Tortilla and Butternut Squash Soup

I was looking for a traditional tortilla soup in the New England Soup Factory Cookbook and found this recipe for Tortilla and Butternut Squash Soup. The author describes is as tasting like nachos so I was intrigued. And also, it's the perfect time of year for butternut squash.

This soup is fun to make. Figuring out how to cut the butternut squash was the first bit of fun. But it cut in half easily and was also easy to peel and these were the things I was afraid of. The butternut squash and other vegetables made the house smell absolutely wonderful! I like that you add tortilla chips and let them get all soggy. They do add an amazing flavor that does make it taste like nachos.

The only thing I didn't like is that because of the tortilla chips I couldn't get it super creamy when using the immersion blender. I had to blend it for quite a while and it did get to a nice texture, but I could still tell a bit of graininess from the chips.

This recipe makes a huge batch and even though I ate this soup every day as part of my lunch, I still had enough leftover to freeze a few quarts for later. I topped the soup with a bit more shredded cheese and some avocado bits.

Tortilla and Butternut Squash Soup Makes 12 to 14 servings 3 tablespoons salted butter 3 cloves garlic, minced 2 cups diced onions 3 carrots, sliced 3 ribs celery, sliced 1 pound butternut squash, peeled and diced 12 cups chicken stock 1 cup sherry 8 ounces salted tortilla chips ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese 1 can (4 ounces) diced green chilies 1 bunch scallions, sliced 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice 8 dashes green Tabasco sauce Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

In a large stockpot melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, onions, carrots, celery, and butternut squash. Saute for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the stock and sherry. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the squash is tender, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the tortilla chips until wilted. Add the cilantro and cheese and let the cheese melt into the soup. Pour the soup in the pot using a hand blender or working in batches with a regular blender until completely smooth. Add the chilies and scallions. Stir to combine. Season with lime juice, Tabasco sauce, and black pepper. Return to the stove and simmer an additional 5 minutes.



This is my first submission for Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammies) Sundays hosted weekly by Kahakai Kitchen. See more great soup recipes at this week's roundup.