Butternut Squash Soup with Roasted Red Pepper Purée

prep time:: 20 minutes
total time:: 1 hour

Makes 6 first-course servings

This is a low-fat recipe but you would never know by the taste. I have substituted the orange peel with 1/4 cup of orange juice and it works just as well.

ingredients

Butternut Squash Soup

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 1/4 cups chopped onions
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 2 1/2-pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut into 1-inch pieces
5 1/2 cups (or more) chicken or vegetable broth
3 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel

Roasted Red Pepper Purée

1 cup coarsely chopped drained roasted red peppers from jar
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper

directions

Butternut Squash Soup

1
Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions; sauté until tender, about 12 minutes. Add garlic; stir 1 minute. Add squash and 5 1/2 cups broth; bring to boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until squash is soft, about 40 minutes. Cool slightly.
2
Working in batches, puree soup in blender until smooth. Return puree to pot. Add 1 teaspoon thyme and orange peel. Thin soup with more broth if desired. Simmer 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
3
(Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool slightly. Cover and chill. Re-warm before serving, thinning with more broth if desired.)
4
Ladle soup into bowls. Swirl 1 tablespoon Roasted Red Pepper Puree into soup in each bowl. Sprinkle with remaining 2 teaspoons thyme and serve.

Roasted Red Pepper Purée

Puree all ingredients in processor until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill. Bring to room temperature before using.)