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Butternut Squash & Chipotle Soup

December 5th, 2013

It’s squash season and I’m happy. I love butternut squash soup, really love it. I’d eat it a few days a week if I could. My favorite recipe combines sweet squash, creamy butter, savory sage and smoky chipotle peppers. In fact, there’s a batch on the stove right now.
butternut-squash
Here’s my favorite Butternut Squash recipe.

Butternut Squash and Chipotle Soup

from Fresh & Light (Williams-Sonoma)

Ingredients:
1 butternut squash, 2.5 lbs
1 tablespoon of butter
2 slices of coarse country bread, each about 1/2 inch thick cut into 1/2 inch cubes (for croutons)
1 teaspoon of dried sage
1/2 yellow onion chopped
2 small chipotle peppers (I’d start with 1 without seeds and then taste) I use canned ones
3 1/2 cups of chicken, turkey, ham or vegetable stock
salt to taste
fresh sage leaves (optional)
Freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 350. Cut the squash in half lengthwise. Using spoon, scrape out the seeds and any fibers and discard. Place the squash halves, cut side down, on a baking sheet and bake until just tender, about 35 minutes. Remove from the oven. When cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh into a bowl.

In a large saucepan over medium high heat, warm the butter. Add the bread and dried sage and saute, stirring often, until the bread cubes are browned on all side, about 4 minutes. Using a spoon, transfer croutons to a plate and set aside. Add the onion to the pan and saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the squash chiles, and broth. Simmer over medium heat and cook, uncovered, until the squash is very soft, about 30 minutes.

Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender until smooth (or with immersion blender), be very carefully blending hot soup as it has a tendency to explode the top off the blender. It’s best to start with bursts of power then to full blend. Its also wise to keep a kitchen towel draped over the blender. I have found an immersion blender to be indispensable since we make many pureed soups.

Return soup to the pan and reheat gently. If desired add some whole milk and butter. Taste and add salt and freshly ground pepper as needed. Ladle into warmed bowls. Divide the croutons among the servings and garnish with sage leaves. Serve hot.

13 Comments to “Butternut Squash & Chipotle Soup”
  1. daisy on December 4, 2013 at 6:39 am

    That sounds dee-lish. We also use our immersion blender often. It enables us to make soup so easily. Enjoy!

    Reply to daisy's comment

  2. kathi Cook on December 4, 2013 at 7:44 am

    Mmmm. Thanks, I think I will make that for dinner tonight. Sounds great.

    Reply to kathi Cook's comment

  3. Lisa on December 4, 2013 at 7:54 am

    I love anything butternut. One of my most favorite ways to eat it is to roast in the oven with olive oil and salt and pepper. So delicious! I’m going to have to try the soup.

    Reply to Lisa's comment

    • Myra S. on December 5, 2013 at 8:59 am

      That’s our favorite way too. Simple and the rest of the meal can be prepared at the same time in the oven with it.

      Reply to Myra S.'s comment

  4. Joan on December 5, 2013 at 7:03 am

    I can’t wait to try this soup! I grow lots of butternut squash, and am always looking for good recipes.

    Reply to Joan's comment

  5. Carolyn on December 5, 2013 at 7:56 am

    I made this for dinner last night & it was a major hit. I didn’t have canned chipoltes, so I subbed dried chipoltes. Then tossed in a couple handfuls of leftover home raised turkey for the carnivores in my life after pureeing. Thank you for the recipe!!!

    Reply to Carolyn's comment

  6. pam (Sidewalk Shoes) on December 5, 2013 at 8:19 am

    My CSA gave me three butternut squashes and I’ve been saving them, waiting for the perfect recipe. This sounds like a winner!

    Reply to pam (Sidewalk Shoes)'s comment

  7. Nebraska Dave on December 5, 2013 at 10:39 am

    Vicki, you sure have had a time with life the last couple years. Sometimes doing the right thing requires emotional strength we never knew that we had. I’m teetering on the edge of what you are going through with your parents. My mother in law is 87 and starting into that last stage of life. She still have most of her faculties yet but each passing year takes its toll. She was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes this last July so helping her settle into that life was a real challenge for her and required allot of help in the beginning from me. My saving grace was one of her sisters in New Jersey that calls her every Sunday. She has had diabetes for 30 years and was a great coach for her in what and how much she should be eating. Helping her has settled down for the time being but at her age any day something else could flare up. I’m just enjoying the calm while I can.

    You and your parents are in my thoughts and prayers.

    Have the best day that you can.

    Reply to Nebraska Dave's comment

  8. misti on December 5, 2013 at 10:48 am

    Luckily there’s a butternut in my pantry right now…and conveniently there’s a cold front heading our way. I think this sounds perfect for this weekend!

    Reply to misti's comment

  9. DebbieB on December 5, 2013 at 11:43 am

    Butternut squash soup is one of my favorites. Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply to DebbieB's comment

  10. Marcia on December 5, 2013 at 1:15 pm

    Either that is a machette or those are small squash lol. Thank you for the recipe, I’ll try it with a Buttercup or maybe a spaghetti squash.

    Reply to Marcia's comment

    • Susy on December 5, 2013 at 2:18 pm

      It is a BIG knife, but they are small squash as well, so the combination makes for a funny photo!

      Reply to Susy's comment

      • Sarah on December 5, 2013 at 10:04 pm

        Ha! I was really confused by the photo too.

        to Sarah's comment

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This is a daily journal of my efforts to cultivate a more simple life, through local eating, gardening and so many other things. We used to live in a small suburban neighborhood Ohio but moved to 153 acres in Liberty, Maine in 2012.

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