More fall food fare here on Refined + Rugged. I am licking my lips just thinking about this delicious soup. I served it this past weekend at our 3rd annual Pumpkin Carving Party!!! In actuality, I think we may have carved pumpkins the first year, but each year as the kiddos have grown and the invite list has gotten longer, we really haven’t carved any pumpkins that evening!!

I make a Butternut Squash Soup every year, and friends usually bring a couple different flavors. This year we enjoyed a dynamite White Chili from David, and a delicious homemade Chicken Noodle Soup from Liza (read EVEN THE NOODLES WERE HOMEMADE!!!).

I am posting both recipes for squash soup that I enjoy. The first comes from The Scramble. This is the soup I made for our par-tay this year. I liked this soup because of the light apple notes. A great fall bouquet of flavors, plus I subbed shallots for the onion. It was SOOOOO yummy!

The second soup also includes curry and boasts a little dose of heavy cream. It has some lower, smoother flavors. The second recipe has been is my go-to Squash Soup for years, and it is an ALWAYS favorite!!! You can’t go wrong with either recipe. I’d love to hear your feedback. Which did you make? What were your thoughts on the flavor? With out further ado…

On with the SOUP!!!

XX, Megan

Ingredients

2 Tbsp. butter
1 sweet yellow onion such as Vidalia or Walla Walla, chopped
3 – 4 lbs. butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced
1 red apple, such as Gala or Fuji, peeled and diced
1 tsp. curry powder
1/2 tsp. ground ginger, or use 1 Tbsp. fresh minced ginger
1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
3 cups reduced-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil (optional)
1/4 cup fresh sage leaves (optional)
2 Tbsp. apple cider, or use apple butter or apple juice
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream or plain yogurt (optional)

Directions

In a large stockpot, melt half the butter over medium heat, and when it is bubbling, add the onions. After about 3 minutes, add the squash and apples, and sauté with the onions for about 5 minutes. Add the curry powder, ginger and cinnamon and cook for 2 more minutes. Add the broth, raise the heat and bring it to a boil, then cover and simmer it for 15 minutes, reducing the heat as needed, until the squash is tender. (Meanwhile, prepare the salad, if you are serving it.) Puree the soup in a standing blender or in the pot with an immersion/hand blender.

Meanwhile, to make the crispy sage leaves, in a small skillet, heat the remaining butter and the oil over medium to medium-high heat. When it is hot, add the sage leaves and cook them until they are brown and crispy, about 2 minutes. Remove them from the heat.

Stir the apple cider into the soup, and serve it hot, seasoned with coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, and topped with crumbled leaves of crispy sage, if desired.

Butternut Squash Curry Soup

Two things about this recipe: 1. It’s better made the day before serving. The curry has a chance to really augment and it tastes much better. 2. I just buy a squash and use whatever I get out of that. I’ve never come up with 3 cups, but it doesn’t seem to diminish the soup.

Ingredients
1 small onion
1/4 cup chopped celery (I at least double)
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules
1/2 teaspoon dill weed
1/4 teaspoon curry powder (I double)
dash cayenne pepper
2 cups chicken broth
1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk (I use half and half because I like
it better, but the original is fine too.)
3 cups mashed cooked acorn squash
salt and pepper to taste
5 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled

Directions
In a large saucepan, saute the onion and celery in butter. Stir in flour, bouillon, dill, curry and cayenne until blended. Gradually add broth and milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Add the squash, salt and pepper; heat through.

In a blender, process the soup in batches until smooth. Alternatively, you can use an immersion blender to smooth your soup. Pour into bowls; garnish with bacon.