosciutto, parsley, thyme, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, a drizzle of coconut milk, toasted coconut or pomegranate seeds. Be creative!
What dishes warm you up when it’s cold out?
