Winter Squash Soup
Rich, creamy, sweet and savory soup that will warm you through to your soul. Simple soup to eat by the bowlful or use as a base for other great dishes.
- blender or immersion blender
- 1 each onion, medium size, diced
- 3 each carrots, medium size, diced
- 1 each apple, peeled deseeded and chopped ( granny smith, opal, honeycrisp, fuji, gala or pink lady)
- 3 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 each fall/winter squash, peeled deseeded and diced (butternut is the easiest to process but also try dumpling, buttercup, red kuri, blue hubbard, and small pie pumpkins)
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 quart water or stock (use veggie, chicken, turkey, or corn stock to match desired flavor profile)
- ¼ cup maple syrup, pure
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp allspice
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 1 Tbsp sea salt
In a wide bottomed soup pot, sauté veggies and apples in olive oil on medium heat.
Once softened, add dry seasonings, and sauté until spices become lightly toasted.(the smell is important here)
Stir in maple syrup and add your stock of choice. Bring this up to a boil and reduce to a simmer until veggies and apples are tender and soft all the way through.
Blend in the pot with an immersion blender, or in batches in the pitcher blender until silky smooth.
Adjust seasoning to taste, add a bit more maple to increase sweetness, lemon juice to bring out the flavors, increase salt if the flavors are muddled, add a bit of oil or a dollop of yogurt if sour.
More tart apples with a tinge of sweetness work best for this soup, lean towards the sweeter side if the carrots or squash are less sweet and out of season. Also keep an eye out for your local apple varieties when they are ready, worth the addition.
Try using this for a pasta sauce base and add a bit of cream or yogurt with your favorite cheese. Or smother your favorite tamales or burritos.
Top with crispy bacon, grilled chicken, quinoa, tart sweet cranberry sauce, or fresh herbs and goat cheese.
