Ginger Butternut Squash Bisque
In between all the cookies and the holiday parties I thought you might want a nice, nourishing soup that’s also delicious enough to serve on Christmas! Ginger and butternut squash are two things that go together so beautifully. Marry that with some coconut milk in lieu of cream and you have a lovely soup to enjoy on those busy days, running around from holiday event to holiday event!
I also love to serve this as a first course on Christmas Eve or Christmas Night. While super smooth and creamy from the coconut milk it’s actually a very light soup that is such a beautiful introduction to the rest of a celebration meal. The ginger keeps it fresh and I love the crunch of the pumpkin seeds. There are 2 ways that I make this soup, one is to dice the squash and saute with the rest of the vegetables, however I find that you almost always need to add a little maple syrup to finish it. The second way I prepare it is to halve the squash and roast in the oven until it’s super soft and golden brown. The oven caramelizes the natural sugars in the squash and makes it sweeter without adding any of the maple syrup. Either way, entirely up to you and both are delicious!
And if you want to serve this on Christmas, maybe time to get out that soup tureen you never use. It’s a grand presentation that is also a wonderful way to serve at the table. I’m always a big supporter of using your fancy plates and silverware, whether it’s actual china or just a nicer set of plates, crystal, silver or even just family heirlooms it’s a really lovely time to celebrate using your special pieces on your table. Because if you don’t use them at the holidays….you never will!
xo, Kendra
Ginger Butternut Squash Bisque
Gluten Free, Free From the Top-9 Food Allergens
Sibo Phase 2, AIP Compliant, Vegan
Ingredients
- 1 butternut squash, about 1 1/2 pounds
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 3″ piece ginger, peeled and chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 can full fat coconut milk
- 1 vegan bouillon cube + 2 c. water OR 2 c. vegetable broth
- 1 lime
- additional coconut cream, to top
- toasted pumpkin seeds, to top
Directions
To prepare using the roast method~
- Preheat oven to 375, cut squash in half lengthwise and roast with a bit of coconut oil-cut side down- for 35 minutes until golden brown and soft.
- Meanwhile, saute with some olive oil or coconut oil the diced yellow onion, celery, carrots, ginger pieces and whole cloves of garlic over medium-low heat until softened, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add the coconut milk, the bouillon + water or the broth and bring to a simmer. Turn heat down to low, cover and cook for 20 minutes while the squash finishes roasting.
- Scoop out the flesh of the squash and add to the soup pot. Cook for 10 more minutes to meld flavors.
- Ladle into a blender, being sure to vent the top so it doesn’t pop off from the steam! Add the juice from one lime and puree until silky smooth.
- Serve with a drizzle of coconut cream and sprinkle of pumpkin seeds.
To prepare using the saute method-
- Peel and dice the butternut squash. An easy way to get your knife through the hard squash is to pierce it a few times with a fork and then microwave it for 2 minutes just to soften the outside. Then cut off the top and bottom, peel, remove the seeds and dice.
- Saute with some olive oil or coconut oil the squash, diced yellow onion, celery, carrots, ginger pieces and whole cloves of garlic over medium-low heat until softened, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add the coconut milk, the bouillon + water or the broth and bring to a simmer. Turn heat down to low, cover and cook for 20 minutes while the squash finishes roasting.
- Ladle into a blender, being sure to vent the top so it doesn’t pop off from the steam! Add the juice from one lime and puree until silky smooth.
- Serve with a drizzle of coconut cream and sprinkle of pumpkin seeds.
