Creamy, comforting, earthy, warming, silky and gorgeous. Butternut squash — and many other winter squashes — cozy right up to traditional Indian flavors. And this soup is one of those dishes that will make anyone entering your house say, “What in the world smells so amazing?” It’s the combination of all the warm spices, the hit of fresh ginger, and the sweetness of this easy-to-find, inexpensive winter squash.
If you use vegetable broth, the soup is vegetarian. And if there is a dairy intolerance in your household, swap the butter out for olive oil and skip the cream. You’ll have a lighter, lactose-free, vegan soup. If you like fresh cilantro, think about sprinkling some of the chopped herb on top just before serving.
This is a lovely opener to a fall dinner, but with a big chopped salad it can very well be the main event. It also is a great do ahead soup. It can be prepped up to four days in advance. If you plan to make it ahead, stop before the cream is added and refrigerate the soup. Just before serving, reheat the soup and add the cream. If you reheat it with the cream already added in, make sure you only bring it to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat so it doesn’t curdle.
INDIAN BUTTERNUT SQUASH-CARROT SOUP
Start to finish: 45 minutes
Servings: 6
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 large carrots, peeled and sliced
1 large (about 2 1/2 pounds) butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed (4 to 5 cups)
6 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Pinch turmeric
Pinch ground cloves
1/2 cup heavy cream
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
Nutrition information per serving: 190 calories; 100 calories from fat (53 percent of total calories); 12 g fat (7 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 40 mg cholesterol; 260 mg sodium; 19 g carbohydrate; 4 g fiber; 5 g sugar; 4 g protein.
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