Oh butternut! Sometimes you remind me of myself. Hard on the outside, but shiny and gorgeous on the inside. I'm not even kidding :) Also, just like me, butternut squash is incredibly versatile and is so good for you!
Last week I picked up a butternut squash at the grocery store and decided to make soup. But I wanted to make this butternut squash soup different from the other ones I've made. No curry. No coconut milk. No roasted pears or apples. Instead, I decided to spice things up with aleppo peppers and add crispy chickpeas and pepitas for some texture.
Butternut Squash Soup with Aleppo Peppers, Chickpeas & Pepitas
Ingredients
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 butternut squash, peeled and chopped into 1" pieces
1 red onion, chopped into 1" pieces
3 garlic cloves, smashed
salt & pepper to taste
1-2 teaspoons aleppo pepper
32 ounces low sodium chicken broth (or use vegetable broth to make this vegetarian)
topping: Crispy Chickpeas & Pepitas with Za'atar
{aleppo pepper on the left, green za'atar on the right}
Directions
1. Heat the olive oil in a soup pot. Add butternut squash, onions, garlic, salt & pepper, and alepppo pepper and saute for 15 minutes.
2. Add the chicken broth, bring to a boil, lower the heat, cover the pot and cook until the vegetables are completely tender, about 15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, make the chickpeas and pepitas for the topping.
4. Using a stick blender, puree the soup till smooth. Add more salt and/or aleppo pepper if needed.
5. Serve topped with crispy chickpeas and pepitas and a dash of green za'atar.
I really liked the flavor of this soup: it was earthy and reminded me of fall. It's great on a chilly day or night, and gets better as it sits in your refrigerator.
What's your favorite thing to do with butternut squash soup?
This soup looks delicious. I like the idea of adding chick peas on top. Plus, I think Yotam would approve.
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