I love making soup with winter squash. I grow a lot of Butternut (it's resistant to vine borers!), but it works just as well with Hubbard, Acorn, etc. It takes time, but is very easy, healthy, and doesn't make a lot of dishes. It's also good for people (like me) with dietary restrictions, because the ingredients list is short.
Ingredients:
1 winter squash
1 onion, peeled and halved
1 carton veggie broth or chicken stock (you may have some leftover, depending on how watery your squash is)
1 cinnamon stick (optional)
A small amount of heavy cream or condensed milk (optional)
Tools:
Slow cooker
Immersion blender*
Cooking tongs
Big serving spoon
First, I wash the squash, and remove the stem and any bad spots. Then I cut the squash into big chunks, and remove the seeds and guts (I recommend saving the seeds to roast with salt and olive oil, but that's another recipe). Throw the chunks into my slow cooker with some broth - it doesn't need to cover all the squash, just keep a couple inches in the bottom of the cooker - the onion, and the cinnamon stick if you're feeling spicy. Let it simmer for a few hours - as long as it doesn't go dry, you won't do any harm with overcooking.
Once it's falling-apart tender, I use tongs to pull out the skins and a heavy spoon to scrape any flesh off of them back into the pot. Don't worry if you miss a little - the skins are full of vitamins - but getting most of them out helps the texture of the soup in the end. Also be sure to grab the cinnamon stick if you used one, but leave the onion in. Then I just stick my immersion blender* in and let it whir for a minute or so, stir to make sure I got all the chunks, and repeat until it's creamy. If it gets too thick, add water or more broth. Add salt and pepper to taste, give it another quick whir to incorporate them, and you're done!
I have a dairy allergy, so I eat it just like that. For guests, I will add a splash of heavy cream, or for a lighter version, condensed milk, to their bowls at serving time for extra richness. With sufficient cooking and blending, it really is plenty creamy even without the dairy.
*You can probably make this pretty well in a standard blender or food processor, though it may be messy to transfer while it's hot. But if you don't have an immersion blender, I'd recommend getting one. They aren't too expensive, don't take up much space, and make the creamiest soups and smoothies I've ever had.
