Butternut Squash Soup

Last night I made a butternut squash soup that was otherworldly. Someone asked me for a recipe, so although I made it up on the fly and I lack photos of the process, I'd love to share it with you.

Butternut Squash Soup

BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP 


Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, diced
1 leek, diced
1 jalapeno, seeded & diced
4 white button mushrooms, chopped (any mushrooms are fine)
2 carrots, diced

1 butternut squash, cubed (I got lazy & used already-cubed squash)

4 cups (1 container) vegetable broth

Cumin

Chili Powder

Smoked Paprika (pinch)

Italian Seasoning (dried herbs)

Red pepper flakes (aka Sons of Bitches)

Cardamom (pinch)

Salt

Pepper

Green onion (to top)


Instructions:


Heat 2T olive oil in a large sauce pot (I find that medium is a good temp, as you don't want to burn the garlic). Mince garlic, and dice onion, leek & jalapeno & sautee with a little salt & pepper until the onions are translucent (about 10 minutes or so).

At this point, I add the spices. This has to be to individual taste, and I didn't measure any of these, but here is what I can tell you: I added the most cumin & chili powder, around 2 tablespoons cumin and 1 tablespoon chili powder, though my estimates could be off.  I splashed in probably a teaspoon of the dried herbs, and then added literally a pinch of smoked paprika and cardamom each. I put in a dash of red pepper flakes for added heat. Please adjust based on what you like, then stir in the spices.

At this point, add the cubed squash, mushrooms & carrots. Add the 4 cups of vegetable broth & stir.

Add in salt & pepper (I am generous with both), and bring to a boil.

Then, cover & simmer until everything is cooked through (since my squash was raw). This took maybe 30 minutes, but it depends on your stove, cookware, etc.

When the squash is soft & cooked through, turn off the stove—its time to blend the soup!

I use an immersion blender for this, but you can use a food processor/blender, too. It's just that the immersion blender makes things so much easier and you should all get one (no, really).

After you've blended the soup until its creamy & smooth, taste test and add salt and/or pepper (it likely will need a little more salt), ladle into bowls & top with chopped green onion. VOILA! ☆