Fall Squash Soup

A delicious, warming squash soup with other fall vegetables and spices is perfect for a cold day. Light enough to serve as an appetizer, but delicious enough to make a main dish. Serve hot with a hearty slice of toast.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter 
• 1 onion, diced 
• 1 celery stalk, diced 
• 1 carrot, diced 
• 2 cloves garlic, minced 
• 4 cups chicken stock 
• 1 butternut squash, peeled and cubed 
• 1 small turnip, peeled and diced 
• 1 small sweet potato, peeled and cubed 
• 1 pinch ground cinnamon, or to taste 
• 1 pinch ground nutmeg, or to taste 
• salt and ground black pepper to taste 

Directions

• Step 1 Melt butter in a large soup pot over medium heat until just bubbling and beginning to smell nutty, 1 to 3 minutes. Add onion, celery, and carrot; cook until onion is soft and translucent, another 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic directly to the bottom of the pot and cook for about 1 minute before stirring; be careful to prevent burning. Add chicken stock, butternut squash, turnip, and sweet potato and bring to a boil. Cover pot and simmer soup until sweet potato is fork tender, about 40 minutes.
• Step 2 Puree soup using a stick blender to desired consistency. Season to taste with cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and black pepper.

Cook's Notes:

To easily peel the squash, first cut a small piece off of each end. Set the large end flat on a cutting board, and use a potato peeler to peel downward from the top in long strokes. Once peeled, cut the squash in half lengthwise and remove the seeds with a spoon.

Tips

For more control over the chunkiness of the soup, puree part of it in a stand blender instead of using a stick blender.

Nutrition Facts 

Per Serving:268 calories; protein 5.2g 11% DV; carbohydrates 44.3g 14% DV; fat 9.7g 15% DV; cholesterol 29mg 10% DV; sodium 1332.7mg 53% DV.