Cookbook Series | Spiced Butternut Squash Soup

It’s official: I am terrible at following directions, even when [uh, especially when] I’m the one making the rules.

You see, I had this brilliant idea to start what I’m calling a ‘cookbook series’ on the blog. I have SO many cookbooks kicking around at home and I don’t use them nearly enough, so my intent was to choose a cookbook from my collection every month or so and select a recipe within it to test and review. The only real [self-imposed] rule was that I had to follow the recipe as it was written, as to give the most honest review. Sounds easy enough, right?

So, I selected a cookbook, found the perfect recipe to try, and… substituted half the ingredients. ugh.

It all started because I didn’t have any carrots. Or fresh ginger. And then I realized that the recipe didn’t have the proper spice measurements [because in another life, I was obviously a baking genius]. And with that, all my rules went out the window. I’m such a pushover.

Meatless is the cookbook in question; another gem from the kitchens of Martha Stewart Living. Something about this cookbook resonates deep within my stomach soul. No, I’m not vegetarian and probably never will be [love me a tasty steak, mmmm], but I definitely tend toward a more plant-based diet — much to the dismay of all the males in my house. I mean, I can only eat chicken or pork so many times before I get bored. On the other hand, vegetables rotate with the seasons, so it’s pretty hard to get sick of them, in my opinion. And, there’s practically an infinite number of combinations and different ways to prepare them all! swoon.

This cookbook is full of vibrant photos, each one looking more delicious than the last. I’m definitely a visual person, so this speaks to the fat kid photographer in me. In fact, I actually have a pretty hard time cooking/baking something when I’m not sure what the end result should look like. Should the cake be cracked like that? Should my soup be more…. soupy? How do I know if I messed it up?! There’s no way to measure success, and that is just not acceptable for this Type A personality! [though, this article tells me that I’m more Type C than A… is that even a real thing?]

Sandra was actually the first to try this spiced butternut squash soup. She had served it a recent dinner party [she is the queen of dinner parties and I envy her skills] and immediately insisted that I make it ASAP, obviously knowing my obsession with all things fall. A few days later, I grabbed one of the four butternut squash in my fridge [we like to stock up] and went to work.

Meatless

As I mentioned, I was fresh out of carrots at the time, so I substituted parsnips instead. And because I can’t ever just leave things be, I doubled the spice measurements as well. If you are so inclined, feel free to try this soup using the original recipe — and be sure to let me know how it turns out!

I must say, this soup lived up to every bit of Sandra’s hype. The combination of spices gives it really interesting depth and there’s almost an Indian flare with the hint of ginger you get in each bite. The addition of an apple or two is a must — and I was pleasantly surprised to find that the flavor doesn’t overpower like I’ve had happen with other similar recipes I’ve tried. This soup has earned a spot in my fall/winter rotation, for sure.

Spiced Butternut Squash Soup

 

Print

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

35 mins

Total Time

55 mins

 

Yield: 8 cups

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon turmeric
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon cardamom
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 parsnips, peeled and chopped
• 1 tart apple, peeled and chopped
• 4 cups butternut squash, peeled and chopped [about 1 large squash]
• 3 cups water
• coarse salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion & garlic and cook until tender, 6 to 8 minutes (be careful not to burn the garlic!). Add spices, stirring until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add parsnips, apple, squash and water, and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper; cover partially and reduce to a simmer.
2. Cook until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Using an immersion blender, puree soup until no vegetable chunks remain (or let cool slightly and then process in small batches in a food processor or blender). Add additional salt and pepper, if needed.

Notes / Variations

For even more flavor, try substituting part [or all] of the water with chicken or vegetable stock.

Recipe from: Meatless | Spiced Butternut Squash Soup

Nutrition Information

Serving Size: 1⅓ cup Calories: 147 Fat: 5g Saturated Fat: 1g Carbohydrates: 26.4g Sugar: 7.6g Sodium: 11mg Fiber: 5g Protein: 2g

3.2.2708

Maybe next time I’ll actually follow my own rules. No, you don’t think so? Me neither.

womp womp.