Ask Chef Nicole: Curried Butternut Squash Soup

Local CT farms are long on butternut squash these days so it is readily and inexpensively available at all your local farm stands and markets. This fruit has a wonderful sweet creamy consistency and nutty flavor, thus lending itself nicely to soups without requiring added fat or sweetener. 

When you are selecting your squash, look for fruit that feels heavy for its size and has a nice hard, deep colored skin free of blemishes. The more orange the skin color, the riper and sweeter the squash. 

This is a very simple recipe that has great nuance from the curry, cumin, and lime zest. It has become a mainstay in my household every Fall. 

Curried Butternut Squash Soup Recipe

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 onion, chopped

1 butternut squash, peeled

6 cups chicken stock

½ tsp. nutmeg

½ tsp. curry powder

½ tsp. cumin powder

Kosher salt and black pepper

Lime zest

2 scallions for garnish

Roasted pumpkin seeds for garnish

Cut squash into 1-inch chunks. In large pot melt butter. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 8 minutes. Add squash, stock, nutmeg, curry, cumin, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook until squash is tender about 20 minutes. Using a hand blender, puree until smooth. Ladle soup into a bowl and garnish with lime zest and pumpkin seeds before serving.

Check out Chef Nicole's current cooking class schedule here.