Recipes by Rupa Sethu

Butternut Squash Soup

Starting in fall and all through winter, it’s soup season in my kitchen! It’s so healthy, easy to eat and the perfect make ahead meal – not to mention an easy way to finish up the random veggies in the fridge. What could be more delightful than a warm bowl of butternut squash soup on a cold, grey, winter day? The color alone puts a smile on my face!!

I love butternut squash soup and have probably tried every variation – spicy, sweet, with and without cream etc. This one is a simple recipe that takes just a few minutes to prep (the pot does all the work!) and will give you yummy weekday lunches for a few days!

Ingredients

This is just a guideline – please feel free to vary the amounts to your taste!

  • 1 diced red onion
  • A 2 inch piece of fresh ginger, chopped
  • 1 butternut squash, cubed
  • 3 carrots, chopped
  • 1 can of light coconut milk
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Method

  • Prepare all the ingredients – everything will get pureed later so a rough dice is fine!
  • Sauté the onions, ginger, carrots and squash in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil, in a heavy bottom stock pot.
  • Add water to cover the veggies and bring to boil. Then, lower the heat to simmer, covered for about 15 minutes till the veggies are all nice and soft.
  • Puree the vegetables till really smooth and silky in texture. Add some water to thin out the soup, if needed.
  • Return to the stove and stir in the can of coconut milk. I like the 365 Organic Light Coconut Milk from Whole Foods since it is really low in fat and sodium. For added zing, you could add some red chili powder too!
  • Let simmer for about 5 minutes. Finish with some freshly ground pepper and a bit of salt (or if you are like me, add the salt to your bowl).
  • Serve with a fresh basil (or cilantro) garnish.

Such a warming, colorful, healthy and low-sodium soup! Serve with a low sodium roll of your choice. I found brioche rolls at Whole Foods (also available on Amazon) that came in at 160mg of sodium! Bonus tip: Split the roll, toast it and add unsalted butter and sprinkle some garlic powder to make a quick garlic bread to dunk into the soup. Yum!