October 23, 2023

When fall time hits, the temperatures drop, the garden is starting to slow down, and the buttercup squash is ready to be picked. This only means one thing: soup season. This recipe is simple but has the sweet and earthy flavors of the squash, and is the perfect pair to a grilled cheese or piece of fresh bread on a cooler fall day. It is a great make-ahead option which can be made different ways, all the way from a creamy soup to sweet or spicy. The hardest part will be deciding which option to choose!

What does a Buttercup Squash Taste Like

Buttercup squash is a creamy squash that has a sweeter taste when roasted. The best part of cooking a squash are the variety of flavors that can be made. From sweet all the way to spicy, and everything in between. Buttercup squash makes for a great side dish, and will last as long as it is stored in a cool, dark place.

Equipment Needed:

-Blender such as a Vitamix or Ninja or a food processor. An immersion blender would also work if the other blenders are not available.
-Sheet pan
-Large Soup Pot
-Cutting board
-Sharp knife

Ingredients for the Soup

What I really love about this soup recipe are the simple and common ingredients needed, which also means less trips to the grocery store.
-Buttercup Squash. The star of the show. Each summer, we grow enough squash to get us through the winter. We keep the extras in a cool, dark area to keep them fresh.
-Onion. I prefer the sweet yellow onion for this recipe. This onion makes the recipe taste sweeter and warmer.
-Garlic Cloves. Roasted garlic adds a ton of flavor to this soup. You can never have enough!
-Chicken broth. Homemade chicken broth has a ton of flavor to it, and really ties the ingredients together.
-Brown Sugar (Optional). If you are in the mood for a sweeter soup, a little brown sugar sprinkled on the soup makes this soup a 20/10.
-Cinnamon (Optional). If I use brown sugar on the soup, I also add cinnamon to balance the flavors.
-Cayenne pepper or black pepper (Optional). Cayenne is a wonderful option if you want the soup to have a little spice.
-Pumpkin Seeds (Optional). Roasted pumpkin seeds would add extra texture and crunch to this recipe.
-Maple Syrup (Optional). Another option to add a sweet flavor.

Substitutions

-Vegetable broth or vegetable stock can be used instead of chicken broth or chicken stock
-Coconut milk instead of heavy cream

How to Prepare the Buttercup Squash

The peel on winter squash can be tough, so make sure you have a spot on the counter to work with. Start by cutting off the top and bottom. After, remove the remaining peel of the squash. This squash also has seeds inside. Cut the squash in half, and using a spoon, remove the seeds. To help speed up the time for cooking the squash, cut into 1 inch pieces. Place the squash on a sheet pan, and drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper. Another option for preparing the squash is to cook it whole. This option takes longer. Start by cutting a circle around the stem of the squash. Take the top off, scoop out the seeds, add the desired amount of olive oil, butter, salt and pepper. Cook at 420 degrees for about an hour, or until the squash can be scooped out with a spoon.

Squash, onion and garlic for buttercup squash soup

How to Prepare the Onion and Garlic

Once the squash is prepared and on the sheet pan, the remaining ingredients are very easy to get ready. Start by cutting the onions in half, removing the peels, and place on the pan. For the garlic, cut the top of the bulb, allowing some of the garlic cloves to be shown. Place on the sheet pan, and drizzle both the onions and garlic with olive oil and salt and pepper.

Place the sheet pan in a preheated 420 degree oven, and roast for about 40 minutes, or until the vegetables start to brown, and are tender with a fork. The roasted garlic and onion add a ton of additional flavor to the soup, so these ingredients will not want to be skipped!

How to Combine all Ingredients

Once the vegetables have roasted and have cooled for about ten minutes, start by placing half of the ingredients in your blender. At the same time, add some chicken broth to the mixture, which will allow the ingredients to blender better. After that batch is added, transfer to a large soup pot, and finish blending the remaining ingredients. Warm the blended soup over medium heat, until it reaches the desired temperature.

How to Store

The best part of this soup, is how it can be stored for later. The first time I made this, I made the mistake of not making a double batch. The ease of storing it is another reason it’s my favorite recipe. It is so easy to double or triple the recipe to stock up for the winter months. A couple options for storage are using freezer safe ziplock bags. Let the soup come to room temperature, fill quart sized bags with two cups of soup, place the bags flat on a sheet plan, and place in the freezer. This will freeze the bags flat, taking up no additional space in your freezer. When you are ready to use them, place the ziplock bags in the microwave for about one minute, allowing the soup to start thawing. From there, the soup can easily be taken out of the bag, and placed into a bowl. A second method of storage is to use a freezer safe soup airtight container. These can be purchased online and allow you to microwave your soup when you’re ready to eat!