Thai Inspired Honeynut Squash Soup with a Toasted Rice Garnish
My Favorite New Soup of the Season – Perfectly Seasoned and Quite Easy to Prepare.
The fabulous creamy texture of Honeynut squash makes a velvety soup – Thai spices from an unexpected place – in a little can… how convenient!
Roasted Honeynut Squash is added to a quick base of onions, shallots, ginger and garlic with broth (your choice chicken or vegetable), coconut milk and Thai spices.
The Garnishes:
Not just “looking pretty” ~ these garnishes add texture and an extra layer of flavor!
- Turmeric Toasted Rice with Shallots
- Toasted Coconut Flakes
- Mint Leaves
Other Options:
- Thin Slices of roasted Honeynut Squash
- Toasted Pepitas
- Thinly Sliced Scallions
- Coconut Creme – Swirl In
This mighty, newer hybrid variety of winter squash has a more concentrated flavor than butternut squash.
Available at Farmers’ Markets right now, and can be found at your local supermarket!
Ingredients for the Soup:
- 2 1/2 pounds Honeynut Squash – that’s 3 medium sized ones
- Onions, Leeks, Ginger & Garlic ~ the aromatics that add flavor!
- Red Curry Paste… yes in a can – wonderful Thai flavors, all natural ingredients in this cute little red can.
LOVE this brand: Maesri brand Red Curry Paste~ includes: dried red chilies, garlic, shallot, salt, lemongrass, sugar, kaffir lime, galangal, corriander seeds, cumin and cardamom, yes a little spicy!
- Chicken Broth or Vegetable Broth (for vegan)… preferably homemade
- 1 can of Coconut Milk
What is Honeynut Squash?
Honeynuts are about 6″ tall, and look almost exactly like a butternut squash but shrunken.
A similar shape to it’s cousin, the butternut squash – averages about half the size and is significantly sweeter.
Nutritionally – it has two to three times more beta-carotene than butternut squash.
(We need vitamin A for good vision and eye health and for a strong immune system.)
Harvested from late September through early October. They store well for about a month in a cool, dry place.
Chef Dan Barber influenced a professor and vegetable breeder from Cornell University to give a try to make butternut squash taste better. These little guys were bred for flavor, and not yield. They have been around since 2015 – I have noticed them to me more prevalent at farmers’ markets… thats a good thing!
The skin is thin and edible! (I remove it for this creamy soup.)
Another Honeynut Squash Recipe: Roasted Honeynut Squash Stuffed with a Kasha & Vegetable Pilaf
See All my: SPECIAL SOUPS!
Enjoy this wonderful Soup!
Karen
Thai Inspired Honeynut Squash Soup with a Toasted Rice Garnish
Ingredients
For the Soup:
- 2 1/2 pounds honeynut squash about 3 medium
- 1 teaspoon neutral oil such as expeller pressed safflower oil
- 2 teaspoons coconut oil virgin, organic
- 4 tablespoons onions small dice; can use 1/2 leeks (like I did)
- 3 tablespoons shallots peeled; small dice
- 4 teaspoons fresh garlic peeled and minced
- 2 teaspoons fresh ginger minced or finely grated
- 1 teaspoon red curry paste* Maesri brand (1up to 1/2 t. more if you like spicy
- 3 1/2 cups chicken broth preferably homemade or veggie broth
- 1 can coconut milk not 'lite"
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt I use pink Himalayan
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Toasted Rice Garnish:
- 2 teaspoons coconut oil
- 1/2 cup cooked rice I use Jasmine rice
- 1 tablespoon shallots peeled, small dice
- few pinches turmeric
- 2 tablespoons toasted coconut flakes
- 1/8 teaspoon salt I use pink Himalayan
Instructions
Roast the Honeynut Squash:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut each honeynut squash in half, scoop out and discard seeds. Cut each half into 4 even-sized chunks - will have about 24 pieces. Add to a rimmed sheet pan, skin sides down. Brush the pieces with 1 teaspoon of oil and top with a sprinkling of sea salt. Roast for 25 minutes - edges will be lightly browned; squash cooked and tender. (Alternately, you can roast squash halves too.)
- When cool enough to handle, remove the skins with a pairing knife. Add the squash to a bowl - you will have 3 cups cooked, roasted squash.
The Soup Base & Finishing:
- In a large 6 quart soup pot - add 2 teaspoons coconut oil, set heat to medium-low. When warm, add 4 tablespoon onions & leeks, shallots, garlic and ginger. Stir and cook until softened but not brown for 5 minutes. Add the red curry paste and all the cooked squash chunks, stir in and cook one minute to release all the flavors. Add the broth, coconut milk and 1/2 teaspoon sea salt - bring to a boil, stirring.
Toasted Turmeric Rice & Shallot Topping:
- Add 2 teaspoons of coconut oil to a non-stick or cast iron skillet. Set heat to moderate. When oil is shimmering add the rice and a few pinches of turmeric - quickly stir in the oil, then leave rice to toast and become crispy, stirring occasionally. When almost crispy, add the shallots and salt - stir and cook until shallots are slightly golden. Remove from heat - will crisp further while it cools.
To Serve:
- Add warm soup to individual bowls. Top the the crispy rice/shallot topping. A nice touch: add toasted coconut and mint leaves on top. Like a little spicy essence? Add a little swirl of the red curry paste on top of each portion of soup.
Notes
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