Curried Butternut Squash Soup
This soup starts with one whole butternut squash, along with carrots, celery, onions, potatoes and one apple.
This soup makes a large quantity, but it makes wonderful leftovers (and honestly), it’s so good it might not last long anyway. I use a seven quart cast iron dutch oven (pot) to make this.
If you’re not sure how to safely peel, deseed and chop a butternut squash – please watch this quick tutorial. I think that butternut squashes are the most dangerous vegetable to peel and chop.
To start making this soup, sautee the carrots, onions and celery (the aromatics) in butter.
Sautee until soft and caramelized.
Add the cubed squash, potatoes and apple. Give it a few good stirs.
Then add the chicken broth, stir well and partially cover the pot with a lid and simmer until the vegetables are softened.
Take the pot off the burner and let it cool for about ten minutes before you puree it. If you do not have an immersion blender, use a food processor or regular blender – but work in batches and be careful. It will be hot.
Add the seasonings and cream. My kids like to drink this soup out of mugs. It also makes wonderful leftovers.
If you’d like, you can garnish with more cream, croutons, pumpkin seeds and fresh thyme leaves.
Curried Butternut Squash Soup
Equipment
- An immersion blender is preferable, but you can also use a blender or food processor – as long as you work in batches.
- Large soup pot – I think cast iron is best. This soup fits just right in a 7-quart pot.
Ingredients
Soup
- 1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed 6-8 cups cubed
- 1/2 cup butter – unsalted or salted
- 2 yellow onions, diced
- 2 ribs celery, chopped
- 2 large carrots (or 3-4 small ones), peeled and sliced
- 4 medium potatoes peeled and cubed
- 1 green apple – tart is best
- 2 32 oz boxes of chicken broth to equal 8 cups
- 1 cup light cream, or 1/2 cup heavy cream or to taste – you decide how creamy you want it.
- 1 Tbs curry powder I use a madras curry powder
- 1 tsp white pepper
- 1 Tbs salt, or more, to taste
- optional: Juice of one lemon. If you could not find a tart apple, then just use a sweet apple and add lemon juice.
Croutons (optional but encouraged)
- 4 slices Non-extraordinary white bread. Stale is best.
- 2 Tbs olive oil
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper fresh cracked is great but not mandatory
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
Garnish (optional but suggested)
- more cream – light or heavy
- pumpkin seeds
- croutons
- fresh thyme leaves or sprigs
Instructions
- This recipe makes a huge pot of soup. I wrote it around the size of a large butternut squash. It's so good though, you won't have a problem eating it up. I make a big pot for lunches throughout the week during the fall and winter.
- In a large pot, melt the butter and sautee the onion, celery and carrots over medium-high heat for about 15 minutes – stirring occasionally. Sautee until the vegetables are softened and slightly browned/caramelized.
- Pour the cubed squash, potatoes and apple into the pot. Give it a few stirs, then immediately pour the two cartons of chicken broth into the pot.
- Stir well and place a lid on the pot, but not sealing the pot. Place the lid slightly offset so steam can escape.
- Simmer for about 20 minutes or until the potatoes and squash are soft.
- Take the pot off the burner and let it cool a little with the top off. Cool for about ten minutes before you start to puree.
- Puree with an immersion blender, or using a food processor or blender. If you use a food processor or blender, work in small batches and be careful. It is hot.
- Add the salt, white pepper and curry powder. Stir well.
- Add the cream and stir. If you feel it needs a little something extra, try adding more salt (add it gradually and keep tasting it) and add some lemon juice. The lemon juice will add a "sparkle" to the flavor.
Croutons
- Preheat your oven to 400° F. Cube the bread. Put the bread cubes on a baking sheet.
- Drizzle bread cubes with olive oil and use your hands to move the bread around, getting it mostly coated evenly with the oil.
- Sprinkle bread cubes with salt, pepper and dried thyme.
- Bake for 5-10 minutes, stirring as needed. They will be golden to golden-brown, crispy and sizzly when they are done.
Garnishing
- Ladle the soup into bowls and – for the full effect – top with a small pour of cream, some croutons, a few pumpkin seeds and some fresh thyme. Dried thyme can be used too.