Smoked Butternut Squash Soup

I’ve always loved butternut squash soup. I’ll be honest though, this was the first time I made it! Well, I couldn’t not smoke it right??? This recipe is pretty simple and is a good addition to an already planned smoke session because smoking the squash doesn’t take too long.

After cutting up the squash, I throw it in a pan and smoke it for about 20 minutes. I just wanted a hint of smokiness to it. You can certainly smoke it longer, but I was keeping it simple. The plus side is you don’t even need to smoke it if you don’t want to. It will still taste great!

Happy smoking!

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 (3-pound) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
½ tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
3 to 4 cups vegetable broth
2 Tablespoons Pop Smoke Memphis Style Rub
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Pre-heat your smoker to 250 degrees F.

While the smoker is getting ready, cut up the squash into small cubes and place in a tin.

Once the smoker is ready, place the squash on the smoker for approximately 20 minutes. I recommend using a lighter wood for smoking such as hickory or pecan. I used pecan for this recipe.

When the squash is almost done on the smoker heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, salt, and several grinds of fresh pepper and sauté until soft, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the squash and cook until it begins to soften, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes.

Add the garlic, Pop Smoke, sage, rosemary, and ginger. Stir and cook 30 seconds to 1 minute, until fragrant, then add 3 cups of the broth. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to a simmer.

Cook until the squash is tender, 20 to 30 minutes.

Let cool slightly and pour the soup into a blender, working in batches if necessary, and blend until smooth. If your soup is too thick, add up to 1 cup more broth and blend. Season to taste and serve with pepitas and parsley. Add a little more Pop Smoke seasoning too!