by Janet Zappala (used with permission)
This smooth yet hearty soup is easy to prepare, but it will make you look like a super chef to those lucky enough to have some…and you thought you couldn’t cook!
Prep time: 25 minutes Cook time: 45 minutes Serves 4
Ingredients
- 1 medium butternut squash
- 2 baking potatoes, peeled and cut in chunks
- 1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 medium celery stalks, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 32-ounce container low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
- 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
Preparation
Cut off and discard the top and bottom of the squash. Peel the squash with a vegetable peeler. Cut lengthwise in half; scoop out and discard the seeds. Cut the squash into 1-inch pieces. Put the squash, potatoes, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, and broth into a large sauce pot over medium-high heat; bring to a boil (about 10 minutes). Reduce the heat to a simmer.
Cook for about 35 minutes, gently stirring occasionally, until all the vegetables are tender. Using a hand blender, blend vegetables until smooth; season the soup with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into individual bowls, drizzle with olive oil and serve.
Tip: When time is tight, try fresh-cut, ready-to-go butternut squash from your supermarket. Although a bit more expensive, it’s already peeled and diced for you. Frozen butternut squash also works well.