Description
This creamy Butternut Squash Soup combines roasted butternut squash with a silky blend of cream cheese and savory chicken broth, served with a fun twist of black-dyed bowtie pasta shaped like bats. Perfect for an autumn appetizer or a cozy meal, this recipe is flavorful, comforting, and visually impressive.
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
- Prepare the soup base: Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a dutch oven. Add the chopped onion and sauté until tender and transparent, about 5 minutes. Then add the minced garlic and cook for an additional minute until fragrant.
- Cook the squash: Add the cubed butternut squash and chicken broth to the pot. Cover and simmer for 25 minutes, or until the squash is fork-tender and fully cooked.
- Puree the soup: Allow the soup to cool slightly, then transfer it in batches to a blender or food processor to pureé until smooth. Return the puréed soup to the pot over low heat.
- Finish the soup: Stir in the cream cheese, salt, and pepper, mixing until the cream cheese is fully melted and incorporated, creating a smooth and creamy texture. Keep the soup warm over low heat while preparing the pasta.
- Cook the pasta: Cook the bowtie pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process and cool the pasta.
- Dye the pasta: Place the cooled pasta into a large ziplock bag. Add ½ cup of water and black food coloring into the bag. Seal and swirl the pasta around until fully coated with the black color. Let it sit for 5 minutes to absorb the dye.
- Rinse and decorate: Drain the dyed pasta in a strainer and rinse under cold water until the water runs clear. Create eyes on the pasta bats by using leftover cream cheese as the white of the eyes, adding peppercorns or small pasta pieces for pupils.
- Serve: Ladle the creamy butternut squash soup into bowls and spoon the black-colored bowtie pasta bats on top. Serve immediately and enjoy this spooky and delicious fall appetizer.
Notes
- You can substitute vegetable broth to make this soup vegetarian.
- If you prefer a thinner consistency, add more broth or water when pureeing.
- Be gentle when dyeing the pasta to avoid breaking it.
- For a vegan version, substitute cream cheese with a plant-based alternative and use vegetable broth.
- This soup can be made ahead; refrigerate and reheat gently before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (approx. 1 cup soup with pasta)
- Calories: 210 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg
