blended butternut squash soup on a bone broth and coconut milk base, brightened with lemon and fresh tarragon

The easiest way to work against this soup is impatience at the very last step, stirring the lemon juice in while the pot is still over heat instead of pulling it off the burner first. 30 seconds of care right there separates a soup that tastes bright from one that only tastes heavy, which matters on a week when cooking everything from scratch has already worn you down.

Butternut squash is a strong source of beta-carotene. Once the body converts it to vitamin A, it plays a part in keeping the skin and the gut and airway linings intact. Vitamin C from the lemon, stirred in at the end, does its own steady tissue-repair work alongside it. Squash and citrus, working 2 different angles toward the same target.

Roasting the squash first, instead of simmering it raw in the broth, is worth the extra pan and the extra 20 minutes. The kitchen warms, the edges catch and caramelize, and the broth underneath it all comes from an animal that gave up more than its meat, which deserves a quiet nod while the pot simmers. Set the finished bowl down and actually sit with it before you eat, tarragon and lemon rising up with the steam.

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups roasted butternut squash (peel, cube, toss in oil and sea salt, roast at 350F for 20 to 25 minutes)
• 3 cups bone broth, preferably homemade
• 1/2 cup full-fat coconut milk
• 1 Tbsp fresh tarragon, chopped
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

Method

Heat the oven to 350F. Peel and cube the butternut squash, toss the cubes with a little olive oil and sea salt, spread them on a baking sheet, and roast 20 to 25 minutes until soft and lightly browned. This can happen ahead of time.

In a soup pot, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook until soft and translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook another minute, until fragrant, without letting it brown.

Add the roasted squash and the bone broth. Bring to a simmer and let it cook a few minutes so everything melds.

Blend the soup until completely smooth, either with an immersion blender right in the pot or in a standing blender in batches. Return it to low heat. Stir in the coconut milk, the chopped tarragon, and the sea salt, and warm it through.

Take the pot off the heat and stir in the lemon juice last, so it stays bright. Taste, adjust the salt, and serve warm.

Instant Pot variation

Use the Saute setting to cook the onion and garlic in the olive oil. You can skip the separate roast and add raw peeled squash cubes with the broth instead. Seal and cook on high pressure for about 8 minutes, then quick-release. Blend smooth, then stir in the coconut milk, tarragon, salt, and lemon juice off heat. Pressure time is untested and is an estimate. Roasting first still gives the deepest flavor.

Notes

Keep this to sea salt only for the elimination phase. The source notes that the roasting step optionally suggests pepper as a reintroduction; black pepper is a seed spice and stays out until you reintroduce it.

Confirm the bone broth and coconut milk are clean-label, with no gums, sugars, or seed-based additives. Servings are an estimate, not stated in the source.

*Adapted from wendisaipkitchen.com*