Curried Butternut Squash Bisque Recipe

It is a very cool fall day here in St. Louis and I was craving some nice warm soup for dinner.  I have made this before and just love it.  It is a little on the spicy side, so if you don't like things quite as hot, I would suggest reducing the amount of curry you use in the recipe.  Also, I substituted fat-free half and half instead of the heavy whipping cream to make this recipe a little healthier.  It works great as a substitute!

  

If you give it a try, please come back and comment to let me know how you like it!

Ingredients:

2 medium butternut squash, halved and seeded

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) salted butter, divided

1/4 cup light brown sugar, divided

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 yellow onion, diced

1 1/2 tablespoons thyme, minced

2 teaspoons chives, thinly sliced

1  tablespoons curry powder (reduce amount if desired)

2 teaspoons cumin

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 1/4 cups low sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth for vegetarian option)

2/3 cup heavy cream (I substituted fat-free half and half)

salt and pepper to taste

Directions: 

1.  Preheat oven to 375°F.

2.  Place squash halves, cut side up, onto a baking sheet and

    place one tablespoon of butter and brown sugar into the cavity

    of each.

3.  Roast squash for about 1 hour or until the flesh has

    softened.

4.  Allow the squash to cool for 15 minute before scooping

    the flesh into a bowl. Discard the skin.

5.  Heat oil in saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions

    and sauté for 5 minutes.

6.  Add thyme and chives and sauté for an additional 2

    minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.

7.  Add curry powder, cumin, cinnamon, and squash

    and stir until just combined.

8.  Pour the broth over the mixture and stir. Simmer

    soup for 15 minutes.

9.  Season with additional salt and pepper if needed.

10.  Pour mixture into a blender (or use an immersion

      blender) and puree until smooth.

11.  Pour the soup back into the pan and adjust seasonings.

      Simmer for 5 minutes, remove from heat. Whisk cream

      into soup and serve.

**Serves 4 to 6

I found this recipe posted on the Spoon Fork Bacon blog and modified it to my liking.

This recipe is featured on http://www.foodiefriendsfriday.com Linky Party