Butternut squash is so versatile and easy to adapt to recipes, substitute for sweet potatoes or even pumpkin. And it is a hardy squash that lasts a long time in the pantry. They are fairly easy to grow, however, do require a lot of space.
Funny story – a few years ago in spring we composted all our flower beds with our homemade compost. Summer arrives and so do all kinds of gourds, butternut squash, pumpkins, you name it. All our flower beds were full of random squash. Neighbors commented on the flourishing squash garden in our front yard. This was not intentional by any means! We were new at composting and what we found out is that our compost had not “cooked enough” to kill all the germinating seeds and so they grew more plants. Surprise!
Check out this easy and tasty soup to make for a cool afternoon or evening. This makes a large pot of soup.
Serves 6
Serves 6 to 8
Save RecipeIngredients
- • 2 pats unsalted butter (I’ve used regular butter and didn’t notice a big difference)
- • 1 cup onion, diced
- • 1 large apple, peeled, cored and diced (Granny Smith or other tart variety)
- • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, ground
- • 1/4 teaspoon allspice, ground
- • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
- • 6-8 cups butternut squash (about 1 medium sized) peeled and diced into 1” cubes
- • 2 14 oz cans chicken stock (or home made)
- • Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste
Instructions
- Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat.
- Add diced onions and apples and cook until tender – about 10 minutes.
- Stir in spices and cook 1 minute, then add the squash and chicken stock.
- Bring to a boil, reduce heat and summer uncovered until the squash is tender – about 20-30 minutes.
- For smoother soup, blend a portion or all of soup once cooked. Puree and serve.
Notes
My favorite apple these days is Honey Crisp and is a great addition to this recipe in place of other tart apple choices. Topping variations could include: bacon, sour cream, chopped chives
Nutrition
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