Winter Squash Chowder
The PERFECT cold weather soup! Very flexible, you can use whatever winter squash or potatoes you have on hand. Keep it chunky, so there is still lots of substance. A great option for people who want to use butternut squash, but don't like pureed soup! Ingredients with an asterisk (*) are available seasonally right here in North Iowa! Click on select ingredients to find them nearby or stop by your local farmer's market.
Equipment
- Kitchen Knife
- Large Pot
Ingredients
- 8 slices bacon* chopped into ½ inch pieces. Omit for vegetarian/vegan.
- 1 onion* yellow, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic* minced
- 1 tsp sage* dried, chopped
- 1 pinch nutmeg
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 2 potatoes* medium, cut into ½ inch pieces
- 1 butternut squash* or other winter squash, peeled and cut into ½ inch pieces
- 1 cup white wine*
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 cups chicken stock* or veggie stock for vegetarian/vegan.
- ½ cup heavy cream use coconut milk for vegan.
Instructions
- In a large pot, cook the bacon over medium heat until it's crispy. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel lined plate. Pour all but 1 tbsp bacon grease into a jar to use another time.
- Add the onion, garlic, sage or thyme, nutmeg, pinch of salt and pepper to the pot. Cook until onions are soft, about 5 minutes. Add the potatoes and squash, stirring to coat them in the spices.
- Add the wine and bay leaf and bring to a boil, stirring to scrape up the browned bits, for 2-3 minutes. Add the broth, and simmer the soup until potatoes and squash are soft, about 15 minutes.
- Use an immersion blender to puree ⅓ of the soup, or transfer ⅓ of the mixture to a blender and puree until smooth. Return it to the pot and stir in the cream
Video
Notes
Adapted from Local Dirt
Nutrition
Calories: 405kcalCarbohydrates: 37gProtein: 11gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 51mgSodium: 449mgPotassium: 1050mgFiber: 5gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 13600IUVitamin C: 43mgCalcium: 103mgIron: 2mg
