6 Ingredient Butternut Squash Soup

There's one Butternut Squash Soup recipe that I keep going back to, and it just so happens to have only 6 ingredients (well, 7 if you include salt, but whatevs).


Despite its minuscule  list of ingredients, it tastes like it was made in some fancy restaurant served in tiny cups. And since the main ingredients are simply squash and water, it’s pretty healthy (we’ll just ignore that 1/2 cup of cream for the whole pot of soup, mmmkkaayy?).

The best part? With all ingredients included, the whole pot of soup only cost $5 (I am not kidding here!) to make.

Butternut Squash Soup
Adapted from Cook's Illustrated

• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter 
• 2 medium shallots , minced (about 4 tablespoons) - I've used onions in a pinch
• 3 pounds butternut squash (about 1 large), peeled, squash halved lengthwise, seeds and stringy fibers scraped with spoon and reserved (about 1/4 cup), and then cut into large-ish chunks (1-2 inches so iy won't take forever to steam) 
• 6 cups water
• 1/2 cup heavy cream 
• 1 teaspoon dark brown sugar 
• Salt, to taste

1. Heat butter in large Dutch oven over medium-low heat until foaming; add shallots and cook, stirring frequently, until softened and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add squash scrapings and seeds and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and butter turns saffron color, about 4 minutes. Add 6 cups water and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt to Dutch oven and bring to boil over high heat; reduce heat to medium-low, place squash cut-side down in steamer basket, and lower basket into pot. Cover and steam until squash is completely tender, about 30 minutes. Off heat, use tongs to transfer squash to a separate bowl; reserve steaming liquid.

2. Pour reserved steaming liquid through mesh strainer into second bowl; discard solids in strainer. Rinse and dry Dutch oven.

3. In blender, puree squash and reserved liquid in batches, pulsing on low until smooth (or use an immersion blender, but a regular blender gets the soup much more creamy). Transfer puree to Dutch oven; stir in cream and brown sugar and heat over medium-low heat until hot. Add salt to taste; serve immediately.

The soup also freezes really well, so if you have leftovers, don't hesitate to throw them in the freezer for a night when you don't feel like making dinner.