Herbs for butternut squash soup

I'm making roasted butternut squash soup for dinner tonight and I am a bit tired of the curried or cinnamon or nutmeg butternut squash soup scene. Does anyone have any suggestions for something a bit different?

Posted by: Catherine
February 26, 2016

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15 Comments

15 Comments

nancyg January 10, 2021

An ingredient I've been using in a lot of recipes & works beautifully in Squash Soup is....apple cider. If I don't have cider I'll cut up an apple & add that. I go lite on spices because I like the taste of the apple. BTW.....I also add cider to my pot roast & stew recipes along with stock...so good. Nancy

Summer O. February 29, 2016

I would have gone the sage route myself - maybe next winter.

Catherine February 26, 2016

Thank you for your input everyone! I went with fresh ginger, garlic, shallot, and orange zest in the end. It was pretty good! Even the little ones ate it without complaint :)

702551 February 26, 2016

Great job and thanks for posting a followup with the outcome. Many posters do not (not singling out Food52 forum people, this happens all the time at any online forum, especially first-time posters often never post again).

Ginger-citrus is a great combo and very versatile. I'll use it in everything from veggie sautes to meat (especially poultry) and seafood (like prawns). Of course, there is also gingerbread with a lemon glaze like lebkuchen. I don't bake sweets anymore but I appreciate an occasional cookie.

lloreen February 26, 2016

I love a lot of ginger in my butternut squash soup. It's especially good for when you are feeling under the weather.
Fresh sage or tarragon are lovely too.

ChefJune February 26, 2016

I like a finely ground teaspoon of dried Herbes de Provence.

amysarah February 26, 2016

I love butternut squash soup, but by mid-winter also get that 'same old, same old' feeling. A Spanish-ish variation I like: smoked paprika (Pimenton,) thyme and a splash of sherry vinegar at the end. Or, with a more conventional cinnamon/allspice/coriander type flavor, garnish it with a drizzle of toasted pumpkin seed oil (amazing stuff!) or reduced balsamic syrup. Either way, serving with a dollop of sour cream/creme fraiche and chopped chives livens things up.

e_phemera February 26, 2016

Dried thyme, generous white pepper, smoked salt (Japanese Iburi Jio Cherry Smoked Salt)

702551 February 26, 2016

How about Mexican style like oregano and/or epazote?

Another option would be to go for something like Chinese five-spice.

Maybe a little chopped chive to sprinkle before serving.

Susan W. February 26, 2016

I'm fond of fresh thyme and cayenne or dried chili flakes. You could also do toasted cumin and nacho chili powder. Just be cautious with the cumin so it doesn't overpower.

Susan W. February 26, 2016

That's supposed to say ancho chili powder, not nacho.

702551 February 26, 2016

I thought that was an uncharacteristic endorsement from you. ;-)

Susan W. February 26, 2016

Lol..I'm kind of wondering if there is such a thing as nacho chili powder. Not so good ingredients like dehydrated cheese and onions are coming to mind.

702551 February 26, 2016

Well, nacho chili powder should be very easy to spot on a store shelf: it will be fluorescent orange, have a wonderful shine and bouncy superball texture. The ingredient list should include annatto.

Susan W. February 27, 2016

Definitely a Diablo orange. Superball texture is a good image. Whatever happened to superballs?

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Herbs for butternut squash soup

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