Hearty, Healthy Butternut Squash Soup Recipe

Thick, creamy Butternut Squash soup is perfect for a simple, healthy meal.  Using very simple ingredients, this recipe comes together in no time.

Butternut squash is an incredibly versatile fruit.  Up until recently (aka today), I thought butternut squash was a vegetable. Turns out, I was wrong.  In fact, all members of the gourd family are considered fruits because of their seeds. Did you know that? Well, regardless of whether it is a fruit or a vegetable, one thing I do know for sure, is that it makes one delicious soup.

Typically, I make my Butternut Squash soup in the fall, when it is found in abundance. Nevertheless, with food as easily accessible as it is today, it doesn’t really matter.  It is an ideal choice for any simple, healthy meal. This week I was craving a warm, nourishing soup and a simple Butternut Squash soup fit the bill.

Butternut squash is not the only squash I love. I am also a big fan of Acorn squash, find delicious Acorn squash recipes, here.

Why Butternut Squash soup for dinner?

First off, one of the beautiful things about butternut squash soup is that it uses very simple ingredients and it comes together in less than half an hour.  My recipe calls for Butternut Squash, Butter, Onion, Leeks, fresh Garlic cloves, Chicken Broth (canned or homemade), potatoes, Cayenne Pepper, Nutmeg, fresh Ginger, Salt, Pepper, and Half and Half.

Second, it is not only simple and fast, but it has multiple health benefits for you as well.  Below I have listed a few of them. To read more of the health benefits of butternut squash, check out this article.

What are the health benefits of Butternut Squash?

1. Butternut squash is an excellent source of beta-carotene. Beta-carotene may help you to prevent eye problems such as dry eyes and night blindness. It also contains vitamin C, which may help you from getting cataracts or suffering from macular degeneration.
2. Butternut squash is a great source of potassium. Potassium helps lower your blood pressure and can counteract the effects of sodium.
3. It can also improve digestion. It is an excellent source of dietary fiber and can help relieve problems such as constipation and bloating. Butternut squash may also lower the risk of inflammation in the colon. If that isn’t enough, fiber can also help scrape excess cholesterol from the body.
4. As mentioned above, Butternut squash has significant levels of Vitamin C, this means it could be a terrific booster for your immune system, I know this is something that we could all use during cold and flu season.

Now, are you ready to make some healthy, delicious hearty Butternut Squash Soup? Check out the recipe below.

Butternut Squash Soup

Recipe

Ingredients:

• 3 lbs. Butternut Squash, halved and seeded
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 leek, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, diced
• 2 (49.5 fluid ounce) cans of chicken broth (or use homemade, recipe here)
• 2 large russet potatoes, peeled and quartered
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon fresh ginger
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup half-and-half cream

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 375.  Pour a thin layer of water on a cookie sheet and place butternut squash halves face down on the sheet.  Bake for about 45 minutes, until a fork can easily pierce flesh. Cool. Remove flesh and set aside.

In a large pot, melt butter and add onion, leek and garlic and ginger.  Saute until tender. Pour chicken broth into the pot and add potatoes, bring to a boil and cook until tender, approximately 20 minutes.  Add squash and mash up potatoes. Blend soup with an immersion blender or transfer to a food processor in batches to puree. Once the soup is pureed, return to pot.

Add cayenne pepper, nutmeg, and half-and-half.  Heat through, but do not boil. Top with a dollop of sour cream and chives.  Enjoy!

What to look for when purchasing a Butternut Squash?

One more thing.  If you haven’t purchased butternut squash from the grocery store before.  Here is what you should look for when picking out butternut squash.

Look for one that is unblemished. It will feel heavy for its size and have a matte skin.  A shiny skin indicates that it was picked too early and won’t be as sweet as a fully grown Butternut squash.

Did you make this recipe?

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