Estimated reading time: 14 minutes
Delight in the unique taste of this easy Serbian Butternut Squash Soup. Find out why this rich, creamy superfood is so popular. Try it now!
What Is Butternut Squash?
Known as a superfood, butternut squash is a peanut-shaped fruit with a hard exterior shell that is beige with orange flesh inside and lasts up to 3 months after harvest.
You can eat the outer skin of the butternut squash if you clean it and roast it. Not everyone does this, but it’s perfectly fine as are roasting the seeds.
Squash (genus Cucurbita) is cultivated in North America butternut squash may have origins in Argentina or Mexico, but nobody knows for sure.
Also known as Butternut pumpkin in Australia and New Zealand, it tastes the same and produces delicious food worldwide.
Butternut squash is typically available year-round in the grocery store, where pumpkin is harvested in September, October, and November.
Some people compare butternut squash to a sweet potato however, nutrition-wise the squash is lower in carbs and sugar.
It also contains magnesium, B6, calcium, vitamin E, and potassium.
I love both, so I’m not picking sides, especially since sweet potatoes offer plenty of protein and fiber.
Butternut squash is also known to have laxative effects for some people, so don’t eat too much. It’s so good, though!
Serbian Kobi Paprika
Kobi Paprika cultivated and processed in Bezdan, Serbia, is nothing as you’ve ever tasted before.
The type of paprika I have is not hot but sweet with the most vibrant red colour you’ve ever seen.
Our friends who returned from a trip to Serbia brought us a bag of Kobi Paprika to try. They said it’s the best paprika you will ever try, grown and made by hand.
Since I don’t speak Serbian, Hungarian, Croatian, or Bosnian, I cannot understand the details on the Kobi Paprika Facebook page.
Don’t fear if you can’t order this delicious paprika online, as you can use any paprika you’d like.
For example, on Amazon Canada, you can purchase Hungarian paprika or organic paprika for a reasonable price.
Ways To Prepare Butternut Squash
Preparing butternut squash typically involves roasting, steaming, or boiling it to soften the flesh.
Some people use squash as part of a dessert like this butternut squash strudel that I plan to make.
Flaky phyllo pastry wrapped around shredded, cinnamon-scented butternut squash…
Weekend at The Cottage
Can Butternut Squash Be Eaten Raw?
It’s not recommended that any squash be eaten raw as the texture is far too hard.
To keep the nutrients of the butternut squash when boiling it for soup, it’s important to use water as part of the recipe.
When choosing any squash at the grocery store or market, always look for a clear, smooth rind that is firm to the touch.
Like any fruit and vegetable, leave squash that has mold, soft spots, dimples, pits, or marks.
How To Make Butternut Squash Soup
When preparing butternut squash, it’s always good to try some once it reaches the cooked stage.
- To find out if the squash is cooked.
- Learn whether the squash is bitter.
Sometimes squash may be bitter because of growing conditions which impacts the taste of the flesh.
The best option to tone the bitter taste down is to add pure maple syrup, honey, or brown sugar with a bit of salt.
I washed, halved, and peeled the butternut squash and scooped out the seeds for my recipe.
Then, I cubed the entire squash in a medium pot filled with cold water.
To keep this recipe vegan, use a vegetable bouillon/broth or a chicken bone broth.
Although homemade broth is better, I used Chicken Roasted Bouillon purchased at Costco for Mrs. CBB after her surgery. You can also find it on Amazon Canada.
Serbian Butternut Squash Soup
Learn how to make an easy Serbian Butternut Squash Soup and discover why this rich, creamy superfood is so popular. Try it now!
Ingredients
- 1 medium butternut squash peeled, seeded and cubed
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves of minced garlic
- 1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
- 2 stalks of celery chopped
- 1 cup fresh cauliflower florets
- 1 medium yellow onion minced
- 1 medium potato peeled and cubed
- 1 litre of vegetable or chicken broth (cover the squash in the pot or fill the pot with water and add 3 bouillon cubes of choice.
- 2 tbsp Serbian sweet paprika (or any paprika)
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tbsp dried basil
- 1 tbsp dried parsley
- 1 tbsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tbsp dried Rosemary
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a medium pot, add the extra virgin olive oil, minced garlic, ginger, onion, celery, cauliflower, potato, and sautee for one minute on high heat.
- Reduce the heat to medium, add the broth, water, and bouillon cubes, and stir.
- Add the cubed butternut squash and stir to combine.
- Top with all of the spices, paprika, salt, pepper, Rosemary, Oregano, Thyme, Basil, and parsley.
- Stir the spices to combine into the soup.
- Bring to a boil, stir, then reduce the heat to medium and cook for 35 minutes or until the squash and potatoes are fork-tender.
- Test the broth for salt and pepper seasoning; add more if needed.
- When done, turn the heat off, use a hand blender or blender, and mix until you get a creamy, smooth texture. (see notes for extra-creamy soup)
- Serve hot with any topping options listed in the notes or as-is.
Notes
To thicken the butternut squash soup, if you’ve added too much water or broth, add a small amount of arrowroot, flour, corn starch, or xanthan gum to water to make a slurry. About 1 teaspoon of flour to 2 teaspoons of water.
You can also mash up a can of white beans and add it to the soup to thicken.
Store leftover soup in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost and heat from frozen.
Top butternut squash soup with scallions (green onions), sour cream, Greek yogurt, crispy bacon (non-vegetarian), cheese, and fresh herbs with a piece of crusty bread on the side for dipping.
If you want a creamier butternut squash, add 1/3 cup of heavy whipping cream or coconut cream before blending.
Easy Cheesy Pizza Buns
Pizza buns have long been a favourite of consumers around the world. These pizza buns are moist with a slight crisp on the outside and lots of cheese flavour with hints of sun-dried tomato.
Ingredients
- 5 cups flour (+1/2 cup for kneading)
- 41/2 teaspoons yeast
- 5 pieces sun-dried tomatoes chopped
- 2 tablespoons Oil (use from tomatoes)
- 31/2 cups strong cheddar cheese
- 2 heaped tablespoons dried Italian herbs
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 cup lukewarm water
Instructions
- Place yeast into a jug then add 8 tablespoons of lukewarm water and the sugar and mix.
- Set aside until the mixture is frothy.
- Chop sun-dried tomatoes into small chunks.
- In a bowl place the flour, salt, herbs, 1 cup of cheese and sun-dried tomatoes and mix well.
- Once the yeast is frothy add to the dry mixture, also add in the oil from the sun-dried tomatoes.
- Gradually add the rest of the water to the mix stirring until it forms a dough.
- You may have to add a bit more flour to the mixture if you find it too sticky.
- Then knead it for 5 minutes until smooth.
- Note: If you have a mixer add all the ingredients into the bowl and mix with the flat paddle until the dough is sticky. Then switch out to the dough hook, again if it’s too sticky add more flour gradually until it forms a dough.
- Place in a warm place and let rise for 5 minutes until it doubles in size.
- Punch dough down and knead for another five minutes.
- Flour your surface and roll out the dough until it’s about 1cm thick. It doesn’t need to be perfect but work to get a rectangle shape as this is easier to roll.
- Once rolled out sprinkle 2 1/4 cups cheese onto the dough and roll so that you have a nice long piece of dough.
- You can also add bacon at this stage if you wish. Cut pieces roughly to about 2cm wide.
- Place on a floured tray evenly apart, sprinkle a little cheese on top of each pizza bun and cook for 20 minutes at 210F/410oC.
- The pizza buns can be frozen once cooled. You can also freeze from the dough stage. If you bake from frozen just add 5-10 minutes extra to cooking time.