I’m having a hard time letting go of summer this year. Don’t get me wrong, it will be nice not having my thighs stick to my seat and not being constantly cloaked in Tennessee humidity. But gone with summer is the light I so love and the longer days that allow for late afternoon hikes, kayak trips down the river and last minute get togethers with friends. We all seem to have more energy in the summer, and we just feel good.
While I admit I’m never going to be as obsessed with pumpkins as say, the rest of the world, I do have one thing I always look forward to in the fall - soup season.
I started getting serious about soup when I was in college and needed to make a nourishing meal on a shoestring budget. I adore soup and could eat it for every meal. It’s comfort food and is best served with close friends on a cold night with a loaf of crusty bread.
This year, I have to thank my mother-in-law for getting me out of my embarrassingly prolonged peach season rut. If it weren’t for the two beautiful butternut squashes she gifted us from her garden, I’d probably still be buying mealy, inedible peaches and crying.
This Curried Butternut Squash Soup is the perfect way to transition into fall. It’s light, with a little spice thanks to the curry, and can be thickened with a touch of cream or left comfortably without.
CURRIED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP
INGREDIENTS
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 4 cups butternut squash, peeled and cubed
- 1 small apple, peeled, cored and chopped
- 1 qt. low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 1/2 tsp. curry powder
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/8 tsp. pepper
- Optional: 1/4 cup light cream. Can also substitute full fat canned coconut milk as a dairy free alternative.
INSTRUCTIONS
- Heat butter over medium heat in large pot or dutch oven. Add onion; cook until soft, about 3-5 minutes. Stir in squash and apple. Add chicken broth, curry powder, salt and pepper. Bring to boiling.
- Reduce heat; cover and simmer 25 minutes or until squash is soft and tender. Stir occasionally.
- Let cool 5 minutes. Puree in pot with immersion blender, or transfer to blender and puree in batches (if using blender, allow enough room for steam to escape).
- Return to pot. Stir in cream if desired; heat through.
- Optional: To serve, drizzle with cream or blended full fat coconut milk. Serve with warm crusty bread and a pat of butter - yum!
Enjoy!