Creamy Butternut Squash Soup
— By Alex Gayton, Assistant EFNEP Coordinator & Social Media Coordinator, Expanded Food Nutrition and Education Program (EFNEP), University of Maine Cooperative Extension
Visit the University of Maine Cooperative Extension’s recipe website for the Butternut Squash Soup recipe and recipe video.
For those of us missing fall, this Butternut Squash Soup is creamy and full of flavors reminiscent of fall. This soup is made with a delicious blend of butternut squash, vegetables, apples, spices, and evaporated milk. It is also a great way to use up any leftover butternut squash, or for a shortcut, you can use frozen butternut squash.
What is Evaporated Milk?
Evaporated milk is a shelf-stable canned cow’s milk that is concentrated by removing 60% of the water from the milk, then the liquid is canned and sterilized with heat. This can typically be found in the baking aisle of the grocery store. Be mindful that sweetened condensed milk will likely be nearby and looks similar but has sugar added to it and is usually used in baking. The use of non-fat or reduced-fat evaporated milk in this recipe is to add a creamy texture to the soup without adding large amounts of saturated fat.
Substitutes
This recipe calls for fat-free evaporated milk but don’t worry if you don’t have any on hand or don’t want to go out to buy it, here are some substitutes.
- Cow’s milk: this will result in a slightly thinner soup because of the higher water content.
- Half and half: this will add more richness to the soup, with more saturated fat and calories.
- Non-dairy milk alternatives: options like almond milk, coconut milk, or oat milk can be used, but keep in mind that the flavor might be slightly different, and the soup may be thinner.
Other Considerations
- If you’re using a substitute that results in a thinner soup, you can thicken it by adding a cornstarch slurry.
- To make a cornstarch slurry, mix cornstarch with a small amount of cold water to create a smooth paste. Gradually whisk the slurry into the simmering soup, stirring continuously to prevent lumps, until you reach the desired thickness. If you add cornstarch directly to the hot soup, the cornstarch will clump.
- Keep in mind that using different substitutes will affect the nutritional content of the soup.
I hope you enjoy this delicious and comforting butternut squash soup!