Squash is easy to grow in any garden. My Iowa garden is no exception. I always have a bumper crop of butternut squash every fall. So here’s my favorite Squash Soup. This recipe makes 3 quarts! Add croutons for a dash of flavor and crunch.

Farm to Table Butternut Squash Soup

Tools You’ll Need:

Knife and cutting board for vegetables

Saucepan to brown onions & spices

Pot to warm soup

Immersion blender or blender

Ingredients:

Bake @ 400˚ for 50-60 minutes

3# butternut squash cut in ½ with seeds removed

Saute´ in 1 T Olive Oil

2 large onion, chopped

1 bulb garlic, chopped

2 T fresh thyme, chopped

Add and Heat

4 C chicken broth

3 T minced fresh parsley

½ t salt

¼ t pepper

Blend and Then Add

1 C whipping cream

Squash Soup Cooking notes:

 

• It is more efficient to bake the squash for this soup than other methods. Just cut it in 1/2 and scoop out the seeds. Place the squash meat-side down in a 9X13 glass baking dish with about a ½ inch of water.
• You can substitute 2 t dried thyme and 1 T dried parsley for fresh. I had to do this for the recipe pictured. It all turned out.
• While the squash is baking, chop the onion fine and then saute´ the onion, garlic, and thyme in 1 Tablespoon olive oil until translucent. Pour in the chicken stock.
• After the squash has cooled, scoop out the squash and put in a large stockpot that has everything in it except the whipping cream.
• I highly recommend you use an immersion blender! I use mine many times more than a regular blender for soups. Here’s a link to one that is similar to mine.
• Stir in the whipping cream after the soup is complete.

Details About How to Harvest and Store Squash

I pick the squash when the skin is hard (can’t dent with a fingernail) and the color is a nice over-all tan. Be sure to leave at least one inch of stem when you pick the squash.

I then sit the squash upright in the garage when the air temperature is still 80-85 degrees for 10-14 days. If the temperature dips in the evening, I’ll bring it into the house overnight. This process will cure the squash so it will last for up to 3 months! My squash is then stored in the basement furnace room until I need it to make soups, chips, and all sorts of squash dishes! The squash I used for this recipe is around 3 months old. It’s still good!

Here are all the details from the Iowa State Extension Office.