Fall Soup Series #1
Bring on the soup this Fall!
Have you seen the return of all the beautiful squash in the supermarkets? They are bountiful this time of year and there are so many different varieties to choose from. To be honest, I kind of love them all, but butternut squash is on the top of my list!
Butternut squash has a subtle sweetness and is both hearty, nutritious and delicious. Roasted, mashed, or in a soup, it is such a wonderfully versatile vegetable. In this soup, it’s the star of the show with heavy assists from delightful adzuki beans spiced with the amazing combination of cinnamon and smoky chipotle. SO GOOD!!
I veer off the recipe here a bit and use my emersion blender to blend it to about a 60/40 consistency (60 puree, 40 chunky) but feel free to blend or mush as much as you wish. I promise the flavour is on point at any stage.
Bonus Bean Tip: If you find that you have difficulty digesting beans, these guys (Adzuki) are easier to digest than most. Also if you soak your dried beans for 24 hours in a bowl of water with 1 tablespoon of baking soda, then rinse thoroughly before adding to the soup, it removes almost 90% of the gas factor.
Adzuki Butternut Squash Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon (dried) coriander
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped chipotle pepper (from can, or rehydrated from dried chile)
- 2 teaspoons fine grain sea salt
- 2 medium-large onions
- 4 cups butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice
- 5 – 6 cups water
- 5 whole canned tomatoes, chopped
- 4 cups cooked or canned adzuki beans
- cilantro drizzle (optional)*
Directions
- Step 1
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat.
- Step 2
Add the cinnamon, coriander, chipotle and salt and saute for a minute or two – until aromatic.
- Step 3
Mix the onions and sauté another 5 minutes or so, until they start to go translucent.
- Step 4
Add the garlic and butternut squash, stir well, and then add 5 cups of water.
- Step 5
Increase the heat to bring to a boil, and once boiling, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for a few minutes, until the squash begins to soften – 5 – 10 minutes.
- Step 6
Once the squash has softened, use a potato masher and break up the squash pieces a bit. Add the tomatoes, and cook a couple more minutes before adding the beans. Serve drizzled with the cilantro.
Serves about 8.
Cilantro Drizzle: Make a quick cilantro drizzle by finely mincing a handful of cilantro. Put it in a jar, and pour just enough olive oil over to cover – plus a couple pinches of salt. 
Still in the mood for Salads?
Check out our featured recipes from our summer salad series!
