Hearty Butternut Squash Soup

By Aurora Ibarra

Thanksgiving is just around the corner and what better way to “open your appetite” with a hearty butternut squash soup?” With autumn in full swing, I can’t help but have this  soup in my regular recipe rotation. The recipe is versatile and great for the vegetarians at your table.

You can roast the squash at 400 degrees F for 30 minutes with some olive oil and salt and pepper, or saute if you are short on time.  I love to curl up on the couch with a blanket and a big bowl of soup…and this is one of my favorites right now! Buen provecho!

Yields 3 servings

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 cups butternut squash, chopped into cubes
• 1 zucchini, diced
• 1 leek, chopped
• 1 shallot, chopped
• 2 1/4 cups vegetable broth*
•  fresh thyme
• sunflower or canola oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a medium sized soup pot over medium-high heat. Saute the shallot for a couple minutes, add the leeks and cook until slightly browned. Add the chopped butternut squash and zucchini and cook for a couple minutes more.
2. Add the vegetable broth and a couple twigs of thyme. Cover and bring the soup up to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 25 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Take out the twigs of thyme.
3. Carefully place the soup in a blender and blend until a thick consistency is formed (be careful when blending hot liquids! I like to take the small cap in the middle of the blender’s lid out and place a towel over it so that the pressure of the hot liquid does not blow up the lid). Serve and top with more squash if you like.*This soup is a bit thick, I love the consistency but if you like runnier soups add more water as needed.