Cream of Spaghetti Squash Soup

I know that technically it’s still summer, but it feels like fall.  Brisk days and cool, crisp nights.  And the vegetables that make me think of fall – including squash!

I got a spaghetti squash in my CSA box on Friday, and I really wasn’t sure what to do with it. Roast it?  Put it out on the front porch for decoration?  (I haven’t cooked much squash, in case you couldn’t tell!)

When I was looking at various squash recipes online, I found one for Cream of Spaghetti Squash soup.  Well, as soon as the weather gets cold I start getting the urge to make big pots of soups and chilis, so this was right up my alley!  The recipe seemed pretty bland – not too many ingredients, nothing that jumped out at me, but it did seem like a good basic recipe to start adding things to.

So I took the basic soup, changed some proportions, added some spices and toppings, and this is what I came up with!  The soup turned out to have a fantastic silky texture and a lovely comforting squashy taste.  I loved the contrast of the spices in the soup with the sweet squash (and the little bit of honey I added).  Here’s the recipe I ended up with:

Cream of Spaghetti Squash Soup

• 1 spaghetti squash
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• about 3 cups vegetable stock (depending on how thick/thin you want the soup)
• 1/4 pint heavy cream
• about 2 tablespoons fresh grated nutmeg
• two big pinches of cumin
• two big pinches of ground ginger
• 1-2 tablespoons honey
• salt
• white pepper
• sour cream (for topping)

Slice the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds and such.  Put the squash (skin side down) in a baking dish and fill the dish halfway with water.  Bake at 400 degrees until the squash is tender (it took me about an hour).

When the squash is done baking, scoop the squash out of the skin.  Add the squash, chopped red pepper and a little bit of vegetable stock to a blender and blend until smooth.

On the stove, bring the rest of the vegetable stock to a boil, then reduce to medium heat.  Add the blended squash mixture, nutmeg, cumin, ginger and honey and mix well.  Simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Taste.  Add salt and pepper as needed.

Add the heavy cream and simmer for another 5-10 minutes.  Taste.  Adjust spices if needed.  Serve.  Top with sour cream.  Eat.  Enjoy.

I added a little fresh thyme on top for color and ate it with a big slice of bread. (I love bread.)  It would also be good as a side dish, or a nice lunch with a green salad.  Yum!

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