I like Fall a lot less than you’d expect a 20-something mid-western woman would. Sure, the changing leaves are beautiful and fresh apple cider is a thing to behold, but behind it’s pumpkin-spiced facade, Fall is only serving as Winter’s precursor.
Despite my best efforts, namely, stepping on a crunchy leaf and drinking a pumpkin lager, I am having a hard time getting into the Fall spirit this year. But something happened at the farmer’s market this past Saturday that sparked a light of inspiration.
The morning starts like any other. I walk through rows and rows of stands, disheartened at the dwindling amount of summer produce, when suddenly I come across the most beautiful assortment of squash I had ever laid eyes on. They are every shade of orange and green imaginable and vary greatly in size and shape. I suddenly feel a compulsion to own every single one. I start grilling the vendor. ‘What’s this one?’ ‘What does it taste like?’ ‘What about this one?’ For a moment Fall is the best and I finally understand what my PSL-loving sisters have been raving about this whole time.
In my gourd-induced exhilaration I forgot the name of the varieties I purchased. No matter, they are all destined for my favorite cold weather recipe; squash soup.
Butternut squash soup is a fall staple, but did you know just about any kind of squash can be roasted and blended into velvety soup? This last weekend I picked out two for my soup; one I think is an Acorn and the other I’m pretty sure is a Kabocha. (You can see more in my Instagram stories.)
To turn any variety of squash into soup, I follow the same steps when making butternut squash soup. I start by halving the squash and removing the seeds. There’s no need to peel the skin or dice the flesh before roasting, that can be done after when the squash is cooked and tender. Once cooked, I measure about 4 cups of squash and add that to a blender with 2 cups of liquid. I like an equal mix of light coconut milk and vegetable stock. Light coconut milk has just the right amount of fat to make this taste decadent while the vegetable stock helps bring it to that perfect, velvety texture.
The recipe below will yield a very basic soup, but this is where the magic happens. From here, you can add whatever mix-ins you like to make your own custom blend. A tablespoon of curry powder? Yes! Some cinnamon and a hunk of ginger? You betcha! Maybe you roast an apple with your squash and toss that in there with some maple syrup. The possibilities are limitless.
If you need some inspiration, check out some of my favorite soup variations:
Smokey Ancho Chili Butternut Squash Soup
Roasted Fennel and Apple Butternut Squash Soup
Ginger Carrot Soup with Savory Curry Granola
Ok, not a squash soup but conceptually this would work.
Another note, I used two squash and had enough to make 3 batches. The total amount of my squash yield was 12 cups and I ended up using 6 cups of liquid. This soup freezes beautifully and I’m happy to say I still have a few containers ready to pull out whenever a craving strikes.
Maybe you’re like me and you went overboard with gourds this year. Or maybe you just want a stash of homemade soup at the ready from your freezer. You absolutely can make delicious, velvety soup from any variety of squash. If you give this a shot, tell me about it in the comments below!
- 1 Squash Any Variety*
- 1 Tsp Salt
- 1/2 Tsp Pepper
- 1 Cup Vegetable Stock
- 1 Cup Light Coconut Milk
- Preheat the oven to 450. Carefully cut your squash in half and use a spoon to scoop out the seeds. Place your squash cut side up and place in the oven. Roasting time will vary depending on the size and variety of your squash, but after 40 minutes begin inserting a fork into the squash every 5 minutes until the squash is very tender and the fork slides through like butter.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Use your hands to gently peel the skin away. Break apart the squash into small chunks and measure out 4 cups*. Place the chunks in the blender along with the salt, pepper, vegetable stock, and coconut milk. Blend on high until smooth. Taste and add additional seasonings if you like. My favorites include one tablespoon of curry seasoning, a one inch chunk of fresh ginger, or one roasted apple and a drizzle of maple syrup.
* Using a larger squash can make 2 batches of soup, so you may want to make sure you have double the amount of liquid
