Curried roasted butternut squash soup


Time flies by so fast, doesn't it! It seems hardly a few weeks ago when the leaves started turning red and the chilly fall winds were blowing and now, look, end of winter is already in-sight (well, a bit distant sight.. but in sight neverthless, right!)! I know, I know, many of you particularly on the east coast are battered with snow storms after snow storms, but hey, look at the brighter side, there are just ten some weeks for us to endure these wintry days... I thought of this while on my morning stroll on a chilli Saturday morning (dreaming of the hot cup of coffee waiting for me at home - goes without saying :D). If a mere thought can make you warmer, happier then this was it...  but the next moment I was like what about all those winter vegetables that I planned to try this season? Back in November it seemed there was forever to try the winters bounty but with February halfway gone it sure feels like looking from the 'other' side of the winter :)  So in the next few weeks I am going to squeeze in some last minute winter's vegetables that I wanted to cook this season starting with butternut squash today.
(Follow the read more link below for the rest of the post.....)


Butternut squash is one of the squashes of the winter squash family. The outside is pale yellow in a bell shaped curve while the insides are deep orange. The deeper the flesh, the riper and sweeter is the taste! It has a sweet nutty taste and is not stringy at-all making it ideal for soups and gratins. In flavor I felt butternut squash was more like a mix of pumpkin and sweet potato. It is an excellent source of phytonutrients, vitamins A and C and anti-oxidants.
Due to its starchy texture the soup was very thick and creamy (without adding any cream!). I experimented with flavors a bit by adding curry powder and was immensely happy with the results. The soup had a slight curry edgy byte to it while you certainly feel much needed warmth while sipping on cloves, ginger, chili and black pepper. Cardamom adds this nice twinge that makes me people go.. hmm, what is it! I added sugar at the end to balance all the flavors. 

Anyway, without further ado here is my curried roasted butternut squash soup.

Ingredients:
1 butternut squash
3C water
1 small onion
1 green chili - de-seeded and chopped
1 small clove of garlic - minced
1/2inch piece of fresh ginger - chopped
1 carrot
2 celery sticks

Spices:
1/2tsp good quality curry powder (or garam masala)
1/2tsp paprika
1 bay leaf
1tsp sugar
dash of cinnamon and nutmeg
1 cardamom pod - crushed
olive oil, salt & pepper
(adjust all the seasonings per taste)

Garnish: toasted coconut flakes or toasted almond slices

Recipe:
  1. Preheat oven to 425F. Cut the squash in half. Remove the seeds. Cut the squash halves into 3 large pieces each.
  2. Place the squash pieces skin-side down on a cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil (picture above). Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper.
  3. Roast for 45-60mins or so until the squash is tender and the flesh is caramelized.
  4. Remove squash from oven. Let it cool down enough to handle. Remove the peels and cut the squash into byte sized cubes (squash is much easier to cut and peel when its tender after roasting).
  5. Heat 1Tbsp olive oil in a soup pot. Add chopped onions, deseeded and chopped chili, ginger, garlic, carrots and celery. Cook for a few minutes.
  6. Add squash pieces, 3C water and the rest of the spices. Stir well and let cook (covered) for 15-20 mins.
  7. Remove from heat. Remove the bay leaf. Using an immersion blender or a regular blender puree the soup. (The soup will be on the thick side due to the squash; you can always add more water now if you want a thinner soup)
  8. Taste, adjust the seasonings and serve! You can garnish with some toasted coconut flakes, toasted almond slices, croutons or just some plain cream or olive oil. Serve warm.

