Curried Butternut Squash Soup

Published by Ben Brown on

This is one of my all-time favorite dishes at any time of the year,
but especially in the fall. It has a rich nourishing flavor and is anti-inflammatory with all the turmeric and other anti-inflammatory spices. For those who appreciate Ayurveda, this soup is also pleasantly Vata-pacifying.
I recommend a pressure cooker for the veggies, my favorite
is Instant Pot, you can load your
squash and other vegetables in and
they will be done in 7 minutes
(after it gets to pressure).
I also recommend you have a strong blender and a large pot as this makes a lot. This freezes well too.
Here is the ingredient list/shopping list
• Medium Butternut Squash: organic, if possible, as you will use
the skin and seeds. Just take off the stem, take off the thick part
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NOVEMBER 2019 BEN BROWN MD ~ THE INTEGRATIVE MENTOR FALL 2019
at the bottom, slice it in half, and put in the pressure cooker. If you do not have a strong blender you can remove the seeds and peel before or after it cooks.
• Assorted Root Veggies: my favorites are parsnips, sweet potatoes, purple potatoes, beets
(beautiful color addition), red potatoes, carrots, or whatever you have in the house or want to
grab at the store.
• One large or two medium-sized onions (leeks also work, so does a little garlic if you have it)
• Celery: I like this sautéed with the onions and a little raw to top it as a garnish (adds a nice
crunch for texture)
• Spices:
◦ Ginger: approximately 1/2 tomb or full pinky sized piece
◦ Curry Powder: 2 TBS
◦ Cumin: there is some in the curry powder, but I like extra (1tsp)
◦ Turmeric (I like a lot and makes this an anti-inflammatory soup as
well), but you can adjust as you like. approx 1-3 TBS
◦ Salt and Pepper to taste
• Vegetable Bullion: I get the brand, Better Than Bullion, Vegetable, this is
one of the secret ingredients, don’t skimp here if you can get the good stuff.
It adds the umami flavor that makes this soup so yummy hearty! 2 TBS
• Optional:
◦ 1 can Coconut Milk (I get the full fat, but some prefer the low-fat
variety, and if you are on a reversal diet, leave it out).
◦ Cilantro for garnish (an excellent addition)
◦ Sautéed Shitaki mushrooms (only if you are feeling really fancy) can put on top at the
end.
Put it all together.
The first time you make it, plan a little extra time, but after a while, this is a relatively simple process.

1. Wash Veggies and Cut off the parts you do not want to eat and put them in the pressure cooker
   with some hot water on the bottom for 7-8 minutes on high (mine is almost full).
2. Dice Onions and Celery and Sauté Onions and Celery with some coconut or avocado oil (or
   water if you are on reversal diet) in a large soup pot (so you can add the blended veggies to
   this same pot).
3. After the onions are mostly clear, add 1/2 spices to onion/celery mix and sauté while you
   blend the veggies.
4. Put cooked veggies from pressure cooker into the blender and add the bullion add the other 1/2
   of the spices to the blender, a enough water to blend (1- 2 cups for most strong blenders)
5. Add blended mix to cooking onions. (usually takes me about three blender batches)
6. You can use more water for thin soup, less for thick, but I add the water at bottom of pressure
   cooker and approx 1 1/2 quarts with all the blending.
7. Now you have the blended veggies and the onions and celery and the bullion all together on
   the stove.
8. Heat it up on low while you and Salt and Pepper to taste. When it is warm you can and some
   squeezed Lemon to taste to bring up the flavor of the vegetables.
9. Add a little finely chopped celery and cilantro for garnish.
10. If you are feeling really fancy, some sautéed shiitake mushrooms on top
11. Serve and Enjoy!