Not Your Mom’s Squash Soup

by Recipes

Squash soup is a classic favorite, and don’t get us wrong–we love the classic version we grew up on. If you’re looking for something just a little different with an extra hint of pizzazz, however, this is the soup for you. Serve it with whole-grain naan and a lightly dressed side salad for a wonderful, balanced fall meal that’s simple enough for a school night and elegant enough for a celebration.

Curried Squash and Apple Bisque with Leek Soup

Curried Squash & Apple Bisque with Leek

Print this recipe | Get the full nutrition facts

This recipe yields approximately 1½ quarts of soup, and it’s very flexible. If you don’t have squash, carrots make an excellent substitute. You can skip straining the soup to up the fiber content and also increase the yield. Serve with a light salad of mixed greens tossed with the Avocado Vinaigrette found in Guiding Stars’ recipe section.

One Guiding Stars iconOne Guiding Stars indicate good nutritional value.

One Guiding Stars is
good nutrition

Servings: 6 (521 g )

Prep Time: 30 min.

Cook Time: 50 min.

Ingredients

  • 3 medium leeks, white part only, coarsely chopped
  • 2 large celery stocks, coarsely chopped
  • 1 cup tart apple, peeled, cored, diced into ½” cubes
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 tsp. Madras curry powder
  • ¼ tsp. cinnamon
  • 1 small bay leaf
  • 4 cups butternut squash, peeled and chopped into 1” cubes
  • 1 large russet potato, peeled and chopped into 1” cubes
  • 1½ quarts low sodium vegetable broth
  • 2 Tbsp. maple syrup
  • 2 Tbsp. fresh-squeezed orange juice
  • ½ cup heavy cream or evaporated skim milk
  • pepper to taste

Optional Garnishes*:

  • chives

Directions

  1. In a heavy-bottomed 6-quart pot, over medium heat, sauté the leeks, celery, apple, and salt in olive oil until softened (8 minutes).
  2. Add the curry powder, cinnamon, and bay leaf stirring until the spices become fragrant (1 minute).
  3. Add the squash, potato, and broth. Stir and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, until the potato crumbles when pressed with a fork (25-30 minutes).
  4. Remove from heat and discard bay leaf. Using an immersion blender or a regular blender (working in small batches), puree the soup until completely smooth.
  5. Strain the soup through a fine mesh strainer, taking care not to push the fibrous solids through the mesh. Return the soup to the stove and bring to a light simmer, reducing until the soup lightly coats the back of a spoon.
  6. Remove from heat and stir in the maple syrup, orange juice, heavy cream or evaporated skim milk, and a dash of pepper. Garnish with chopped chives, if desired.

*Optional garnishes have not been included in the rating of this recipe.