Butternut soup

If you’re looking for a cosy soup that will warm you up in Autumn and the Cooler seasons, this is it. This Roasted Butternut soup is flavourful, it uses simple ingredients, and it has a velvety texture with a subtle sweetness. The flavours are heart-warmingly good, and it has a high nutritional value.

Did you know that Butternut squash is native to the Americas and has been growing in that part of the world for thousands of years? The country, now known as Mexico, was among the first to grow butternuts. Butternuts were a staple food for the people of Mexico. When Europeans encountered the butternut squash in these regions, they adopted the agricultural practice of growing it in their respective countries; they were so fascinated with the butternut that they began to incorporate it into their cuisine, making pies, roasted vegetables, and even soups. 

Europeans have been known to make vegetable based soups for centuries. The idea of pureed soups became popular in the 17^th and 18^th centuries, especially in France, where the French chefs began to blend the vegetables and broths to create smooth and velvety texture of soups. Butternut soup is a refined dish that became even more popular in the 20^th century, particularly in the United States.

Butternut soup has evolved through the times, this soup is often found in high-end restaurants and homes around the world. Traditional butternut soup uses roasted or simmered butternut, whilst fusion dishes use ginger, herbs and cooking cream. Since the butternut is loaded with minerals and vitamins, its usage in the form of soup is increasing in popularity for vegetarians and vegans.

Ingredients to make Butternut soup

Butternut squash, Heavy cream, Olive oil, Ginger Powder, Garlic Powder, Water, Nutmeg, Onion.

Butternut Squash is a vibrant orange squash with a sweet flavour. When the squash is baked in the oven, this process enhances the nuttiness of the soup. It is a staple in many fall dishes, and the flavours pair well with savoury ingredients. When pureed, it creates a beautiful and creamy soup.

Adding heavy cream adds a rich dimension to this soup, elevating the butternut soup to a restaurant-quality level. It’s not surprising that this soup features prominently in many high-end restaurants. When it comes to cooking oil, choose a neutral oil such as Grapeseed oil, Avocado oil, Light Canola oil, or Olive oil.

Ginger, Nutmeg, and Garlic powder add warm, spicy notes that enhance the depth, warmth, and complexity of the dish. Onions are sliced and sautéed until they reach a deep caramelization, adding an extra layer of sweetness.

Instructions

Peel the skin of butternut squash, remove the seeds and chop the butternut in 1 inch blocks. Preheat the oven to 180 Celsius. Add the chopped butternut to a baking tray, drizzle with cooking oil. Sprinkle brown sugar on top of the butternut. Bake for 60 minutes.

Finely slice the onion. Bring a pot to medium low heat. Drizzle the cooking oil and add the onion. Sauté the onion for four to five minutes on medium low heat. Then, add the dry ingredients like nutmeg, ginger powder, garlic powder and salt, stir to mix and continue to sauté the onion for one minute.  

Add the roasted butternut to the pot. Sauté for three to four minutes. Add water. Turn off the heat for the stove. Use an immersion blender to blend the ingredients. You can also blend the ingredients in a standing blender, simply transfer the ingredients and blend for two to four minutes until smooth.

Once the butternut and spices are blended, pour in the cooking cream and simmer on medium low-heat for five minutes. Close the lid while simmering. Turn off the heat and serve with chopped parsley.

Expert tips

You can skip the roasting part of the butternut and simply boil the butternut in water on a stove for eight to ten minutes. Thereafter, drain the water and grill with lots of butter on a grill pan until it has a visible browning on the butternut squash. This process of Boiling (10 Minutes) and Grilling (10 Minutes) will reduce the cooking time by thirty-five minutes.

Adding cinnamon and nutmeg enhances the warmth of the soup. You can add paprika powder or cayenne pepper powder for a little bit of heat. Substitute coconut milk or cream in place of the heavy cream, which has a lighter consistency compared to the cooking cream. The savoury butternut soup is often served as an appetizer in a dinner course meal. However, it can also be served as a dessert by enhancing the sweetness by adding brown sugar or maple syrup. 

What can be Served with the Butternut soup?

Crusty breads like Baguette, Sourdough bread, Garlic Bread and Ciabatta are well matched pairs for the butternut soup. Green salad with arugula, spinach, feta cheese with cranberries or pomegranate seeds. This Butternut soup can also be served as starter prior to serving Grilled Chicken or Grilled Lamb Chops. Apple and pear slices will add a refreshing taste to the tartness of soup. Sprinkle nuts or seeds for extra texture.

Is Butternut Soup good for you?

Butternut is one of the super foods that are packed with fibres, as well as nutrition like essential minerals like potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron and manganese, and vitamins like Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin B1, B3, B6 and B9. It also has anti-oxidants like beta-carotene, which fights against the free-radicals and helps to reduce inflammation in the body.