When most people think of their favorite fall foods, the first things that come to mind are sweets: apple pie, pumpkin spice lattes, cranberries, etc. And who can blame them? More often than not, the savory elements that fall has to offer are tricky to cook with, which explains why we use them to decorate our porches and cornucopias instead of our dinner tables. This recipe takes one of fall’s most famous farm finds, squash, and turns it into one of the easiest, most delicious meals you can make this season.
**Note: This recipe yields about four servings and takes approximately one hour to prepare.
Photo by Katie D.
Ingredients:
– 2 yellow squashes
– 1 zucchini
– 2 small carrots
– ½ parsnip
– ¼ yellow onion
– 3 cups beef broth (for a vegetarian meal, substitute with vegetable broth)
– ¼ cup milk
– ¼ cup heavy cream
– ¼ cup of shredded cheese (any type works, but I went with Mexican Style Four Cheese)
– ¼ cup flour
– Salt and pepper, to taste
– Vegetable oil
– Walnuts, sour cream, and parsley (optional garnishes)
Photo by Katie D.
Directions:
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Line a baking pan with aluminum foil, and set your oven to 425° F.
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Peel the squash, zucchini, carrots and parsnips, then chop them into 1-inch cubes. Throw the cubes into the lined baking pan while making sure not to overcrowd the pan. Add salt and pepper to taste, and drizzle enough vegetable oil to coat the vegetables thoroughly. Put the pan in the oven, and set a timer for 40 minutes. After 20 minutes of roasting, cover the pan with aluminum foil.
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Pour enough oil into a medium-sized soup pot to liberally coat the bottom, and put it on a medium-high heated stove. To add richness, you can add a pat of butter to the pot as well. Remove the skin from the onion, and chop it roughly. Add onion into the pot, and fry it until translucent.
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Once the onion is ready, add flour into the pot 1 tablespoon at a time, and mix with the onion and oil until paste forms. The amount of flour you need may be more or less than 1⁄4 cup total, depending on your pot.
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Allow the paste to lightly brown, then add beef broth into the pot and stir until the paste has dissolved. If there are small lumps in your broth, feel free to run it through a strainer—just be sure to press as much as you can through. Turn the stovetop heat to low.
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Remove the pan from the oven once the timer goes off. Put the roasted vegetables into a food processor (or blender/immersion blender) and blend until smooth.
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Add pureed vegetables into the broth, and stir until soup reaches a consistent texture. Then, add the cream, milk, and cheese, along with any additional salt and pepper you feel is needed. Increase the heat to prepare for serving.
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Pour into bowls and garnish with sour cream, crushed walnuts, or parsley (optional). Serve and enjoy!
One taste of this soup, and you’ll never look at squash as something simply decorative again. Treat your friends and family to this yummy meal, and they’ll surely be impressed—but treat them soon. This recipe is especially great while it’s in season: it’ll warm you right up as temperatures dip and brighten your outlook as the days get shorter!
Photo by Katie D.