Curry and Red Kuri Squash Soup Recipe

The days are getting shorter, and the nights are cooling down, bringing that familiar autumnal glow. But hey, that’s why we have cozy blankets and warm soup made from things we grew this summer. Here is one delicious recipe that calls for many homegrown ingredients - from garlic and onion to squash and herbs. This soup is best served fresh but can be canned to extend shelf life or divided into serving size portions and frozen for a few months.

The ingredients:

1 medium squash of choice or 2 small red Kuri

1 small onion

3-4 garlic cloves

1/2 tsp. garlic powder (I love garlic…)

1/2 tsp. onion powder (need I say more?!)

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1/4 tsp. red curry powder

1/2 cup filtered water (with extra for baking)

4 cups of vegetable or chicken broth

3/4 cup coconut milk (can), cream, or another dairy substitute

The recipe:

Preheat oven to 350°. Prep squash by giving it a quick rinse. Slice in half, then scoop seeds (save or compost). Next, in a 9X13” baking dish, place the two halves cut-side down in the dish and fill the bottom of the baking dish with about 1/4” of filtered water. Bake approximately 45 minutes or until tender. Take the dish out of the oven and carefully transfer squash to cutting board to cool. Once the squash is cooled enough to handle, cut away the skin and discard in the compost, leaving diced chunks that will later be added to the soup.
In large soup pot over medium heat, add diced onion, garlic, seasonings (except curry powder) and 1/2 cup of water. Stir until well combined, then let simmer until onions are translucent and tender; no more than 7-9 minutes. Now, add the squash pieces to the pot and stir until well combined. Add curry and broth and increase heat to medium-high. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and stir well to get any ingredients stuck at the bottom of the pot. Once all ingredients have melded and smell divine, turn off heat and remove the pot from the burner. Let cool. If it’s too liquidy, hold back on blending some of the liquid in the next step.. You want this creamy in the end!
When ready, pour all or a portion of the soup into a blender and blend until smooth. Remember, thick is good! Once all the soup has been blended, return the whole lot back into the soup pot. Turn on low heat, and allow the soup to come to a low boil. At this time, you can turn off the heat, stir in the coconut milk, cream or daily substitute.

Enjoy with baked bread or on its own! It is nourishing for a fall meal and warms the heart and soul!