My Curried Butternut Squash Soup is a perfect remedy for a gloomy day. It is bright, bold and heartwarming.  Everything will seem better.

A bowl full of my Curried Butternut Squash Soup on a cold day makes everything better. The beautiful orange color makes the kitchen appear brighter and warmer, the smell of spices is irresistible and once you start eating, the combination of flavors makes it hard to put the spoon down.

To make my soup very flavorful I use yellow curry powder, sweet paprika, cumin and cinnamon. I add them at the beginning and the spices cook in the coconut oil and some liquid released by the onions. This process is called “blooming” and allows the aromatic oils to awaken.

Curry powder is a blend of several different spices, like fenugreek, coriander seeds, cardamom, red chili peppers, cinnamon, ginger and turmeric to name a few. Leaves from a curry plant, on the other hand, are often used as a herb and have a very subtle flavor. Many components of the curry powder are believed to provide some health benefits, by lowering cholesterol, controlling blood sugar and fighting inflammation and cancer. Curry powder should be stored in an air-tight container for up to 2 months.

Once the aroma of the spices fills up my kitchen I add cubed butternut squash, carrots and pour a few cups of vegetable broth. Everything simmers nicely for about 40 minutes.

When the vegetables are soft I transfer the soup to a blender and puree it for about a minute. Then I return it to a pot, warm it up a bit and adjust the spices. So simple yet delicious and quick! I love to serve it with a swirl of goat milk yogurt or some goat cheese. Crunchy pepitas taste great, too! Did you know that pepitas are an excellent source of zinc, vitamin E and many minerals and antioxidants?

Serves: 6                  Prep time: 10 minutes              Ready in: 1 hr

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, sliced
• 2 tablespoons yellow curry powder
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• dash of cayenne pepper
• 1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed (seeds might be reserved and toasted)
• 4 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Goat milk yogurt/goat cheese to serve
• Pepitas (optional)

Directions:

1. Prepare the butternut squash: cut in half lengthwise, remove the seeds, peel and cut in cubes. Set aside. (You can roast the seeds with some coconut oil and salt at 325 degrees for 10-13 minutes).
2. Heat up the coconut oil in a soup pot. Chop the onion and garlic. Add to the pot. Cook, stirring, until onion starts to soften, about 4 minutes.
3. Add spices: curry powder, paprika, cumin, cinnamon and cayenne pepper if using. Stir and cook until the spices become fragrant, about 2 minutes.
4. Add cubed butternut squash and carrots. Pour the vegetable broth, bring to boil then reduce the heat to simmer and cover. Cook for about 35-40 minutes, until the vegetables are soft.
5. Carefully transfer to a blender and puree. Do it in stages to reduce the risk of overspilling while pureeing.
6. Return the soup to the pot and adjust the seasonings.
7. Serve with a dollop of goat milk yogurt (or your favorite yogurt) or some crumbled goat cheese. Sprinkle some toasted pepitas on top.

Enjoy!