butternut squash soup with fresh ginger

Despite San Francisco’s sunny, 70 degree days—70 degrees in late October is so worth sky-high rent—it is officially fall and high time to bust out the squash dishes. Butternut squash is cheap, delicious and versatile. You can make soup, roast it, throw it in risotto, on a pizza, in pasta … endless possibilities. This recipe will make enough soup for lunch the next day or to freeze for the next time you don’t feel like cooking.

Butternut Squash Soup with Fresh Ginger
1 medium butternut squash, cubed
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 quart vegetable stock or water
2 t fresh ginger, grated
olive oil, salt, pepper, chili flake

The hardest part of cooking squash is peeling the dang thing. Here is my technique for cubing a butternut squash. Cut the squash into two pieces separating the round part from the neck. Standing the neck up in a cylindrical sort of way, cut off the peel. For the bulbous portion, cut it in half and scoop out the seeds. Peel off the skin like you would a melon. Cut into rough cubes.

Sauté the onion in a bit of olive oil until translucent. Add the garlic and sauté for another few minutes. Add the cubed squash and stock or water. Boil the soup partially covered for 30 – 40 minutes, until the squash is fork tender. Once the squash is tender, puree it with an immersion blender or in a standard blender. Add the grated ginger and season with salt and pepper. I served it topped with a little creme fraiche and chives.

Happy fall!