Winter Squash & Coconut Bisque

coconut milk, cinnamon, turmeric, cumin yogurt

STARS

Take yams, butternut squash, onions, carrots, and celery and blend them together with seasonal spices. A splash of coconut milk brings a little extra sweetness to winter's favorite flavors, and a garnish of pumpkin seeds, cilantro, fried shallots, and tangy cumin yogurt makes this soup a rainy day must-have.

Difficulty Level

Total Time: 35 minutes

Active Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

Bisque

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
2 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash
2 cups peeled and cubed yams or sweet potatoes
½ teaspoon cardamom
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon minced ginger
¼ teaspoon turmeric
3 cups vegetable broth
1 15-ounce can coconut milk
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, to taste
¼ cup pumpkin seeds, roughly chopped
¼ cup fried shallots
½ cup chopped cilantro

Cumin Yogurt

1 cup plain yogurt
1 teaspoon cumin
1 garlic clove, minced
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, carrots and celery and cook, stirring, until softened, 5-7 minutes.

Add the squash, yam, spices, stock, coconut milk, salt and pepper, and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until the vegetables are very tender.

Purée with an immersion blender or regular blender. Stir in the vinegar and adjust the seasoning.

Combine the cumin yogurt ingredients in a bowl. Purée in a blender if you like a very smooth consistency.

To serve, divide the bisque between bowls, top with cumin yogurt and garnish with pumpkin seeds, fried shallots and cilantro.