This soup is so delicious and is a great way to ring in the fall season. I like to serve my Butternut Squash Soup with a drizzle of *E.V.O.O, Homemade Ciabatta Croutons, fresh chives, and roasted (Mexican pumpkin seeds) Pepitas.
It’s a nice way for your family and/or guests to customize their soup. There are a few steps in making this soup, but they are all really easy.
Mozzarella in Carrozza, which means carriage in Italian, is a type of fried cheese sandwich, in Italian cuisine, that’s super popular in the Campania region of Southern Italy. The perfect sandwich for dunking.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Yields: 4 to 6 servings
Equipment: 1 (10-cup) food processor, 2 rimmed baking sheet pans, 1 (6-quart) heavy-bottom saucepot, 1 medium-size mixing bowl, 1 large mixing bowl
Note: The soup alone is gluten-free.
Ingredients:
2 large butternut squash, peeled and seeded, 1 1/2-inch dice
1/2 cup of olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons of Kosher salt, divided
1 tablespoon of freshly ground black pepper, divided
6 heaping cups of diced butternut squash, roasted
1 cup of onions, puréed (1 1/2 large onions, diced)
2 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped and puréed
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground chipotle powder (add more if you like more heat)
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1 tablespoon Kosher salt
1 (15-ounce) can of pumpkin purée
1 1/2 quarts (6 cups) of chicken stock, unsalted
2 tablespoons of heavy cream
1/4 cup of chives, finely chopped for garnish
1/2 cup of Pepitas for garnish, roasted
Ciabatta croutons (optional)
*E.V.O.O. to drizzle over soup
Mozzarella grilled cheese sandwiches (optional)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425-degrees F.
Start by peeling and seeding the butternut squash. Dice into 1 1/2-inch size chunks. Spread them out onto 2 rimmed baking sheet pans in one even layer, Drizzle olive oil, Kosher salt, and fresh ground black pepper. Using your hands, toss to coat. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes or until caramelized and fork-tender.
In a food processor add diced onions and garlic, pulse until puréed. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
In small batches, add the roasted squash to the food processor pulse until puréed. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Repeat until all the squash has been processed.
In a saucepot over medium heat, heat olive oil, ground cumin, ground chipotle until the oil becomes fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the puréed onion mixture stir until coated with the spice mixture. Add Kosher salt and brown sugar, stir to combine. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
Next, add the puréed butternut squash and pumpkin to the pot, again, stir to combine.
Add the chicken stock to the pot, stir to combine. Once the soup comes up to a very low boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring frequently.
Next, add the heavy cream then give that a big stir. Turn the heat off and cover to keep warm.
Preheat oven to 350-degrees F.
Soup’s ready! While it’s staying nice and warm, spread the Pepitas out in an even layer. Toast for 5 to 7 minutes or until you begin to smell their aroma. Chop fresh chives. Transfer both the Pepitas and chives to two small garnish bowls Serve with Homemade Ciabatta Croutons.
To serve, ladle my soup into a porcelain serving bowl. Garnish with chives, Homemade Ciabatta Croutons, toasted Pepitas, and finally a drizzle of *E.V.O.O. There you have it, my Butternut Squash Soup.
*E.V.O.O. is an acronym for Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
https://lindalouhamel.com/2019/07/10/summer-time-flowers-and-herbs/
https://lindalouhamel.com/2015/11/02/homemade-ciabatta-croutons/
