Butternut Squash or Pumpkin Soup

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Butternut Squash or Pumpkin Soup
Recipe type: Soup
 
I’ve been making this soup for many years; I developed it after a friend returned from Africa raving about pumpkin-peanut soup but since that time have used variations of it to create French, Italian, Thai and even Persian-style pumpkin soups. This version combines elements of African and Thai soups and is delicious. It seems that practically every culture uses pumpkins and squashes for soups and curries, since they are so easy to grow, easy to store, easy to cook and so good for you. Every fall I buy lots of edible pumpkins and butternut squash and store them in the basement – we eat fresh pumpkin all winter long!
Ingredients
  • 1 medium sugar pumpkin, skinned and cubed, or one large butternut squash
  • Oil
  • 2 medium onions, chopped
  • Garlic to taste
  • Stock (vegetable, chicken, or beef)
  • I can (14 ounces) Unsweetened coconut milk
  • 2+ tablespoons peanut butter
  • 2 bay leaves
  • Salt, pepper, and chili to taste
  • Seasonings: cardomom pods, cloves, or cumin
Instructions
  1. In a stock pot cook the onions and garlic in oil until soft. Add the pumpkin, coconut milk, and stock until pumpkin pieces are covered. Add the peanut butter and all the spices and simmer until thick and mushy. Remove bay leaves and cardamom before serving. You can also put the soup in the blender for a smoother consistency.
  2. Serve with Cilantro-Yogurt Topping.