Last fall I roasted and pureed a whole load of squash, then froze it in measured portions in the freezer.  "I can mix it in anything" I imagined.  "I'll make homemade squash ravioli" I thought to myself.  Now, months later, I still have a whole pile of baggies in the freezer filled with squash.  So, last week I started planning ways to use it.  I mixed a few cups of pureed squash with shredded rice cheese as a layer in lasagna - it added some moisture and to be honest, I'm sure that no one even knew it was there.  And this week, I decided to use some to make another squash soup. 

Although I really enjoyed the rustic soup I made in the fall, I was hoping to make something a little more refined.  I wanted the kind of soup I might get at a good restaurant.  I wanted to feel like I was out on the town, enjoying an adult-kind-of-lunch.  Basically - magic soup.  And I found one that did the trick, and assuming that you can ignore shouting kids and demands for more fish sticks, maybe it will work magic for you too.

The original recipe I found is featured in Vegetarian Times magazine - Sherried Kabocha Soup with Spiced Pepitas.  Like almost everything I make, I made some changes to the recipe based on what I already have at home.  In this case, I made the following ingredient changes:
- Paprika instead of Smoked Paprika
- Butternut Squash instead of Kabocha Squash
- Brandy instead of Sherry

I know.  I changed all the important stuff, save the spiced pepitas.  I'm not sure how my modified version would compare to the original one, but it was still delicious and I'd definitely make it again.  And since I already had the pureed squash in the freezer, the soup and pepitas were made - from start to finish - in less than 20 minutes.


The soup is light and velvety and would be great served with a salad, or maybe as a first course with pork. 


Print it: Velvety Squash Soup with Spiced Pepitas