Squash Soup

We all know how important it is that our families get enough vegetables in their diets.  We also know how hard doing so can be.  With this squash soup recipe, however, things just got simpler.  Make this soup ahead and freeze in portion-sized containers, for a great make-ahead snack or at-work lunch.  Or, make a big batch for dinner, or simply to have on-hand after dinner when you start to feel the munchies coming on.  Yet another option for this filling yet healthy, low-cal soup is to have a cup of it before each meal, and you'll find that you eat much less in a sitting.  No matter how you use this soup, chances are you'll be reaping its many health benefits for both you and your family.

A great blender saves valuable
cupboard space because it can
double as a blender and food
processor.

Ingredients
2 12-oz bricks frozen cooked squash
2 quarts chicken stock
1 large sweet onion (such as Walla Walla or Mayan Sweet)
4 cloves garlic
1/4 c grated ginger root
Salt and pepper to taste

Make-Ahead Preparation

• Coarsely chop onion, and mince garlic.  Place in medium saucepan, and cover generously with broth and cover.  Bring broth to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer until onion is soft (about 10 minutes).  Set aside and allow to cool.
• Place the remainder of the broth in another saucepan, and add frozen squash.  Cover, and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.  Simmer for approximately 10 minutes.
• Once the onion mixture is cool, place in blender or food processor with ginger and puree until smooth.  
• Mix onion puree into squash mixture.
• Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Tip:  If you want to add more garlic, ginger, or onion, take some of the soup out and simmer it with the added ingredient to soften it up, and then puree in blender.  
• Place soup in freezer containers and freeze.

To Serve

• Heat frozen soup in microwave, or in a saucepan over medium heat.  
• Tip:  Try garnishing soup with parmesan cheese. If you do this, be careful how much salt you add, because parmesan cheese is also salty.
• Tip:  This soup makes a refreshing side dish in the summer; chill soup for an hour and serve cold.  Garnish with fresh cilantro or basil.

Thanks so much to my mother-in-law for sharing her squash soup recipe with us!  More soup recipes you might like:
Make-Ahead Slow Cooker Chili
See all...