The leaves have officially changed colors, our walks to class have gotten much colder and the desire to cuddle up and stay in over going out has begun to set in. Some may simply refer to this as fall or a mid-semester slump, but we’re calling it soup season. We all have our moments where we wish we could teleport back to our childhood beds on a chilly day and enjoy a warm bowl of love served up by our mom. This may feel impossible to replicate while away at school, but VALLEY is here to teach you! It’s soup season and we’re starting with an autumn classic — Butternut Squash!
This soup is not just comforting and warm for the chilly days ahead, but it is also packed with vitamins and nutrients that will help combat the incoming frat flu season.
Ingredients
- 1 medium butternut squash (about 2 pounds)
- 1 yellow onion (they are sweeter than the red)
- A handful of baby carrots
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon ground of nutmeg or cinnamon (these are optional but add that fall flavor)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Chop your veggies: Cut up your butternut squash into 1-inch cubes, roughly chop your onion and mince your garlic. The carrots are fine as is if you use the baby ones, if you only have a full carrot, chop into 1-inch sections.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and roast: This is an optional step but will give your soup more depth of flavor. Put all of your veggies onto a pan and drizzle your olive oil and seasonings on top. Mix everything together and throw it into the oven for 30 minutes to get that caramelized flavor. (The added bonus of this step is that your apartment will smell amazing.)
- Combine in a pot: In a large pot, dump all of your roasted veggies and cover with your vegetable or chicken broth. Cook on medium heat until the broth begins to simmer. This will ensure that all of the veggies are tender and soft while infusing the broth with the roasted flavor. If you skipped the roasting step, allow the veggies to cook in the broth until they are easily pierced with a fork.
- Blend: Ladle all of your veggies out of the pot and into a blender. Make sure to get some of the broth into the blender as well, about 2 cups. Blend until smooth. You can add more broth as you blend if it is too thick.
- Back into the pot: Pour the blended mixture back into the pot with any remaining broth. Taste and add any more necessary seasonings to your liking. Bring the mixture to a simmer over low heat and let it sit for another 10-15 minutes.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with whatever you’d like!
- VALLEY Tip: To make this soup even better make a grilled cheese sandwich for dipping!!
Cooking a homecooked meal for yourself is not only a step towards independence but is an act of self-care. Share the love and make this for your roommates too! Let VALLEY know if you try the soup and tag us @VALLEYmag on all socials!
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