Spiced Butternut Squash Soup with Crispy Lentils

🥘 Ingredients

• or butternut squash 3 lb
• extra virgin olive oil or neutral-flavored oil 2 tsp
• Kosher
• ground cumin ½ tsp
• ground turmeric ½ tsp
• ground ginger ½ tsp
• ground white pepper ¼ tsp
• ground coriander ¼ tsp
• cayenne pepper ¼ tsp
• freshly grated nutmeg or ground nutmeg 0.12 tsp
• Cooked Lentils 1.67 cup
• extra virgin olive oil 3 tbsp
• Kosher
• medium to large yellow onion 1
• garlic cloves 8
• vegetable broth 3 cup
• Cashew Cream ½ cup
• lemon juice or red wine vinegar 1 tsp
• Crusty bread to serve 4
• garlic clove 1
• A
• Flaky

Roasted & Peeled Squash

1. 1

   Prepare: or butternut squash , extra virgin olive oil or neutral-flavored oil , Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
2. 2

   Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400°F / 205°C and line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper.
3. 3

   With a large, sharp knife, slice the squash in half lengthwise (no need to peel). If too hard to slice, microwave the whole squash for 2-3 minutes , then try again.
4. 4

   Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and stringy bits from the cavities. Using a paring knife, make crosshatch marks in the flesh (i.e., make a series of shallow diagonal cuts in two directions to make a diamond grid), but don’t cut all the way through to the skin.
5. 5

   Rub 1 tsp of olive oil into the flesh of each half, and season with salt and pepper. Place the squash, flesh side down, on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Roast in the preheated oven at 400ºF / 205ºC for 45-55 minutes , or until the flesh is tender and somewhat browned.
6. 6

   Allow to cool; move to a wire rack to speed this up. Once cool enough to touch, peel the skin with your hands. Label and store cooled, peeled squash in a large airtight container or ziploc bag in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.

Butternut Squash Soup Spices

1. 1

   Prepare: ground cumin , ground turmeric , ground ginger , ground white pepper , ground coriander , cayenne pepper , freshly grated nutmeg or ground nutmeg .
2. 2

   Add all the ingredients to a small ziploc bag, seal, and shake to combine. Or, add all the ingredients to a small bowl, stir well, and transfer to an airtight container.
3. 3

   Label and store on the counter or in your pantry for up to 6 months.
4. 4

   Gather: Roasted & Peeled Squash (from timer lb whole butternut squash) (from meal prep), Cooked Lentils , extra virgin olive oil , Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, medium to large yellow onion , garlic cloves , Butternut Squash Soup Spices (2 1/2 tsp) (from meal prep), vegetable broth , Cashew Cream , lemon juice or red wine vinegar . For the for serving:: Crusty bread to serve , garlic clove , A drizzle of good-quality extra virgin olive oil, Flaky sea salt.
5. 5

   Take out the Roasted & Peeled Squash to sit at room temperature.
6. 6

   Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400ºF / 205ºC.
7. 7

   Make the crispy lentils. Add the Cooked Lentils to a rimmed sheet pan and toss with 1 tbsp oil and a few pinches of salt and pepper. Spread the lentils out and shake the pan to evenly distribute so there’s minimal overlap. Roast for 15 minutes . If the lentils have not yet crisped up, shake the pan to toss and roast for 5 more minutes, until crispy but not rock hard.
8. 8

   While the lentils roast, cook the aromatics. Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high. Add the onion and season with a few pinches of salt. Cook for 7 minutes , or until softened and turning color, stirring occasionally. During any downtime, prepare your side salad (if you’re making one). Add the chopped garlic to the onions. Stir frequently for 2 minutes. Add the Butternut Squash Soup Spices and stir constantly for 30 seconds. Pour in a few splashes of broth, scraping up any browned bits. Add the remaining broth. Simmer for 5 minutes, then remove from the heat.
9. 9

   Blend the soup using a stand blender or immersion blender. Stand blender: Add the Roasted & Peeled Squash to a 64-ounce (2 L) stand blender. Pour in the broth mixture, Cashew Cream, 1 tsp kosher salt, and lemon juice. Remove the blender cap and cover with a towel to allow steam to vent. Blend until smooth, creamy, and warmed through. Immersion blender: Leave the onion-broth mixture in the pot. Add in the Roasted & Peeled Squash, 1 tsp kosher salt, and lemon juice. Blend until as smooth as possible. Add the Cashew Cream and mix well; briefly simmer in the pot until heated through.
10. 10

    After blending, if the soup is too thick, add 1/2-1 cup of broth (or water). Add more salt or pepper to taste.
11. 11

    Toast your bread using your preferred method. While the bread is still warm, rub the cut side of the halved garlic clove on one side of each toast. Drizzle with a bit of good olive oil and sprinkle with a pinch of flaky sea salt.
12. 12

    Pour the soup into bowls. Divide the crispy lentils on top. Serve the soup alongside toasted bread and your side salad, if you made one.