Butternut Squash Soup with Pumpkin Butter

By BobD

Considered a Thanksgiving classic, this versatile and universally loved soup is simply too tasty to enjoy only once a year. Now that peeled and precut butternut squash is available in grocery stores year-round, you can make this easy three-step—roast, blend, and simmer—soup anytime you like. Like apple or pear butter, pumpkin butter is gently cooked with some sugar until it's smooth and has a buttery texture. Look for pumpkin butter near the jams and jellies in your grocery store.

Ingredients

• Vegetable oil spray
• 1 2-pound butternut squash, halved lengthwise and seeded
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• Pinch of grated nutmeg
• 1 cup milk or half-and-half
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 10-ounce jar pumpkin butter
• Chopped pistachio nuts

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 375 °F. Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with the vegetable oil spray.

Place the squash halves, cut side down, in the prepared dish. Pierce the skin sides several times with a fork. Bake until the squash is tender, about 45 minutes. Set aside until cool enough to handle.

Using a large spoon, scrape the flesh from the cooked squash into a food processor. Discard the skins. Add 1 1/2 cups of the chicken broth, the cinnamon, marjoram, thyme, and nutmeg and puree until smooth. Transfer the puree to a large saucepan. Whisk the milk into the soup over medium heat. If you prefer a thinner consistency, add the remaining broth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Make it your own:

* Roll diced squash in a bit of canola oil and ground cinnamon. Spread on a sheet pan, sprinkle with brown sugar, and bake at 375°F for 15 to 20 minutes. Add these sweet bits of squash when pureeing the soup.