Butternut Squash and White Bean Soup with Sage Pesto
By Steve DunnPublished on September 27, 2016
Time
1¾ hours
Yield
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients
Pesto
½ cup walnuts, toasted2 garlic cloves, minced1 cup fresh parsley leaves ½ cup fresh sage leaves ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (½ cup), plus extra for servingSalt and pepperSoup
1 (2- to 2 ½ pound) butternut squash 4 cups chicken broth 3 cups water 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 pound leeks, white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise, sliced thin, and washed thoroughly1 tablespoon tomato paste 2 garlic cloves, mincedSalt and pepper 3 (15-ounce) cans cannellini beans 1 teaspoon white wine vinegarBefore You Begin
For the best texture, it’s important to remove the fibrous white flesh just below the squash’s skin. To make this recipe plant-based, use refined coconut oil instead of butter.
Instructions
- Pulse walnuts and garlic in food processor until coarsely chopped, about 5 pulses. Add parsley and sage; with processor running, slowly add oil and process until smooth, about 1 minute. Transfer to bowl, stir in Parmesan, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
- Using sharp vegetable peeler or chef’s knife, remove skin and fibrous threads just below skin from squash (peel until squash is completely orange with no white flesh remaining, roughly 1/8 inch deep). Cut round bulb section off squash and cut in half lengthwise. Scoop out and discard seeds; cut each half into 4 wedges.
- Bring squash wedges, broth, water, butter, and soy sauce to boil in medium saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium, partially cover, and simmer vigorously until squash is very tender and starting to fall apart, about 20 minutes. Using potato masher, mash squash, still in broth, until completely broken down. Cover to keep warm; set aside.
- While broth cooks, cut neck of squash into 1/3-inch pieces. Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add leeks and tomato paste and cook, stirring occasionally, until leeks have softened and tomato paste has darkened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add squash pieces, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add squash broth and bring to simmer. Partially cover and cook for 10 minutes.
- Add beans and their liquid, partially cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until squash is just tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in vinegar and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve, passing pesto and extra Parmesan separately.
for the pesto
for the soup
Time
1¾ hoursYield
Serves 6 to 8Ingredients
Pesto
½ cup walnuts, toasted
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup fresh parsley leaves
½ cup fresh sage leaves
¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (½ cup), plus extra for serving
Salt and pepper
Soup
1 (2- to 2 ½ pound) butternut squash
4 cups chicken broth
3 cups water
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pound leeks, white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise, sliced thin, and washed thoroughly
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and pepper
3 (15-ounce) cans cannellini beans
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
Ingredients
Pesto
½ cup walnuts, toasted
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup fresh parsley leaves
½ cup fresh sage leaves
¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (½ cup), plus extra for serving
Salt and pepper
Soup
1 (2- to 2 ½ pound) butternut squash
4 cups chicken broth
3 cups water
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pound leeks, white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise, sliced thin, and washed thoroughly
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and pepper
3 (15-ounce) cans cannellini beans
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
Ingredients
Pesto
½ cup walnuts, toasted
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup fresh parsley leaves
½ cup fresh sage leaves
¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (½ cup), plus extra for serving
Salt and pepper
Soup
1 (2- to 2 ½ pound) butternut squash
4 cups chicken broth
3 cups water
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pound leeks, white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise, sliced thin, and washed thoroughly
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and pepper
3 (15-ounce) cans cannellini beans
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
Why This Recipe Works
Instead of the usual creamy, rich pureed style of butternut squash soup, we wanted a heartier version that could stand on its own as a meal. We opted to feature chunks of squash paired with creamy cannellini beans to give our soup some heft. Because the bulb portion of the squash is difficult to cut into cubes that will cook evenly, and because it naturally cooks faster than the dense neck portion, we cut the bulb into wedges, cooked them in the broth until they were soft, and then mashed them to make a “squash stock” that gave our soup base body and flavor. We then cooked the neck portion, cut into chunks, in this stock. Adding butter to the stock at the start of its simmering time allowed it to fully emulsify, giving the soup base richness and a more velvety texture. A swirl of sage pesto, which we quickly made in the food processor, lent the right bright, fresh finish.
Before You Begin
For the best texture, it’s important to remove the fibrous white flesh just below the squash’s skin. To make this recipe plant-based, use refined coconut oil instead of butter.
Instructions
- Pulse walnuts and garlic in food processor until coarsely chopped, about 5 pulses. Add parsley and sage; with processor running, slowly add oil and process until smooth, about 1 minute. Transfer to bowl, stir in Parmesan, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
- Using sharp vegetable peeler or chef’s knife, remove skin and fibrous threads just below skin from squash (peel until squash is completely orange with no white flesh remaining, roughly 1/8 inch deep). Cut round bulb section off squash and cut in half lengthwise. Scoop out and discard seeds; cut each half into 4 wedges.
- Bring squash wedges, broth, water, butter, and soy sauce to boil in medium saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium, partially cover, and simmer vigorously until squash is very tender and starting to fall apart, about 20 minutes. Using potato masher, mash squash, still in broth, until completely broken down. Cover to keep warm; set aside.
- While broth cooks, cut neck of squash into 1/3-inch pieces. Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add leeks and tomato paste and cook, stirring occasionally, until leeks have softened and tomato paste has darkened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add squash pieces, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add squash broth and bring to simmer. Partially cover and cook for 10 minutes.
- Add beans and their liquid, partially cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until squash is just tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in vinegar and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve, passing pesto and extra Parmesan separately.
for the pesto
for the soup
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