FALL SQUASH SOUP

Typical squash soup consists of squash, apples, onion, ginger and coconut milk. I wanted something more like a vegetable base soup with a little thicker broth. Blending part of the soup with cannellini beans creates a creamier broth. I used two different types of squash, the base has butternut squash but the garnish is delicata squash. The sweet taste of the delicata squash is evident when used as a garnish.

Ingredients

1 small delicata squash, peeled and cut in small thin strips
8 oz. sliced mushrooms, chopped
1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cubed (about 6-7 cups)
1 large yellow onion, diced
5 large cloves garlic, minced
1 red pepper, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
1 ½ cups carrots, diced
2 large potatoes, peeled and diced
1-28 oz. can unsalted diced tomatoes
32 oz. unsalted vegetable stock
2 cups water
1-15 oz. can cannellini beans, unsalted, undrained
2 bay leaves
1 t. smoked paprika
1 t. cumin
1 ½ t. dried thyme
½ t. curry powder
1 t. salt
½ cup nutritional yeast
Fresh cracked pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place the delicata squash on a nonstick baking sheet or use parchment paper to cover a regular baking sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the squash starts to brown. Remove from oven and set aside.

Using a large stock pot, saute the mushrooms over high heat until they start to brown and caramelize. Add onion and 3 cloves of minced garlic in with the mushrooms until the onions become translucent. Next add the butternut squash, potatoes, red pepper, carrots, celery and remaining garlic and cook for a couple of minutes while stirring. Add the unsalted diced tomatoes, vegetable stock, water, bay leaves, smoked paprika, cumin, dried thyme, curry powder and salt then bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook until the vegetables soften for about 15 – 20 minutes.

Place the cannellini beans in a blender with nutritional yeast and about 4- 5 ladles of the warm soup. Cover and hold lid with a potholder or towel and turn on low until well blended. Add to soup and stir well. *Note: if you prefer a blended soup, blend the entire pot of soup in small batches. Place in bowls and garnish with delicata soup and pepper.

Soups