Soup, there it is.
So, temperatures are in the upper 50’s this week, and I’m already wearing thermal shirts and wool socks. I think this happens every year when the seasons change. I get so baffled by the fact that it’s not hot anymore that I completely forget how to dress weather appropriate. If I’m wearing the thermals now, what do I wear when it’s below freezing? I don’t remember. But I think I dress the same way whether it’s 50 degrees or 20 degrees. Everything below 60 is chilly enough to induce shivering.
Also, living in the Pacific Northwest has made me a climate wimp. I blame the generally moderate temperatures (this summer’s 100 degrees and last winter’s -10 notwithstanding). Although, dressing for the seasons was pretty confusing back in Kentucky too, where it could be 70 degrees one day, and snowing the next. (Seriously. This happened on more than one occasion.) Basically, I need my whole wardrobe available at any moment because I’m just confused.
But since we’ve reached the point where I’ll be cold until the sun shines brightly again next July, I only crave warm things to eat. So long, salads of summer. Hello, soups. We’ve already powered through more than our fair share of soup and chili this season, but I see no end in sight. Especially since this smooth little soup entered our lives. I’ve tried a lot of butternut squash soups in the past few years, and this is my favorite, by far.
It’s butternut squash, pumpkin, and apple (hello, fall!), sweetened with a little maple syrup (hello, fall!), with hints of cinnamon and curry (again, hello, fall!). Basically, it’s everything you wanted fall to be, served in a warm bowl, hopefully next to a big loaf of bakery bread.
Have I mentioned that we live just a few blocks away from a bakery that makes this perfect multi-grain loaf with a thick crust, a nutty flavor, and a soft inside that begs to be dipped in any and all soups? It’s lovely.
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 7 cups butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed, cut into 1-inch cubes (I used 2 small butternut squash)
- 2 cups apple, diced
- 1 cup canned pumpkin
- 5½ cups vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is soft.
- Add squash, apples, pumpkin, and veggie broth. Stir, and bring to a boil.
- Reduce to a simmer, cover, and let cook until squash is soft (about 30 minutes).
- Let the soup cool slightly, then transfer to a blender in batches. Puree until smooth, and return to the pot.
- Stir in cinnamon, curry powder, and maple syrup, and heat until warm. Serve with a big loaf of perfect bakery bread.
-Ally
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