    Comments

    Sonia said…
    Feel like I am slurping this beautiful soup! slurrrp....slurrrrp...:D

    You people don't worry. We'll swap our season soon. :) And did i tell you...i love wintery days except early sunset. :( It does matter to me a lot because of lack of sunshine and it also affects my photography session. :|

    i can see your reflection in 1st pic here...in ur spoon. :D

    mast mast soup aahe! ;)
    All blogs are full of soups dese days might b bcoz of d weather..
    That soup looks very colorful n yummy
    All blogs are full of soups dese days might b bcoz of d weather..
    That soup looks very colorful n yummy
    Sushma Mallya said…
    wow what a beautiful soup!!looks lovely and colour of it is too good PJ and ur pics are always nice..
    Padhu Sankar said…
    So colorful and beautiful pictures! Here we do not get this vegetable.
    Rachana said…
    What a lovely bowl of Soup!!!! Looks really inviting...
    TREAT AND TRICK said…
    Great presentation and healthy soup, love your detailed post about the squash, thanks for sharing...
    Hayley said…
    hey PJ..soup looks yummy and colourful...same soup i made it over the weekend...pics looks perfect..:))
    Parita said…
    Thats some delightful looking soup, sounds healthy and fulfilling!
    Finla said…
    I would love to have this delcious soup, especially as I am having a very bad cough and it is really cold here. Slurp.
    Unknown said…
    This is one of my favorite soups and i am really inspired by your photo to make it on a snowy day like this and enjoy. Brilliant picture.
    SE said…
    such a beautiful picture...with the onslaught of the winter storm, all I am in need of is the soup...i too finished by last squash that I had last week !!!
    indosungod said…
    Sunshine in a bowl. Looks beautiful.
    Butternut squash brings sunshine whenever I cook with it. It is a very versatile vegetable lending itself to many transformations.
    Haddock said…
    This must be had real hot I suppose.
    Perfect photo (except for the reflection in the spoon....)
    mmmmmmmmmmmmmm wonderful soup... I love soups and almost make 5 days a week... roasted squash soup oh wow thats really silky and mouthwatering. By the way I loved ur click ...
    Rujuta said…
    Yummmmmmmy......PJ
    Wonderful recipe and those clicks are too good.....i m feeling very hungry just looking at those lovely clicks......good recipe......
    PJ said…
    Hi Sonia, heh heh, loved that bit about swapping seasons :) I know, photography sessions is whats suffering most with lack of real sunlight.. glad you liked the soup!

    Pratibha, yeah, its the last winter blast so I think everyone is running to soups now :)

    Sushma, thanks! I love this soup is so colorful! glad you liked it.

    Padhu, thanks! I wonder if you get some frozen or pre-cut squash?

    Rachana, thanks! I am so glad you liked the soup.
    PJ said…
    Treat and trick, thanks! I am so glad you liked the post and the soup.

    Jagruti, see, great minds think alike :) Isn't this the easiest and yummiest soup ever!

    Parita, thanks! I am glad you liked it.

    Happy Cook, oh no, hope you feel better soon! I would send a bowl of this soup virtually to you right now :)

    A2Zvegetarian cuisine, thanks! I love to sip this soup on a wintry day too!
    PJ said…
    SE, Yeah, this is surely a winter soup.. perfect hot soup to sip on a snowy day. Stay warm!

    Indo, I love cooking with butternut squash too.. but its something I should start doing more off. So true, it is a very versatile vegetable for sure!

    Haddock, thanks! Yes, it is a hot soup or a warm soup atleast. I know, I didn't see my reflection until I uploaded the photos on PC.. what to do then, soup was already all over to take another shot :)

    Pavithra, thanks! I am a soup-lover too, love a meal of soup and bread only.. perfect for winter I think.

    Rujuta, thanks! I am so glad you liked the recipe and the pics.. :)
    Cham said…
    Feb is end of winter , hehe only in CA, don't u feel the difference. I ve my rose buds blooming and few strawb flowers and the sun still 6 pm.... Cannot wait until the end of month to start my garden!
    Soup is great for this wet weather!
    Love the pic of the butternut squash we rarely sight here....yeah the deeper the sweeter sure holds true....love this fantastic recipe
    Siddhi Shirsat said…
    wow pj this soup luks very tempting n flavourful...very nice recipe...thnx for sharing
    PJ said…
    Cham, oh wow, strawberry flowers! Thats awesome... I wish I had a green thumb like yours.

