CURRIED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP with GINGER & LIME

Sweet, caramelized butternut squash is a gift on grey winter days. Here, it is transformed into a fragrant, nourishing soup with the warming spices of Madras curry powder and a kick of fresh ginger. Please don’t skip the garnishes: this hearty golden bowl sings when topped with creamy yogurt (which also tempers the heat), crunchy toasted squash seeds, and a little shower of lime zest. Pair with a salad of simple greens and pillowy, warm naan for a comforting winter supper.

CURRIED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP with GINGER & LIME

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serves 4

This hearty, warming soup is a nutritional powerhouse. Butternut squash and carrots are brimming with vitamins, antioxidants, minerals, and fiber—and low in calories to boot! And almost all curry powders contain turmeric and black pepper, which work together to reduce inflammation and maintain healthy blood sugar.

A note on next day servings: This soup thickens in the fridge. Stir in a splash of water before gently reheating on stovetop or in microwave. Store any leftover toasted seeds in an airtight container.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 medium butternut squash ( about 2¼ to 2½ pounds)

• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

• extra virgin olive oil

• 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and diced

• 2 medium carrots, peeled and cut in small dice

• 1 tablespoon Madras curry powder (if you cannot find Madras, use your favorite curry powder)

• ¼ teaspoon ground cumin

• 1 tablespoon (a plump 1-inch piece) peeled and grated or finely minced fresh ginger

• 4 cups low sodium vegetable stock

• 2 limes

• ½ cup plain Greek yogurt (preferably whole milk)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

2. Top and tail the squash. Peel, cut in half lengthwise, and scrape seeds from cavity. Save the seeds, separating from and discarding pulp. Rinse seeds in a sieve, pat dry, and set aside in a small bowl. See TIME SAVER tip at bottom of recipe.

3. Dice squash into one-inch cubes and place on prepared sheet pan. Drizzle generously with olive oil, season with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper, tossing well to coat evenly.

4. Spread squash out in a single layer, allowing for space between cubes. Roast for 25-30 minutes, until tender when pierced with a fork and golden on the edges.

5. Remove from oven and set aside. Reduce temperature oven to 350 degrees.

6. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Place onions and carrots in pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften—about 3 minutes. Stir in curry powder, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper, continuing to cook and stir occasionally until vegetables have completely softened but not browned. Add ginger, stirring to coat, and cook for 1 minute more.

7. Add roasted squash, vegetable stock, and 1 cup water to the pot. Stir mixture with wooden spoon, scraping to release any ginger and spices sticking to bottom of pot. Bring to a boil, lower heat, and simmer with lid ajar for 20 minutes.

8. While soup simmers, make the garnishes:

   • For the toasted seeds: Add a good drizzle of olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon curry powder, and a pinch of salt to the reserved squash seeds, stirring to coat. Spread evenly on the parchment lined sheet pan used for the squash (or freshly re-line the sheet) and roast in oven for 10-15 minutes, stirring once or twice, until seeds are toasty and light golden.

   • For the lime yogurt: Zest both limes, then set zest aside in a small bowl. In another bowl, whisk yogurt, 1 tablespoon lime juice, 1 tablespoon water, and a small pinch salt until smooth.

9. When soup is done simmering, remove from heat and carefully purée until velvety smooth with an immersion blender or, working in batches, with a regular blender (please see TIME SAVERS, TIPS, and PRECAUTIONS #3, below). If using a regular blender, add soup back to pot after puréeing. Stir in 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice and season to taste, adding more salt and pepper if needed.

10. Warm to serving temperature over gentle heat if soup has cooled. Ladle into bowls, adding a dollop of lime yogurt and a sprinkle of seeds to each serving. Shower a pinch of the reserved zest overtop.

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TIME SAVERS, TIPS, and PRECAUTIONS

1. Buying precut squash is a timesaver, but if cubes are much bigger than 1-inch they may require a longer cooking time (check doneness by piercing with a knife—it should slide in easily). This timesaver will leave you without seeds for toasting, so pick up toasted and salted pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, or pepitas (not the raw variety) for topping.

2. The fastest way to peel and cube a butternut squash: Cut top and bottom off with a sharp chef’s knife or cleaver (“topping and tailing”) then cut “neck” of squash from the round base. Peel both sections with a speed (Y-shaped) peeler. Next, cut both the neck and the round base in half lengthwise, then scrape out seeds and pulp. Finally, cut into cubes. Don’t stress about the cubes being uniform or perfectly sized.

3. When blending soup in a regular blender: Allow soup to cool in pot a bit before transferring, then, working in batches, fill blender no more than halfway full. Screaming hot liquids steam and expand in the blender which can blow the top off, causing burns (and a massive mess). I place a clean, folded kitchen towel or wash cloth over the closed lid and hold it down while blending to ensure the top stays in place.