Curried Butternut Squash & Roasted Garlic Soup Slow Cooker & Instant Pot
I just stepped out of the kitchen to write this weeks post. It’s raining, and home with just 
my 8 year old we baked fresh scones for a neighbor in need and a soup for the week. So much of this experience reminds me of the James Beard quote “Food is our common ground, a universal experience.”
Cooking with my kid is a happy pastime, as is planting and growing our vegetables, the things that sustain life. In the kitchen we are a partnership, and even at 8 she is instinctive about flavor and combinations. Her palate is young and as a pescetarian she has a pretty good relationship with food through vegetables, and fish (with the occasional cake, candy, cookie and ice cream…)
This weeks recipe is hers. She chose the chopped butternut squash in Trader Joe’s and asked to make soup, with curry and coconut to go with her scones.
I suggested we leave out the onion and replace it with a head of roasted garlic which I had in the refrigerator. This step isn’t altogether necessary but adds a depth of flavor and natural sweetness (more about this in June when we focus on Whole 30 recipes.) Plus, I like the velvety result which the soup has by omitting the onion.
- 1 tbsp grapeseed or light olive oil
- 1 cup / 2 celery ribs, roughly chopped
- 1 cup / 2 large carrots, roughly chopped
- 24 oz butternut squash, large dice
- 1 whole head garlic, roasted * or 2 tsp fresh, minced
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp Madras curry powder*
- 2 cups / 16 fl oz vegetable broth
- 1 x 13.5 fl oz coconut milk
- in a skillet heat the oil and sauté the celery, carrot and squash for 2 minutes
- transfer to the slow cooker and add the garlic, salt, curry powder, vegetable broth and coconut milk
- stir, cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for 3 hours
- once cooked remove the lid and using an immersion blender (or transfer to a static blender) purée the soup until it resembles a velvety consistency
- serve with garlic croutons, naan bread or scones
- heat the oil on the sauté function medium and cook the celery, carrots and squash for 3 minutes
- add the garlic, salt, curry powder, vegetable broth and coconut milk and stir
- secure the Instant Pot lid and pressure valve to Sealing
- press the Manual button and adjust the cook time to 5 minutes
- turn the dial to Venting and use Quick Pressure Release
- once cooked remove the lid and using an immersion blender (or transfer to a static blender) purée the soup until it resembles a velvety consistency
- serve with garlic croutons, naan bread or scones
- to roast garlic, select a large head with plump cloves and wrap in foil with a drizzle of olive oil. cook at 375 degrees for up to 1 hour or until the cloves are tender. squeeze the cloves from their skins to use in soups and dressings
- Madras curry powder can be replaced with Slow Cooker Spice Blend Indian Dal
“Cooking with kids is not just about ingredients, recipes, and cooking. It’s about harnessing imagination, empowerment, and creativity.”
~ Guy Fieri
