Carrot Butternut Squash Soup
Plates / location / co-stying by Desa of Lux Eros, Photo / co-styling / recipe made with love by Jenna Peffley, All food from Hollywood Farmer’s Market and Erewhon , Super cute salt dish by Beautifully Served, Napkin by The Milo House / Prelude and Dawn
One of my biggest pet peeves is having to scroll through some kind of story prior to getting to a recipe. I know it’s the thing to do, but when I’m hunting for something to make, it tends to just get in the way. I promise I’m going to do my best not to do that here, save this little blurb about that exact thing. All of my recipes tend to be a little loosey-goosey - meaning nothing is set in stone, and I don’t always properly measure, and sometimes I just use whatever happens to be in the fridge. I think cooking, for the most part, is pretty intuitive (with the exception of baking, which can be a little tricky without proper measurements). So feel free to modify this recipe however you please. Don’t have butternut squash? Try cauliflower (cauliflower always works as a tasty creamy soup base, and takes on the flavor of whatever else you’ve added - although it can smell like farts when steaming, so let your house guests know it’s not you, it’s the soup - you swear). Don’t do garlic or onions? leave it out! It will still taste good. Promise. Only have a pear instead of an apple? That would likely be pretty tasty. No fresh ginger? Use powdered! Or go another flavor direction! Not a cinnamon fan? Try mace or saffron, or simply omit! When you’re cooking with fresh, real food, you’d be surprised how easily flavors blend together. Let yourself have fun in the kitchen. Play. Experiment. Don’t beat yourself up if it lacks flavor, just add more salt.
Jenna’s Butternut Squash Carrot Soup
AIP / Vegan Option / Paleo / Gluten Free
Serving size:
Usually gets a good 6 servings (depending on the size of your bowl) and a jar of leftovers to freeze.
Ingredients:
1 Medium to large Butternut Squash
5 - 7 large carrots
1 knob of ginger, grated (skins off)
Optional - Fresh grated or powdered turmeric (1 - 2 knobs or 1 tbsp, accordingly)
1 onion, chopped (omit for FODMAP)
1 head of garlic (more if you want it, less if you don’t do garlic)
1 apple, chopped
Fresh Herbs - I like sage, thyme (or lemon thyme) and rosemary OR Herbs De Provence (if AIP, make sure to find one without fennel seeds)
1 tsp to 1 tbsp Pink himalayan salt or Maldon Salt Flakes (or fancy salt of choice)
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 -2 tbsp Cooking Fat - I love coconut oil, a good EVOO, and avocado oil (all vegan options) but I also love pastured tallow/lard or ghee if you’re not AIP (and pastured butter if you’re doing butter). I don’t believe in using margarine (do people still use margarine??), conventional butter, vegetable oil, canola oil, sunflower seed oil…you get the idea.
6 cups of Bone Broth, Vegetable Broth, or Water (more if you like it runnier, less if you like it thicker) If you use store bought broth, just make sure it doesn’t have any ingredients that you don’t recognize in whole form.
Instant Pot Directions:
Pour 1 cup of water in the bottom of instant pot, and place rack inside.
Cut butternut squash in half, scrape out seeds. and place on rack in instant pot.
Set instant pot for 6 minutes manual pressure (if you use cauliflower instead cut off greens and stem and do 2 minutes).
In the meantime, chop up carrots, grate ginger, chop onion, chop (roughly) garlic, chop apple, and roughly chop fresh herbs (or just have your Herbs de Provence ready) Set aside.
When Squash is done, let pressure release for 5 minutes, then manually release pressure. take squash out and set aside. Take rack out. Dump out remaining water.
Put metal pot back into instant pot and set to Sautee.
Add in cooking fat of choice, and chopped veggies/herbs, spices, and salt. Stir for 10 minutes (the pre-programed sauté time on the instant pot).
Once it’s done sautéing, pour in broth or water
Set Instant pot to 6 minutes.
Allow pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then manually release it. Open lid, and scoop out butternut squash. Add it into the instant pot. Then use a stick blender to blend (or a Vitamix).
Garnish (if you want to), serve, and devour!
What if I don’t have an Instant-Pot? (I’ve got you. Regular recipe below.)
Preheat oven to 425° F
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Roast butternut squash for 45 minutes drizzled with olive oil and salt, until fork tender (if you do cauliflower instead, roast chopped up and drizzled with olive oil and salt for 30 minutes).
In the last 10-15 minutes of the squash roasting, using a stock pot, follow the above directions for sautéing the rest of the ingredients stovetop, on medium high heat for about 10 minutes.
Add broth or water
Reduce heat to medium and allow to simmer for 45 minutes. After 45 minutes, add in scooped out butternut squash and allow to simmer for an additional 10 minutes, then puree with a stick blender and serve.
Garnish (if you want to), serve, and devour!