At the beginning of October I asked whats the one fall dish you cannot live without and to my surprise several people said butternut squash soup. As someone who’s never found it to be all that compelling, I was left wondering how I would deliver on this concept. Then I saw honeynut squash! A quick google told me its sweeter and has a more concentrated flavor than its cousin, the butternut. And here we are.
Roasting the squash, onion, and an entire head of garlic gives the soup a deep, slightly caramelized flavor, while Ras el Hanout, Dijon, cream, and butter make it feel rich and cozy without being overly heavy.
Serve it with a warm baguette and whatever toppings sound good — crispy prosciutto, crème fraîche, pepitas, chives, or a drizzle of basil oil are all great options.
Time: About 1 hour
Serves: About six cups of soup so two large bowls or four smaller side bowls of soup.
Ingredients
2 honeynut squashes
1 whole head garlic
1 small sweet onion
Olive oil, as needed
3–4 cups chicken stock, plus more as needed
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
2 teaspoons Ras el Hanout or another warm Moroccan or Lebanese-style spice blend
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons cold butter
Topping Ideas
Crispy prosciutto
Crème fraîche
Toasted pepitas
Basil oil
Chopped chives
Red pepper flakes
For serving: warm baguette
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Remove the stems from the honeynut squashes, then carefully slice each squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out and discard the seeds.
Rub the squash halves lightly with olive oil on both sides and arrange them cut-side down on the prepared baking sheet.
Cut the onion in half and remove the papery skin. Place both halves on the baking sheet and drizzle lightly with olive oil.
Slice about 1/4 inch off the top of the garlic head, exposing the tops of the cloves. Drizzle generously with olive oil, allowing some of the oil to seep between the cloves.
Wrap the garlic tightly in aluminum foil and place it on the baking sheet with the squash and onion.
Roast everything for about 45 minutes, or until the squash is very tender, the onion is soft, and the garlic cloves are golden and easily squeezed from their skins.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let everything cool for about 10 minutes, or until comfortable to handle.
Scoop the roasted squash flesh into a blender and discard the skins. Add the roasted onion and squeeze the softened garlic cloves from their skins directly into the blender.
Add about 1 1/2 cups chicken stock and blend until completely smooth.
Heat a large soup pot over medium-low heat with a small drizzle of olive oil. Pour in the squash purée.
Add additional chicken stock about 1 cup at a time, whisking or stirring well after each addition, until the soup reaches your preferred consistency. You’ll likely use around 3–4 cups total.
Stir in the paprika, Ras el Hanout, salt, black pepper, heavy cream, and Dijon mustard.
Keep the soup over low heat, allowing it to gently simmer for a few minutes. Avoid a hard boil once the cream has been added.
Taste and adjust the salt, pepper, or spices as needed. Add another splash of stock if the soup becomes thicker than you’d like.
When you’re ready to serve, turn off the heat and stir in 2 tablespoons cold butter until completely melted. This gives the soup a glossy, silky finish.
Divide between bowls and finish with your favorite toppings.
Serve warm with plenty of crusty baguette.
Tips
Honeynut squash is naturally sweeter and more concentrated in flavor than butternut squash, so the warm spices work especially well here. If your spice blend is particularly strong, start with 1 teaspoon and add the second after tasting.
The amount of stock you need will depend on the size of your squash and how thick you like your soup, so add it gradually rather than all at once.
If you want an extra-silky texture, blend the finished soup again after adding the cream and seasonings, or pass it through a fine-mesh sieve.
For crispy prosciutto, bake thin slices at 400°F for about 8–12 minutes until crisp, then crumble them over the soup just before serving.
And in closing - I had our TV mounted so that I can watch Bones while I’m cooking!!