For the vegetarian cook, butternut squash is a staple winter ingredient, and a good butternut squash soup recipe is a must. As the days have been getting shorter and the evenings getting cooler, here in Charlottesville we've been craving a comforting warm soup. This is a great recipe to make on a Sunday afternoon and let simmer to develop the flavors and warm up your house (it also makes plenty to have for leftovers during the week).
In our minds the perfect butternut soup is rich and creamy but not heavy with cream and butter. The sweetness of the squash is balanced by acid, in this case from apples and wine. Once served the smoothness of the soup is contrasted by crunchy croutons.
We put a twist on the classic recipe by substituting almond milk for heavy cream, which added richness, but still keep it light. We used granny smith apples and a dry white wine to provide a nice crispness while our garlic and balsamic croutons added the perfect crunch.
We will certainly be enjoying variations of this soup all winter long and hope you can enjoy it as well in one of the cold nights to come!
Butternut Squash Bisque
Adapted from L'etoile restaurant in Charlottesville, VA
1 tbs olive oil
1 tbs butter
1 onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
1 large or 2 small butternut squashed, diced
1 medium sweet potato, diced
2 apples (granny smith or another tart variety), diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp ginger, minced
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 cup white wine
5 cups vegetable broth
2 cups milk (whole or heavy cream for a very rich soup; 2%, 1% or almond milk for a lighter soup)
Salt and pepper to taste
Paprika (optional)
Heat olive oil and butter in a large, heavy pot over medium heat. Add onion and carrots and cook until soft and lightly caramelized, about 10 minutes. Add butternut squash, sweet potato, and apple and cook for another 5 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and wine and cook, stirring often, for 5 more minutes. Add vegetable broth, bring to boil, then simmer until vegetable or very soft, about 40 minutes.
Use immersion blender or regular blender (careful!) to puree the soup until very smooth. Add milk, season to taste, and reheat if necessary, but don't boil.
Serve warm, topped with paprika and croutons or crusty bread.
Garlic and Balsamic Croutons
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbs olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
4 slices of whole wheat or multigrain bread, diced
Preheat oven to 400F.
Combine garlic, vinegar, oil, salt, and pepper in large bowl and let sit for about 10 minutes, to allow garlic to infuse into oil. Add bread and toss to combine.
Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake until golden brown and crunchy, about 20 minutes.
