Acorn Squash Soup With Brown Butter and Maple Yogurt

Noel and I have a running disagreement about winter squash. I love it. I think its gentle sweetness is comforting as the days get cooler, and it hits my need to satisfy my sweet tooth without added sugar. Noel, on the other hand, does not enjoy the sweet. He prefers his vegetables savory, and his sweet with dessert.

But when the fall rolls around, neither one of us can resist the piles of winter squash at the farmer’s market. Especially when they reach their peak and the ridiculous deals abound–6 acorn squash for $5?–we are all OVER that.

What to do with all that squash though? Well, it seemed like a good project for some internet research–finding savory winter squash recipes without sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, or anything else that could give a hint of added sweetness. After some patient searching and many, many websites, I found what I thought was the solution–a soup that was savory with caramelized squash and brown butter but came with a (optional) sweet topping that could be loaded with fall spice. Dinner where both Noel and I are satisfied–score!

Acorn Squash Soup With Brown Butter and Maple Yogurt
Inspired by Serious Eats

When I first found this recipe at Serious Eats, I loved the idea of using brown butter to draw out the flavor of squash roasted in the oven. But as I got into the middle of this recipe, I realized it was not going to make the type of soup I wanted (creamy, smooth, but not super thick) without some serious alterations, because if I followed the directions, I was going to end up with something like squash-mash. So some quick thinking led to the addition of 1 1/2 cups of chicken stock to the original ingredients list. The extra liquid, along with some extra puree action, made this into the soup I was dreaming of. I also changed around the milk products a bit, using only 1/2 cup of heavy cream and 1 cup of skim milk. Don’t skip the yogurt topping, because it’s what really makes this soup pop.

Ingredients:

• 2 medium acorn squash, halved, seeds removed
• vegetable oil
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup skim milk
• 1 1/2 cup chicken stock
• Salt and Pepper
• 1/2 cup thick (Greek-style) yogurt or creme fraiche
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• Allspice

Directions:

1. Rub the squash with a bit of vegetable oil and bake on a sheetpan at 400°F until fully tender and the flesh is quite browned and caramelized. Scoop out the flesh and discard the skin.
2. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt the butter over very low heat. Allow to cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until the butter starts to brown and has a delicious, nutty smell. Allow to cool.
3. In a blender or food processor or using an immersion blender (this is what I did), puree the squash with the brown butter, cream, milk, chicken stock, and 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt. Blend until the soup is really smooth
4. Taste and adjust, adding salt and pepper as needed. I also added a few shakes of allspice at this point.
5. Combine the yogurt and maple syrup along with 1/8 teaspoon of allspice.
6. Serve in cups or bowls, garnished with a dollop of the maple yogurt.

Like I said, we all really enjoyed this soup. The brown butter gives the squash a distinctive savory taste in this creamy soup, but the maple yogurt gives it just a touch of sweet. The sweet and the savory tooth are both happy. And it’s a nice change up on your traditional preparations of winter squash.

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