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Gingered Butternut Squash Soup

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Gingered Butternut Squash Soup combines butternut squash, sweet potato, carrots, and apples with the delicate sweetness of ginger, and is finished off with rich, creamy crème fraiche and cilantro. The result? A delicious soup worthy of a special occasion!

Gingered Butternut Squash Soup…a combination of butternut squash, sweet potato, carrots, and apples, accented by the delicate sweetness of ginger, and finished off with rich, creamy crème fraiche and cilantro. A delicious soup worthy of a special occasion! #butternutsquash #soup #holidayrecipes #Christmas #Thanksgiving

I created this recipe for the dairy farm families of New England as part of an ongoing partnership. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the organizations and brands that make A Dish of Daily Life possible!

It’s soup season!

This time of year, we practically live on soup. Lebanese Lentil Soup with Lemon and Noodles, Lemon Chicken Soup with Orzo, Thai Chicken Noodle soup…these are all staples in our house.

But I wanted to create something different for the holidays…something simple, but elegant.

This Gingered Butternut Squash soup starts with a base of butternut squash, sweet potato, carrots and apples. I added ginger for its delicate sweetness and another layer of flavor. Then I finished it with crème fraiche, a fermented cream (also known as a cultured dairy product) for a richer flavor.

Many people think cooking with cream is heavy, but if done right, it doesn’t need to be. I think you will find that to be true of this recipe!

If you’ve never cooked with crème fraiche before, you are in for a treat! Look for crème fraiche in your grocery store either near the other dairy products, or you may also find it with the specialty cheeses near the deli. If you can’t find it, you can substitute sour cream.

Crème fraiche is similar to sour cream, but it’s thicker, creamier, and a little richer. Another difference between the two is that crème fraiche has a higher fat content. Due to the fat content, crème fraiche handles heat better. If you’re substituting sour cream, I’d recommend tempering before adding it to your soup. Stir a little of the hot soup liquid into the sour cream before adding it to the soup. You won’t need to do this with the crème fraiche. You can simply stir it right in.

If you’re concerned about the words “higher fat content,” don’t be. Higher fat content isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Let me explain why.

How full fat dairy is beneficial to your health 

Before I talk about the benefits of full fat dairy, I want to give a shout out to New England Dairy. I have been working with them for the past few years, and I am thrilled to let you know that I will be continuing to work with them again next year. Check out their website and Facebook page…they have great information about the nutritional benefits of real dairy, sustainable nutrition, the farm families of New England, and more!

If you’ve been reading my blog, you know I am an advocate for full fat dairy. We’ve been told over the years to stay away from full fat dairy. But I never have, although it wasn’t until the last few years that I finally got the why behind my “gut feel.” We’re now finding out, thanks to recent studies, that full fat dairy is actually more beneficial to our diets than previously thought. According to new research, serious health concerns like heart disease and stroke aren’t as big of a risk as previously thought.

The link between full fat dairy and obesity is also under fire, as studies have shown that those who consume full fat dairy are actually more likely be leaner than those who consume low fat dairy.

One reason may be that eating food with full fat dairy fills us up quicker, which helps prevent overeating…definitely a benefit over the holidays! Another is that while saturated fat does have components of bad cholesterol, it also has components of good cholesterol.

So, what are we to believe? Basically, the bottom line is, full fat dairy in moderation isn’t necessarily a bad thing. You shouldn’t go out and eat all the full fat dairy you want either. Moderation and focusing on having a variety of foods in your diet is important. But if you have a history of cardiovascular disease or high cholesterol, you should consult with your doctor.

Gingered Butternut Squash Soup…a combination of butternut squash, sweet potato, carrots, and apples, accented by the delicate sweetness of ginger, and finished off with rich, creamy crème fraiche and cilantro. A delicious soup worthy of a special occasion! #butternutsquash #soup #holidayrecipes #Christmas #Thanksgiving

What does it mean to be a cultured dairy product?

Crème Fraiche, along with sour cream, yogurt, and Greek yogurt, is a cultured dairy product. What that means is that after pasteurization, it goes through a fermentation process in which lactic acid bacteria are reintroduced.  Lactic acid bacteria are probiotics…good bacteria you want in your body. Having this good bacteria in your body helps with both digestion and nutrient absorption.

Ways to use crème fraiche

Crème fraiche works well with both sweet and savory dishes. Consider trying it in dips, soups and cream sauces. You can bake with it, and whipped and sweetened, it makes a decadent dessert topping.

I promise you, you’re going to absolutely love the rich creamy flavor it adds to this Gingered Butternut Squash Soup recipe!

Gingered Butternut Squash Soup…a combination of butternut squash, sweet potato, carrots, and apples, accented by the delicate sweetness of ginger, and finished off with rich, creamy crème fraiche and cilantro. A delicious soup worthy of a special occasion! #butternutsquash #soup #holidayrecipes #Christmas #Thanksgiving

Some of my favorite dairy recipes for the holidays 

Creamy Marsala Mushrooms make a fabulous appetizer or side dish. The Marsala sauce is absolutely amazing! You might even be tempted to eat it by the spoonful.

Creamy Marsala Mushrooms make a fabulous appetizer or side dish. The Marsala sauce is absolutely amazing! You might even be tempted to eat it by the spoonful.

Crab Imperial is an easy-to-make, elegant appetizer recipe, perfect for a special occasion or holiday entertaining!

