Description
A creamy and comforting Butternut Squash Soup topped with creatively dyed black pasta bats, perfect for a festive or cozy meal. This recipe combines savory roasted squash flavors with a hint of creaminess from cream cheese and a playful pasta garnish that adds visual intrigue and texture.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups butternut squash, cubed
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 4 oz cream cheese
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
Pasta
- 1 cup bowtie pasta
- ½ cup water
- Black food coloring
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil: In a dutch oven, warm 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering.
- Sauté onions: Add 1 cup of chopped onion to the oil and cook until tender and transparent, about 5 minutes.
- Add garlic: Stir in 3 minced garlic cloves and cook for an additional minute until fragrant.
- Cook squash and broth: Add 4 cups of cubed butternut squash and 3 cups of chicken broth. Cover and simmer for 25 minutes or until the squash is tender.
- Purée the soup: Allow the soup to cool slightly, then transfer it to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
- Finish the soup: Return the puréed soup to the dutch oven and heat gently. Stir in 4 ounces of cream cheese, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper until fully combined and creamy.
- Cook pasta: Prepare 1 cup of bowtie pasta according to the package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking.
- Dye the pasta: Place the cooled pasta in a large ziplock bag with ½ cup of water and black food coloring. Swish to coat evenly and let sit for 5 minutes.
- Rinse the pasta: Drain and rinse the dyed pasta under cold water until the water runs clear to remove excess food coloring.
- Create pasta bats: Use leftover cream cheese and peppercorns or small pasta pieces to create eyes on the black dyed pasta bats.
- Serve: Place pasta bats on top of the warm butternut squash soup and serve immediately.
Notes
- You can substitute chicken broth with vegetable broth to make it vegetarian-friendly.
- If you prefer a smoother soup, strain after blending for an ultra-creamy texture.
- Use gel or liquid food coloring for more vibrant dyed pasta.
- Carefully monitor the pasta soaking time to avoid over-coloring or hardness.
- Leftover soup can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 1 month.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup soup with pasta topping
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 480 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 26 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg
