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–+ servings
squash soup

Acorn Squash Soup from Ancient Grains for Modern Meals by Maria Speck

Beth Lee
Use this fabulous recipe as a springboard to try other squashes. Adjust the spiciness up or down in both the soup and the yogurt topping to please your palate. The oatmeal gives it a rich, velvety feel in every mouthful.
4.80 from 5 votes
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Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Course Soup
Cuisine German, Greek
Servings 6 servings
Calories 156 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • ¼ cup old fashioned rolled oats not instant or quick-cooking
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 cup finely chopped yellow onion about 1 small
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic about 3 cloves
  • ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 2 pounds acorn squash** peeled, seeded, and cut into ¾ inch cubes (about 6 cups)
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 quart low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth

Spicy Yogurt Topping

  • ½ lemon I used meyer
  • 1 cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt can use lowfat also
  • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper or to taste

To finish

  • ½ to 1 teaspoon sugar I didn't use any
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Instructions
 

  • If roasting the squash, rub the flesh with a little olive oil, place it on a sheet pan with a bit of water and roast it at 400 degrees for 20 - 30 minutes, until a knife easily passes through the flesh. The red kuri squash roasted more quickly than the acorn.
  • While the squash is roasting, prepare the rest of the ingredients. Grind the oats in a food processor until they are a coarse meal. If you will be using the food processor to puree the soup, no need to clean it yet.
  • Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the chopped onion, garlic, and ¼ teaspoon of the salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is glassy and soft, 6 to 8 minutes.
  • If sauteing the squash (instead of roasting), increase the heat to medium, add the squash, and cook until the pieces shine with a coating of oil, stirring, about 1 minute. Then increase the heat to medium, add the oats, nutmeg, pepper, and pepper flakes and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. If you roasted the squash, then increase the heat to medium, add the oats, nutmeg, pepper, and pepper flakes and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Now add in the roasted squash, the broth, and the remaining ½ teaspoon salt and bring to a boil, scraping the bottom of the pan to release any toasted oatmeal bits.
  • Decrease the heat to maintain a simmer, cover, and cook until the squash is tender (if you didn't roast it) about 8 minutes, or just let it simmer for 5 - 8 minutes to meld all the flavors if you did roast it.
  • While the soup simmers, make the spicy yogurt topping. Finely grate the lemon half until you have ½ teaspoon zest. Squeeze the fruit to get 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Add the yogurt, lemon juice, zest, salt, and cayenne to a small serving bowl and beat with a fork until smooth. This can be made up to 3 days ahead of time.
  • To finish, puree the soup with a handheld blender in the saucepan, or in bathces in the food processor (use caution with hot liquids!). If using a food processor, return the mixture to the saucepan and gently rewarm over medium heat until bubbles appear just below the surface, stirring a few times. Add ½ teaspoon of the sugar if desired. Taste for salt, pepper, and sugar and adjust. Ladle the soup into deep plates, spoon a generious tablespoon of topping into each, and garnish with parsley. Be sure to swirl the topping into the soup before you dig in.
  • If not eating the soup right away, let it cool a little and store away in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Maria says you can also freeze the soup for up to 1 month but not the yogurt topping.

Notes

Maria also suggests the option of using a blue hubbard squash or easily available butternut, which you can find pre-chopped. I also noticed that Whole Foods is now carrying butternut squash puree in cans - this would not be my first choice as a substitute but it might be an option when you are on a very tight time schedule.
**OR 2 pounds acorn squash or 1 pound acorn and 1 pound red kuri cut in half, rubbed with olive oil, for roasting

Nutrition

Calories: 156kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 8gFat: 3gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 455mgPotassium: 784mgFiber: 3gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 795IUVitamin C: 27.1mgCalcium: 109mgIron: 1.8mg
Keyword soup, winter squash
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