Crab Imperial is an easy-to-make, elegant appetizer recipe, perfect for a special occasion or holiday entertaining!

I swapped out the sour cream for Greek Yogurt in this “lightened” up version of Green Goddess Dressing! This easy-to-make delicious classic salad dressing doubles as a vegetable dip.

Swap out the sour cream for Greek yogurt in this "lightened" up version of Green Goddess Dressing! This delicious classic salad dressing doubles as a vegetable dip, and takes only minutes to make! #saladdressing #greengoddess #appetizer #vegetabledip

 

This Feta Dill Dip would be a wonderful addition to a Crudité platter for any party  or you could also use it as a salad dressing!

Feta Dill Dip would be a wonderful addition to a Crudité platter for any party — or you could also use it as a salad dressing!

Easy Potato Gratin Stacks are perfect for holidays and other special occasions, but they’re easy enough to put on the menu any time!

Easy Potato Gratin Stacks are perfect for holidays and other special occasions, but they’re easy enough to put on the menu any time!

How to make Gingered Butternut Squash Soup

ingredients for Gingered Butternut Squash Soup

Melt the butter in a large pot. Add the chopped onion. Once then onion becomes translucent (about 3-4 minutes), add the chopped ginger, and sauté for 3-4 more minutes.

Then add the vegetable broth, the cubed butternut squash and sweet potato, and the chopped carrots.

Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Continue cooking for another 5 minutes.

Add the chopped apples and nutmeg; cook for another 10 minutes or until the squash, sweet potato, carrots and apple are soft.

Remove from heat, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Use a hand mixer or blender to purée the soup.

Stir in chopped cilantro and approximately 3 ounces* of crème fraiche, a little over a 1/3 of a cup. Garnish with extra chopped cilantro.

Swirl the last ounce of crème fraiche into the individual soup bowls for presentation.

Keep in mind that making soup isn’t an exact science. I didn’t measure how many cups of butternut squash, or sweet potato or onion, and slight variations won’t matter. Add your crème fraiche a little at a time. It’s a rich cream, and you may prefer less…or more. Taste as you go along.

Gingered Butternut Squash Soup…a combination of butternut squash, sweet potato, carrots, and apples, accented by the delicate sweetness of ginger, and finished off with rich, creamy crème fraiche and cilantro. A delicious soup worthy of a special occasion! #butternutsquash #soup #holidayrecipes #Christmas #Thanksgiving

Gingered Butternut Squash Soup

Gingered Butternut Squash Soup

Yield: 6
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1 large yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 large butternut squash, peeled and cubed
  • 1 sweet potato, peeled and cubed
  • 2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 2 apples, peeled and chopped (Granny Smith if you prefer a tart flavor; or a sweeter variety like Honeycrisp if you prefer sweet)
  • Dash of nutmeg
  • 4 oz crème fraiche (about 1/2 cup)
  • 2 tablespoons cilantro
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Melt the butter in a large pot. Add chopped onion. Once it becomes translucent, about 3-4 minutes, add the chopped ginger, and sauté for 3-4 more minutes.

Add the vegetable broth, cubed butternut squash, sweet potato, and chopped carrots.

Bring mixture to a boil; then reduce heat to a simmer. Continue cooking for another 5 minutes.

Add chopped apples and nutmeg; cook for another 10 minutes or until the squash, sweet potato, carrots and apple are soft.

Remove from heat, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Use a hand mixer or blender to purée the soup.

Stir in chopped cilantro and approximately 3 ounces* of crème fraiche, a little over a 1/3 of a cup. Garnish with extra chopped cilantro.

Swirl the last ounce of crème fraiche into the individual soup bowls for presentation.

Notes

Add the crème fraiche a little at a time. It’s a rich cream, and you may prefer less…or more. Taste as you go along.

Nutrition Information:

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 216Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 25mgSodium: 999mgFiber: 6gSugar: 13gProtein: 3g

Gingered Butternut Squash Soup…a combination of butternut squash, sweet potato, carrots, and apples, accented by the delicate sweetness of ginger, and finished off with rich, creamy crème fraiche and cilantro. The result? A delicious soup worthy of a special occasion! #butternutsquash #soup #appetizer #holidayrecipes #Thanksgiving #Christmas 

Gingered Butternut Squash Soup…a combination of butternut squash, sweet potato, carrots, and apples, accented by the delicate sweetness of ginger, and finished off with rich, creamy crème fraiche and cilantro. The result? A delicious soup worthy of a special occasion! #butternutsquash #soup #appetizer #holidayrecipes #Thanksgiving #Christmas 

 

Gingered Butternut Squash Soup 
Gingered Butternut Squash Soup 
Gingered Butternut Squash Soup
Gingered Butternut Squash Soup 

Amy

Saturday 28th of December 2019

This soup was so good! It has such a great flavor and was really refreshing and easy to make too. Perfectly balanced!

Julie Menghini

Monday 23rd of December 2019

We loved this soup. It sure was a great change from all the soup that I usually make and the crème fraiche was a great addition.

Nikki Lee

Monday 23rd of December 2019

Love this soup! The color is so beautiful and all the spices are perfectly blended.

Allyson

Monday 23rd of December 2019

This is one of my favorite soups ever! The flavor is out of this world! Thank you so much for sharing it

Deb Clark

Sunday 22nd of December 2019

This is really a great combination and we just loved this soup! Outstanding flavor!

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