Squash Soup with Sage and Pumpkin Seed Oil
Squash Soup with Sage and Pumpkin Seed Oil
This savory, comforting soup is the perfect way to celebrate beautiful winter squash. I incorporated sage, thyme and my Austrian Black Gold (pumpkin seed oil) to create a delicious, toasty soup that's wonderful for a holiday or just a weeknight at home. (this recipe is adapted from a Deborah Madison recipe)
Ingredients
Squash Soup
- 1 large butternut squash
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil separated
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 8 leaves fresh sage or 1/2 teaspoon dried sage
- 8 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth
- 1 medium Onion
- 1 large leek or a second medium onion
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin seed oil or toasted sesame oil
Fried Sage
- 10 leaves fresh sage
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
Make the soup
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees
- Wash any dirt off of the butternut squash and split it lengthwise
- Scoop the seeds out of the squash
- Brush the squash with olive oil
- Place the squash, cut side down, on a baking sheet and bake until brown and soft to the touch - about 40 minutes
- Let the squash cool slightly and scoop the flesh out of the skin
- Chop the onion (or onions)
- Chop the leek (if using)
- Chop the garlic
- Chop the first 8 leaves of sage and strip the thyme leaves off the stem (or measure the dried herbs)
- Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large pot
- Add the onions, leeks (if using), sage, thyme, salt and pepper to the pot and saute until the onions begin to soften - about 10 minutes
- Add the garlic and sauté for another 30 seconds
- Add the squash squash and 6 cups of vegetable broth to the pot. (You may need to add more as it cooks to get the consistency you like in the soup)
- Stir the soup, smoothing the squash with a spoon, and bring to a boil
- Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes
- Grab your handy, dandy immersion blender (or regular blender)
- Blend the soup until it's smooth and a consistency you like, adding more broth as necessary. Adjust the seasonings to your taste - I often find it needs more salt at this point, especially if I use low sodium broth
Fry the Sage
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a frying pan
- Pick the 10 lovely sage leaves
- Fry the sage leaves for about 30 seconds or until just crisp. They will smell fantastic!
- Set the fried sage leaves on a paper towel to drain and sprinkle with kosher salt
Finish the fabulous soup
- Serve the squash soup in a pretty bowl with a fried sage leaf and a drizzle of pumpkin seed oil (or toasted sesame oil)
