What could be better on a cold winter’s day than a simple squash soup? During the shorter days of the season, I like to plan for a simple dinner that takes under thirty minutes to prepare. The recipe below features an heirloom Autumn Frost butternut squash, but any winter squash will be great. This soup also freezes well, so feel free to make a double batch and tuck one away for an even quicker weeknight meal or workday lunch.

A creamy squash soup is a household favorite, but you will find it at Coho Restaurant as well! At the restaurant, we pride ourselves in using local and seasonal ingredients and we are always making a soup with all of the locally grown squashes harvested at farms around the island. We will switch from the Autumn Frost squash I use below to acorn squash from Sweet Earth Farm just eight miles down the road.

We like to pair this seasonal soup with our housemade seed bread for a hearty first course. Garnish with whatever favorite toppings you have on hand.

What soups are keeping you warm this winter? Share with us on Facebook!

Ingredients

1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and diced
1 can coconut milk
2-inch knob of ginger, peeled
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
cilantro for garnish, chopped

Instructions

1. Place squash in a medium-sized pot and cover with water. Boil squash for 20-30 minutes, until tender and soft. The softer the squash, the easier it will be when blending all the ingredients together.

2. Reserve 1 cup of cooking water. Pour the squash and water into a blender. Add the remaining ingredients. It is not necessary to dice the ginger if your blender is powerful enough.

3. Blend all the ingredients for three minutes or until the soup is smooth. If the soup has cooled, reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave. Portion into your favorite bowls and garnish with cilantro or any herbs you have in your refrigerator. If you like a bit of heat, try some crushed red pepper flakes for garnish.