Butternut Squash Soup with Cumin

Yields: Approx 8 (1-cup) servings | 2 pts per serving

My rating:

This thick, creamy, healthy soup is bursting with flavor -- deliciously rich without all the fat! Be aware though that fresh butternut squash can be quite difficult to peel and chop. If you want to make preparation a snap, buy pre-peeled and chopped squash (found by the bags of lettuce in your supermarket) or just use frozen squash. You can use your favorite winter squash for this recipe. Enjoy!

Difficulty Level: Very easy
Prep Time: >10 minutes
Cooking Time: About 1 hour

Ingredients:

1 Tb olive oil
3 medium onions, peeled and sliced (about 3 cups)
3 pounds butternut squash, peeled and cut into 2-inch cubes (about 8 cups) *
4 cups fat-free chicken or vegetable broth (separated)
1-2 tsp salt (I recommend 1 tsp!)
1-2 tsp ground cumin (I recommend 2 tsp!)
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste (I use 1/2 tsp)
3 sprigs of fresh thyme (or 1.5 tsp dry thyme)

* Pre-peeled and cubed squash (fresh or frozen) is very convenient for this recipe!!

Optional ingredients others have used and recommended:
Crushed garlic
Curry

Optional Toppings (These may add extra points)
Croutons (Italian Seasoned are great, and the ones I buy are 0 points!)
Sour Cream

Directions:

Note: I like to reserve about 1.5 cups of the cubed squash to add in after the puréeing. I boil this separately in a small pot while preparing the rest of the soup as directed.

Peel and chop the onions and squash. (Peeled, cubed, squash (fresh or frozen) is very convenient for this recipe!!)

In a large soup kettle or dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat and stir in the onions. Cover, reduce the heat, and braise for 15 minutes, checking that the onions don't burn.

Add the squash + 1/2 cup of the broth to the onions. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, cumin, and thyme; cover the pot. Braise for another 15 minutes, stirring occassionally so the vegetables do not burn.

Add the remaining broth; bring to a boil; cover; reduce the heat; simmer for 30 minutes or until the squash is tender.

Purée the soup in a blender or food processor in batches or use an immersion blender. Reheat the soup and adjust salt and cumin, if desired, to taste. Serve boiling hot with croutons or a dollup of sour cream.

Yields: Approx 8 (1-cup) servings (2 points per serving)

Nutritional Info:

Per (1-cup) serving: 117 calories, 2 g. fat, 5.3 g. fiber (2 points)

Original Source: Epicurious.com (I altered it a little bit)
User reviews from Epicurious: Click here!