I have this tendency to get really excited at the market about all the pretty vegetables, buy said pretty vegetables, then eat about 2/3 of the pretty vegetables and have this weird assortment of stuff at the end of the week. Thus, my classic clean out the fridge recipe: Butternut Squash Soup.

Start with a simple base, add a couple more items of your choosing, and pick a spice palette. You’ll have a heart-warming bowl of winter goodness in no time that’s perfect for sipping as you binge-watch Netflix. Which, as you can see, we did just the other night…

Clean Out the Fridge Recipe
Butternut Squash Soup

The Must-Have List of Ingredients:

one butternut squash (obvi)
¹⁄₂ of any onion you have on hand
at least 2 carrots
chicken broth (enough to cover all your veggies, usually about 6 cups)

The Optional List of Additions:
(pick at least 2)

sweet potato
apple
celery

Spices:

Pick one of the options and spice to taste. Start with a little, but I’m going to say that as a general rule, if you’re using dried spices, you’ll probably be using at least a ¹⁄₂  to 1 teaspoon for a big pot of veggies.

Spices (Option 1)
nutmeg
curry powder

Spices (Option 2)
ginger

Spices (Option 3)
cumin
paprika

If You’d Like a Creamier Soup:

If you want a creamier soup, simply stir in a dollop of Greek yogurt, sour cream, or heavy whipping cream just before serving. I’d recommend letting your creamy product warm up a bit on the counter as you cook so that it blends better with the hot liquid.

Make It:

First things first: You want to chop all ingredients to roughly the same size, and throw them in a heavy bottomed pot.

Next, cover with chicken broth.

Cover and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Once it’s boiling, turn your heat down to medium low. Let the pot simmer until the veggies are soft. (This can take 30 to 45 minutes depending on how much you have in the pot.)

Add a bit of spice towards the end.

Use an immersion blender to break down your softened vegetables.#

#FAIL:
I was once throwing a dinner party and experimenting with soup. I didn’t realize that throwing hot liquid into a blender can be disastrous (not to mention dangerous). The hot liquid exploded all over the walls and cabinets in my kitchen and me. Lesson to be learned: Either cool the soup before using a blender or buy an immersion blender. They’re $30-$40 and worth every penny! 

Taste your soup. Do you need more spice? If so add some now.

If you’re using a cream ingredient, stir it in just before serving and be sure not to leave your pot on the heat.

We always serve this with cheese toast. You should too!