Nourish
THIS WORKHORSE OF A SOUP BASE JUST SOLVED YOUR WHAT’S-FOR-DINNER PROBLEMS
When the temperatures drop, we love nothing more than a warming, nourishing soup. But some days—ok, most days—we don’t have time to luxuriate in the all the prep, sautéing, and simmering it takes to dish up a seriously good bowl of soup.
As we often do when it comes to kitchen conundrums, we turned to Lauren Chandler, a chef and teacher who specializes in teaching people how to cook everyday meals with seasonal whole foods and healthy ingredients. Her solution? Master one simple soup base, and have a few variations in your back pocket.
Lucky for us, she has just the base—and the variations. For simple weeknight dinners, just cook up the recipe below on a Sunday and store it in the fridge. The rest of the week, simply heat up the base and the ingredients from one of the variations at the end. You’ll be savoring your warming bowl of soup in about 15 minutes (that’s less time than it takes to get take-out!).
WINTER-SQUASH SOUP BASE
Serves 6-8
INGREDIENTS
2 Tbsp. avocado oil or other neutral tasting oil
1 medium winter squash, like kabocha, stem removed
1 leek, white and light-green parts only, halved lengthwise, washed well, and thinly sliced
1 large or two small carrots, roughly chopped
1 quart low-sodium vegetable broth (or water)
Sea salt
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- With a large, sharp chef’s knife, carefully slice through the squash from top to bottom. Remove the seeds and strings, and then place the squash cut side down on the parchment-lined baking sheet and cook until very tender, about 45 minutes. Remove from oven and flip the squash over with a spatula or tongs, and let stand until it’s cool enough to handle.
- Once cool, roughly chop or tear into 3- to 4-inch pieces. (If you have a high-speed blender, the skin can be blended right into the soup. If not, you may need to scoop the flesh from the skin, as the skin could be too tough for the blender to smoothly incorporate into the soup.)
- While the squash is cooking, prepare the rest of the ingredients. In a large, heavy pot, heat the oil over medium-low heat. Add the leek, carrot, and a generous pinch of salt, and cook, stirring frequently until the vegetables soften but do not brown, around 8-10 minutes.
- Transfer the contents of the pot to the blender along with broth or water, making sure that the blender is not filled more than 2/3 of the way. Blend until smooth, and then transfer back to the pot. Blend the squash with broth or water, and then transfer to the pot. You will need to do this in at least two batches.
- Stir to combine, bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add water or more stock if needed to thin soup to desired consistency and salt to taste.
VARIATIONS TO FINISH:
JAPANESE-INSPIRED
Stir in 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil, 2 teaspoons tamari, and 2 teaspoons unseasoned rice vinegar, and garnish each serving with thinly sliced green onion, toasted sesame seeds, and crumbled nori.
SPANISH-INSPIRED
Stir in 1 tablespoon sweet smoked paprika and 2 teaspoons lime juice, and garnish each serving with roughly chopped cilantro and toasted pepitas.
INDIAN-INSPIRED
Stir in 1 tablespoon curry paste, ¼ cup coconut milk, and 2 teaspoons lime juice, and garnish each serving with a dollop of yogurt (dairy or non-dairy), roughly chopped cilantro, and toasted brown mustard seeds. (To toast mustard seeds: Place small skillet over medium-low heat, add mustard seeds and toast until they start to pop and turn grey.)
ITALIAN-INSPIRED
Stir in 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, and ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and garnish each serving with toasted walnuts and fresh rosemary or sage pan-fried in a little extra-virgin olive oil. (To pan-fry rosemary or sage:
De-stem herbs. Place a small plate lined with paper towel next to the stove, but not too close – be safe. Heat 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the herbs of the leaves and submerge in the oil with tongs or a fork, flipping over so they become evenly browned and crispy. Transfer to the plate.)
Ready to try barre3? Find your local studio or get started with a 15-day free trial today!
When the temperatures drop, we love nothing more than a warming, nourishing soup. But some days—ok, most days—we don’t have time to luxuriate in the all the prep, sautéing, and simmering it takes to dish up a seriously good bowl of soup.
As we often do when it comes to kitchen conundrums, we turned to Lauren Chandler, a chef and teacher who specializes in teaching people how to cook everyday meals with seasonal whole foods and healthy ingredients. Her solution? Master one simple soup base, and have a few variations in your back pocket.
Lucky for us, she has just the base—and the variations. For simple weeknight dinners, just cook up the recipe below on a Sunday and store it in the fridge. The rest of the week, simply heat up the base and the ingredients from one of the variations at the end. You’ll be savoring your warming bowl of soup in about 15 minutes (that’s less time than it takes to get take-out!).
WINTER-SQUASH SOUP BASE
Serves 6-8
INGREDIENTS
2 Tbsp. avocado oil or other neutral tasting oil
1 medium winter squash, like kabocha, stem removed
1 leek, white and light-green parts only, halved lengthwise, washed well, and thinly sliced
1 large or two small carrots, roughly chopped
1 quart low-sodium vegetable broth (or water)
Sea salt
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- With a large, sharp chef’s knife, carefully slice through the squash from top to bottom. Remove the seeds and strings, and then place the squash cut side down on the parchment-lined baking sheet and cook until very tender, about 45 minutes. Remove from oven and flip the squash over with a spatula or tongs, and let stand until it’s cool enough to handle.
- Once cool, roughly chop or tear into 3- to 4-inch pieces. (If you have a high-speed blender, the skin can be blended right into the soup. If not, you may need to scoop the flesh from the skin, as the skin could be too tough for the blender to smoothly incorporate into the soup.)
- While the squash is cooking, prepare the rest of the ingredients. In a large, heavy pot, heat the oil over medium-low heat. Add the leek, carrot, and a generous pinch of salt, and cook, stirring frequently until the vegetables soften but do not brown, around 8-10 minutes.
- Transfer the contents of the pot to the blender along with broth or water, making sure that the blender is not filled more than 2/3 of the way. Blend until smooth, and then transfer back to the pot. Blend the squash with broth or water, and then transfer to the pot. You will need to do this in at least two batches.
- Stir to combine, bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add water or more stock if needed to thin soup to desired consistency and salt to taste.
VARIATIONS TO FINISH:
JAPANESE-INSPIRED
Stir in 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil, 2 teaspoons tamari, and 2 teaspoons unseasoned rice vinegar, and garnish each serving with thinly sliced green onion, toasted sesame seeds, and crumbled nori.
SPANISH-INSPIRED
Stir in 1 tablespoon sweet smoked paprika and 2 teaspoons lime juice, and garnish each serving with roughly chopped cilantro and toasted pepitas.
INDIAN-INSPIRED
Stir in 1 tablespoon curry paste, ¼ cup coconut milk, and 2 teaspoons lime juice, and garnish each serving with a dollop of yogurt (dairy or non-dairy), roughly chopped cilantro, and toasted brown mustard seeds. (To toast mustard seeds: Place small skillet over medium-low heat, add mustard seeds and toast until they start to pop and turn grey.)
ITALIAN-INSPIRED
Stir in 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, and ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and garnish each serving with toasted walnuts and fresh rosemary or sage pan-fried in a little extra-virgin olive oil. (To pan-fry rosemary or sage:
De-stem herbs. Place a small plate lined with paper towel next to the stove, but not too close – be safe. Heat 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the herbs of the leaves and submerge in the oil with tongs or a fork, flipping over so they become evenly browned and crispy. Transfer to the plate.)
Ready to try barre3? Find your local studio or get started with a 15-day free trial today!
