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For a winter special occasion or just a weekday meal, this butternut squash soup recipe makes a perfect, warming starter course. The snipped chives and pomegranate garnishes add a festive touch, but you can also use crumbled bacon and a swirl of crème fraiche to top this bisque.
Ingredients
- butter: 3 Tbsp
- onion: 1 piece (diced)
- kosher salt, plus more: 1 tsp (to taste, divided)
- butternut squash: 1 piece (2 pound)
- tomato paste: 2 Tbsp
- quart chicken broth: 1 piece
- pinch cayenne pepper: 1 piece
- heavy cream or creme fraiche, plus more to garnish: 0.5 cup
- maple syrup: 2 Tbsp (to taste)
- fresh chives: (for garnish, chopped)
- Pomegranate seeds: (for garnish)
Metric Conversion
Stages of cooking
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Melt butter in a pot over medium-low heat. Add onions and a large pinch of salt. Cook and stir until onions have softened but not taken on any color, about 10 or 15 minutes.
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Cut off ends of squash. Carefully cut squash in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. Peel the squash with a vegetable peeler. Cut into chunks.
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Raise heat under the pot to medium-high. Stir in tomato paste; cook and stir until mixture begins to caramelize and turn brown, about 2 minutes. Add squash, chicken broth, 1 teaspoon salt, and cayenne pepper. Bring to a simmer; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until squash is very tender, 15 to 25 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Blend with an immersion blender until very smooth. Stir in cream and maple syrup; add more salt if needed.
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Ladle into serving bowls. Garnish with a swirl of cream, and a sprinkle of chives and pomegranate seeds. Chef John
