Squash Soup with Lentils and Herbs

Name: Squash Soup with Lentils and Herbs
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients: 2 tbsp Unsalted Butter (2 tablespoons unsalted butter (or olive oil)) — optional; 2 tbsp Olive Oil (2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling); 1 piece Yellow Onion (1 large yellow, white or red onion, chopped); 4 cloves Garlic (4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced or chopped); 0 pieces Kosher Salt (Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper); 1 tsp Cumin Seeds (1 teaspoon cumin seed or ½ teaspoon ground cumin (optional)) — optional; 1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes (1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, plus more (optional)) — optional; 1 piece Butternut Squash (1 small acorn, kabocha or butternut squash (1 ¾-2 lbs.), peeled, seeds removed, cut into ½”–1” pieces); 1 ½ cup Yellow Lentil (1 ½ cups yellow or red lentils); 8 cup Water (8 cups water or broth (or water mixed with Better Than Boullion of your choosing)); 2 tsp Sherry Vinegar (2-3 teaspoons sherry vinegar or white wine vinegar — up to 3); 2 cup Mixed Herbs (2 cups coarsely chopped mixed herbs, such cilantro, dill, chives and/or scallion)

A hearty, creamy soup made by simmering squash and lentils with aromatics, cumin, and red pepper flakes until they melt together, finished with fresh herbs and vinegar.

Mediterranean

Servings4

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Plan it in the app to put it on your week.

Vegetarian
Pescatarian

Ingredients

For 4 servings

Unsalted Butter2 tbsp · 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (or olive oil) · optional
Olive Oil2 tbsp · 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling
Yellow Onion1 piece · 1 large yellow, white or red onion, chopped
Garlic4 cloves · 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced or chopped
Kosher Salt0 pieces · Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper
Cumin Seeds1 tsp · 1 teaspoon cumin seed or ½ teaspoon ground cumin (optional) · optional
Red Pepper Flakes1 tsp · 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, plus more (optional) · optional
Butternut Squash1 piece · 1 small acorn, kabocha or butternut squash (1 ¾-2 lbs.), peeled, seeds removed, cut into ½”–1” pieces
Yellow Lentil1 ½ cup · 1 ½ cups yellow or red lentils
Water8 cup · 8 cups water or broth (or water mixed with Better Than Boullion of your choosing)
Sherry Vinegar2 tsp · 2-3 teaspoons sherry vinegar or white wine vinegar — up to 3
Mixed Herbs2 cup · 2 cups coarsely chopped mixed herbs, such cilantro, dill, chives and/or scallion

Make it mine in the app

Steps

1Heat butter and olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are softened and starting to get a little color, 8–10 minutes.
2Reduce heat to medium and add cumin and crushed red pepper flakes (if using). Stir to bloom the spices a bit in the fat, 90 seconds or so. Add the squash and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring every now and then, until the squash starts to fall apart (it should look like a very coarse mash), 15–20 minutes.
3Add lentils, water, broth (or water mixed with Better Than Bouillon) and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer, letting the squash melt into the broth as the lentils become tender and follow suit (by also melting into the broth), 30–35 minutes. The soup should be split-pea soup in texture, not entirely smooth (this isn’t a puree), but creamy with bits of squash here and there. If it feels watery or too thin for your soup preference, continue simmering until you’ve reached the texture that’s pleasing to you.
4To serve, add the vinegar, ladle into each bowl and divide herbs among, stirring to let them wilt into the soup a little (which will really perk up the aroma, especially if using a mix of dill and cilantro like I would). Drizzle with a bit of olive oil, maybe a grind or two of pepper or chili flake. While it is creamy enough for me, if you want to spoon yogurt, sour cream, labne or creme fraiche over top, you can—I know some of you will anyway!
5DO AHEAD: this soup keeps remarkably well (without herbs)– in the fridge for up to 5 days, in the freezer for up to two months (possibly longer).