    VanillaStrawberrySpringfields, thanks! Yeah, it looks like butternut squash is not easy to find in India.

    Siddhi, thanks! glad you liked it :)
    Namitha said…
    Brilliant idea...i could smell the roasted butternut squash here...though virtually :-) One more recipe for my soup collection, thanks :D
    ARUNA said…
    wow that soup is gorgeous and nice click indeed!
    Trendsetters said…
    soup is good for another 6 weeks of winter
    Padmajha said…
    Like Prathiba saud,its raining soup everywhere and I am sure we all love them all the more in winter :)
    Preeti Kashyap said…
    Lovely creamy soup...yummmmm. Perfect for a snow storm I am stuck in.
    PJ said…
    Gulmohar, thanks! Oh, they smelled wonderful, didn't they :)

    Aruna, welcome to my blog! Thanks, I am so glad you liked the soup and the clicks.

    Trendsetters, yeah, lets load up on soups for as long as snowstorms stay :)

    PJ, I so agree! Soups are sure lifesavers in the wintry, rainy days.

    Preeti, oh no, I wish I could virtually transport you a bowl of this soup! Stay warm.
    shahana said…
    Beautiful ,delicious soup for this winter
    Sayantani said…
    thats a wonderful looking soup PJ. love its colour. I love thick creamy soups. perfect for winter.
    PJ said…
    Shahana, thanks! This soup was a comfort to sip on in the middle of winter for sure!

    Sayantani, thanks! I am so glad you liked it.
    Joanne said…
    If you were going to try ANY vegetable this winter season, butternut squash would have been what I would have recommended. It is my absolute favorite vegetable.

    This soup looks and sounds delicious! I love all of the spices you added in.
    ruchikacooks said…
    Lovely click PJ. Soup with spices is good for the season..Yum.
    PJ said…
    Joanne, thanks! I haven't cooked as much with butternut squash as with other squashes but I sure loved cooking with it so far.

    Ruchika, thanks! I am so glad you liked the soup and the click.
    Sunitha said…
    Aren't you determined! I like that. You rightly said that we are looking at winter from the 'other side.' Spring is almost tangible.
    Sarah Naveen said…
    Nice click and looks so yummy!!!!!
    ruchikacooks said…
    Yeah, I was bored of the jammed look, glad that you liked the new look of the page
    Anonymous said…
    there is something so warm abt winter veggies no? i love squash soup..they r so creamy and so filling. lovely colour PJ
    PJ said…
    Nostalgia, yeah, I like looking at winter from the other side :)

    Sarah, thanks! I am so glad you liked it.

    Ruchika, yeah, lovely looks.. very festive.

    MunchCruchandSuch, I so agree.. its like nature has made these winter veggies for us to cope with the winter snowy dread and gloom..:)
    Preety said…
    the color itself is so beautiful and you presented it beautifully too..
    Radhika said…
    I love butternut squash soup! I like this version with curry and almonds on top! I will definitely give this a try :)
    wow that looks really good.. and beautiful color... perfect for this cold weather
    PJ said…
    Preety, thanks! I am glad you liked it.

    Radhika, thanks! I hope you try it, and let me know how it goes :)

    AdukalaVishesham, thanks! yeah, it was a comfort to sip on it on a cold night.
    Pari Vasisht said…
    Hi. kashi ahes, sorry for the delayed comment..have not been able to blog hop..too unwell dear but I need that bowl of soup right now.
    The shape of the squash is so much like the papaya we get here..
    pierre said…
    squash and curry yeahhh you tempt me !! Pierre
    PJ said…
    Hi Pari, hope you feel better soon! No problem, just take rest and good care for now. Not sure about the soup, but I sure sent a bowl of chili and cornbread your way today, hope you like it!

    Pierre, thanks! Curried squash was a good combo, I liked it too :)

    Preety, thanks and a very happy v-day to you too!

    Cicily, thanks and welcome to my blog! I am off to visit yours now.
    Malar Gandhi said…
    Thats a terrific picture, looks absolutely mouthwatering.