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Butternut Squash Soup for #SundaySupper

Butternut Squash Soup

Winter squash is now in season. I look forward to this time each year so I can make soup. It is rare for me to make it in summer. My craving for soup and stew really kick in with the cooler weather. All it takes is a cool and rainy day and I am pulling out the soup pot. That is exactly what happened the other day. I made butternut squash soup.

The first thing I have to do is put on gloves. Unusual for a home cook right? I discovered I get contact dermatitis when peeling butternut squash. My skin turns orange and tightens up like you would not believe. You may want to take preventative measures and wear gloves while peeling the squash. Peel it thoroughly until all you see is orange color. Be sure to peel off the yellow-ish thin layer right under the skin.

Make sure you have a big, good, sturdy knife. Butternut squash is hard. Cutting through it is tough. I could see how some knives would not handle the job or break. The rest is easy once you have it chopped up. Oh, one other note…if you puree it in a blender, do not fill it to the top and loosely cover the blender. Hot soup expands as it blends. How do I know? I had butternut squash soup blow out all over my kitchen once. A great big orange mess. Lesson learned.

The Sunday Supper team is celebrating all things orange. Pam from The Meltaways is our event host. What a fun theme Pam picked to kick off October when you see the color orange all around. Take a look at these recipes:

Sunrise  (Breakfast and Brunch)

High Noon (Soups, Salads and Sandwiches)

Sunset (Dinner and Main Dishes)

By The Bonfire (Sweets, Snacks and Sips)

That is one great list of orange culinary delights. What a way to brighten up a meal. A feast for the eyes and the tummy!

Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter each Sunday. We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET and you do not want to miss out on the fun. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. Check our our #SundaySupper Pinterest board for more fabulous recipes and food photos.

Butternut Squash Soup

A recipe for butternut squash soup - smooth and with a hint of spices.
Course Soup
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings 8 people
Author Renee

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large onion Vidalia or sweet recommended, chopped
  • 2 cloves of garlic minced
  • 2 butternnut squash peeled and seeded
  • 64 ounces vegetable broth
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon allspice
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt divided
  • Few grinds of fresh ground pepper
  • Juice from 1 orange
  • Splash of orange liqueur optional
  • Heavy whipping cream optional
  • Pepitas for garnish optional

Instructions

  1. In a 7-quart or larger soup pot or dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Cook (sweat) the onions until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant. Add the squash, broth, ginger, nutmeg, cumin, allspice, bay leaf, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Stir ingredients together and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cover and turn heat to low. Cook, covered, about 1 hour until the squash is very soft. Remove and discard bay leaf.
  2. Puree using an immersion blender or in batches using a blender or food processor. Stir in the orange juice and liqueur (if using). Stir in some heavy cream if desired (about 1 to 3 tablespoons). Garnish with pepitas if desired. Serve hot.

Recipe Notes

This is a thick soup. You can add more vegetable broth or water to thin the consistency.

Recipe Rating




Chelsea

Saturday 13th of October 2012

Beautiful soup! I love that you added some pumpkin seeds. So festive!

Jamie (Mama.Mommy.Mom)

Friday 12th of October 2012

Orange Liqueur? YUM! I love butternut squash, especially a good creamy soup. I'm intrigued by the added flavors from the liqueur.

Jamie @ www.mamamommymom.com

Renee

Saturday 13th of October 2012

Yes, orange liqueur. It adds an extra oomph like cooking with wine.

Sarah

Wednesday 10th of October 2012

I had to google why my hands felt tight after cutting butternut squash. I'm so glad it's not some oddity only I have. I oven roasted the squash when I made my soup but I will have to cry cooking it on the stove. Maybe I'll get a smoother texture. Yours looks so much smoother than mine! thanks for sharing the recipe and the tips.

Alice @ Hip Foodie Mom

Wednesday 10th of October 2012

Yum! Can't wait to make this! This will certainly hit the spot on a cold, rainy day here in seattle! :)

Family Foodie

Monday 8th of October 2012

This soup looks amazing and I love the crunchy seeds on top. Once it cools down in Florida, I will be trying this recipe. Thank you for sharing it during #SundaySupper!