Butternut Squash Soup

The weather has FINALLY caught up to the season!  it’s jeans with a chance of a hoodie while enjoying soup season!  This butternut squash soup recipe is SUPER EASY, VERSATILE, FREEZABLE, and VEGAN!

OK!  Lets get started on the ingredients:

1/8 cup oil

1 white onion, chopped

2″ fresh ginger, peeled and sliced in medallions.*

1″ fresh tumric, peeled and sliced into medallions

2 butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed

2 quarts (boxes) vegetable stock – low sodium

4 cans UNSWEETENED coconut milk

OPTIONAL:

4 tablespoon red Korean chili flakes or cayenne pepper

*slicing ginger long ways, with the grain, will give it a stringy consistently even after it goes through the bender.  slicing it into medallions will prevent this!

Using a preheated, large stock pot, melt butter and add the onions.  Cook on medium high (6 out of 10) until the onions become transparent.  This takes around 10 minutes.

Using a preheated, large stock pot, melt butter and add the onions.  Cook on medium high (6 out of 10) until the onions become transparent.  This takes around 10 minutes.

Add in the butternut squash and stir.  This is the point to add in the Korean chili flakes or cayenne pepper.  Few options: you can omit this if you do not like heat.  The chili will not overwhelm the soup, it just makes it warm.

For a diffrent flavor, add curry powder instead of chili.

Add in the 2 quarts of vegetable stock and bring to a boil.

Add in the coconut milk, stir and bring to a boil. Once its reached a boil, turn down to a simmer.Let simmer until the squash is begins to fall apart (about an hour)When the squash begins to fall apart, remove from heat.

Step 7 – BLENDING & STRAINING

scoop the soup into a blender cup filling it a little more than half way and making sure its park liquid and solid.cover the blender lid with a towel when turning on and off to prevent the lid popping off from the heat.  blend on high until a puree forms.  this may take longer depending on quality of blender.pour puree though a fine mesh strainer and into a bowl, additional stock pot or whatever can hold the quantity of soup.  the mesh strainer will catch any stringiness that is left over creating a velvety smooth soup.return the soup to a low heat and taste for seasoning.  stir int he proper seasonings (salt, additional chili flake)

SERVING & STORING

This soup freezes beautifully!  I like to store it in the the quart containers we use in the professional kitchens.  You can get them at a GFS store or by ordering soup from a takeout place!  Make sure the soup is properly cooled (below 41 degrees), labeled and dated.