How to make Hubbard squash bisque
Roasted Hubbard squash bisque is a velvety smooth, puréed vegetarian soup that is super easy to make. Plus, it is gluten-free and easily made vegan with one simple swap. This Hubbard squash recipe is the perfect cold-weather supper.
This squash soup is also great for making ahead and meal-prepping. It is delicious, nutrient-dense lunch for the work week. For a seafood spin, try this langostino bisque.
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Hubbard squash soup
Squash bisque or soup is perfect for this time of the year when the weather starts to cool down and we want to cuddle up on the couch with something cozy to eat.
Thick and hearty, this Hubbard squash bisque ticks all the boxes: it’s delicious and filling, it’s good for me and it’s perfect for making ahead.
It’s also a staple on many holiday tables, including ours. Because this squash soup is velvety smooth, I find myself sipping it from a mug while I’m working at my desk for a quick and easy lunch.
Bisque ingredients
The ingredients for Hubbard squash bisque are common items found in most kitchens. I’ve kept the ingredients for this squash bisque soup fairly simple and straightforward to allow the squash flavor to shine.
If you’ve had butternut squash bisque, it will taste very similar. Hubbard is a bit earthier in flavor than butternut, so it will really taste of squash, in the best possible way.
How to make squash bisque
Making bisque is a snap, really. It’s one of those dishes that most people only order at a restaurant because the assumption is that it is difficult to make. I’m here to tell you that is completely false. It seriously could not be easier.
The first step is to cook Hubbard squash for the soup. The easiest way is to split it in half, remove the seeds and roast in a hot oven. Roasting the squash is not only the easiest method, it also delivers the best flavor.
The edges of the Hubbard squash will caramelize in the oven, giving your bisque an amazing flavor. Then sauté some onions and garlic in olive oil or butter until they are softened.
Add the roasted Hubbard squash, sautéed onions and garlic, and roasted carrot to a blender.
The blender I own is a Vitamix. It isn’t inexpensive, but it is the industry standard in professional kitchens. It can handle anything you throw at it and this blender lasts forever. It also allows you to manually control the speed of the blades – that’s a game-changer.
Pour in the chicken stock and blend it all up until it is completely smooth. In a standard blender, this will take a few minutes. A powerful immersion blender will work (the one I own and recommend is the Breville BSB510XL), but it will be difficult to get it as velvety smooth as a regular blender with a pitcher.
After a few minutes in the blender, this is what your Hubbard squash bisque will look like – completely smooth, thick and absolutely gorgeous.
Squash bisque FAQ’s
Yes! It freezes beautifully. You’ll want to freeze it BEFORE you add the cream, though. Dairy tends to get grainy after it has been frozen, so I’d leave that out until you’re ready to reheat and eat.
Swap full fat coconut milk for the heavy cream and voila – it’s vegan. You could also use any type of non-dairy milk that you like, but it will not be quite as thick.
A bisque is traditionally made with cream and it is smooth and generally fairly thick. A soup can be anything from a brothy affair – like a chicken noodle to something thicker like a potato soup.
How to swirl cream on soup
If you’ve ever tried to make pretty swirls on top of soup with cream only to have it feather and run all over the place – keep reading.
There are a few tricks to this and I’m going to tell you EXACTLY how we do this in restaurants, so you can replicate it at home.
First, you need heavy cream that is very cold. I usually put mine in the freezer for about 15 minutes to get it super cold.
Next, you’ll need a squeeze bottle. They come in handy for so many things, not just swirling cream on a bowl of soup!
Pour the ice cold cream into the bottle, screw the top on and cover it with your finger while you shake vigorously for about 20 – 30 seconds. Don’t be gentle with it – you need to incorporate air into the cream – this is what helps it float on top.
You can whip it with a whisk, but this is faster and less hassle. After the cream has increased in volume, add circles of cream on top of the soup.
Finally, use a thin skewer or a toothpick to swirl the edges of the cream into a pretty pattern. That’s it. Once you know the trick to it, it’s super simple.
Velvety smooth Hubbard squash soup is easy enough for weeknight cooking, but it is the perfect starter for a holiday meal.
More squash recipes
- Stuffed Hubbard squash with sausage and rice.
- Vegan stuffed squash with kale and wild rice.
- Coconut curry Hubbard squash soup
- Hubbard squash lasagna rolls
- Vegetarian stuffed Delicata squash
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Hubbard squash bisque
Ingredients
- 3 lb. Hubbard squash cut in half, seeds removed (or, about 2 1/2 cups cooked)
- 1 large carrot peeled and cut into 2″ pieces
- 1 yellow onion diced (about 1 cup)
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 3 tbsp. olive oil or butter divided
- 2 tsp. salt + more to taste
- 1 tsp. black pepper + more to taste
- 3 cups vegetable stock or broth
- 1/2 cup heavy cream or coconut cream + 1/4 cup for swirls, optional
- 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
- 1/4 cup pepita seeds for garnish optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F / 177°C/ Gas mark 4.
- Drizzle Hubbard squash halves and carrot with 1 tbsp. olive oil, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. black pepper. Roast squash, cut side down, and carrot, for 30 minutes, or until soft. (Remove carrot earlier if it begins to burn).
- In a medium pan, sauté onion and garlic over medium heat in remaining olive oil for 10 minutes, until softened and just barely golden brown. Season with salt and pepper.
- Remove squash and carrot from the oven. Scoop squash flesh out and measure 2 1/2 cups.
- Add Hubbard squash, carrot, onions and garlic to blender, with vegetable stock. Blend until completely smooth.
- Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Pour into a large sauce pot and gently reheat on the stove.
- Remove from heat, stir in cream and top with a sprinkle of nutmeg and pepitas before serving.
Video
Notes
To make cream swirls on soup
Pour cold heavy cream into squeeze bottle, screw the top on and cover it with your finger while you shake vigorously for about 30 seconds. After cream has increased in volume by almost double, make circles on top of soup, then use a toothpick or thin skewer to swirl the edges and make a pattern.Nutrition
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