Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Goat Cheese
Posted By Savita
Tender and sweet roasted butternut squash with tangy goat cheese, aromatic thyme, little heat, and crunchy pumpkin seeds! Just bring the bread, my friends, because dinner is ready!
Summers are still far from over in my part of the world..... but with yesterday's Caprese Focaccia Bread a.k.a Transition Recipe, I have decided to declare 'fall'. (finally!) :)
Starting today with one of my favorite food of the season - 'Roasted Butternut Squash Soup'. Seriously, when Butternut squash is in season, I can't have enough of this soup!
'Roasting' is by-far the BEST way to make any squash extra special. It brings out natural sweetness and nuttiness of squash.... Plus also make'em very tender and extra delicious. Once roasted, squash is ready for any transformation- from creamy soup, pasta sauce to a flavorful salad..... options are endless.
But today we are talking Roasted Squash Soup. For soups, other than roasting, I have few more tricks to bring out 'squash' flavor even better! Let's me share with you, how?!
To make a best tasting butternut squash soup every-time, I take care of following:
1. Cook squash properly (such as roasting) because proper cooking brings out sweetness of squash.
2. Add little tang in soup to complement the sweetness. Such as lemon and/or goat cheese.
3. Add aromatics and spices for flavor and little kick. Such as aroma of thyme and hint of pepper flakes.
Not just Butternut squash, or any squash..... any creamy soup needs some textural contrast! So, always add some crunchy surprise to a creamy one-note soup. Like for this one, I added crunchy toasted Pepita Seeds (pumpkin seeds) and some fresh pomegranate seeds for burst of freshness in every bite.
It feels perfect to snuggle with a warm bowl of comforting soup.... watching TV on a cold winter evening! Isn't it?
However, I think the best time to enjoy 'spiced soups' is during changing season. I know, many of you will say, 'soups are for winter season only'. In my humble opinion, soups.... specially spiced and vitamin-loaded vegetable soups are very useful during 'changing weather'. Such soups provide warmth and abundance of Vitamin C to support immune health and makes you strong against changing weather conditions.
No doubt, soups are good during winters. They are even better during changing season. (Especially during summer to fall and fall to winter.)
Here are few of my favorite Butternut Squash and other soups which are mostly on my dinner table during this time of the year.
1. French Lentils Soup
2. Creamy Tomato Soup
3. Kale and Zucchini Soup
4. Yellow Lentils Soup
5. Ginger Spiced Butternut Squash Soup
6. Kale and Barley Soup
Most of these soups are self-sufficient. For weekday dinner (meatless), you just need a side of bread or rice.
Wish you a great weekend! -Savita
A few more Squash recipes to enjoy the 'fruit' of season!
Ingredients
- Roasted Butternut Squash
- 1.5 lbs Butternut Squash (1 average size Butternut squash, peeled and diced)
- 3-4 Thyme (thyme sprigs)
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- Salt and Black Pepper
- 1/2 Yellow Onion (peeled, rough chopped)
- Soup
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 2 Garlic (cloves, minced)
- 1/2 Cup Goat Cheese
- 3-4 Thyme (fresh or frozen, thyme sprigs)
- Salt and Black Pepper
- 1/3 Cup Pomegranates (seeds)
- 2 Cup Vegetable Stock (low-sodium, or use water)
- 1 tbsp Lemon (juice)
- 1/4 tsp Red Pepper Flakes (use 1/2 tsp if you like little more heat)
- Toasted Pumpkin Seeds
- 1/4 Cup Pumpkin Seeds (or papita seeds)
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- Salt and Black Pepper (as per taste)
Directions
-
1. Preheat oven at 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Toss butternut squash with olive oil and garlic in a large bowl. Season with salt and black pepper. Arrange coated squash on a baking sheet. -
2. Roast in the preheated oven until squash is tender and slightly browned, 20 to 25 minutes. Add onion, half way through cooking. Additional Notes:
You can also finish step-7, toasting pumpkin seeds, at the same time. -
3. Discard thyme sprigs. Transfer content to a food processor in batches and puree using 1-2 vegetable stock (or water). Be careful, it will be hot. -
4. Once squash is pureed smooth. Set it aside. -
5. Heat 1 tbsp oil in heavy bottom pan. Add garlic, red pepper flakes, and thyme and saute for 30 seconds. Add pureed butternut squash, lemon juice, and remaining vegetable stock. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes (covered). Now, add goat cheese and mix well. -
6. Mix well so as to fully melt goat cheese in soup. Additional Notes:
You can also puree goat cheese with half of soup and mix in. Or use an immersion blender. -
7. While soup is simmering, coat pumpkin seeds in oil, salt, and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet and bake in oven for 7-10 minutes or until are lite brown and toasted. Keep an eye as these burn quickly. -
8. Taste and adjust salt. Also add black pepper to taste. (add more stock if soup is thick for your liking.) Serve hot garnished with toasted pumpkin seeds and pom seeds. Enjoy! Additional Notes:
You can also strain the soup if you prefer more fine consistency.
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