I'd been excited to try this soup ever since I saw it on Sprouted Kitchen, and it definitely didn't disappoint. I loooove butternut squash (Jared less so, but he still liked the soup) and anything with homemade tortilla strips. Plus I've been trying to incorporate more veggies into our dinners and this is chock full of healthy stuff - but not so much that it tastes like tree bark. It's sort of a healthy version of winter comfort food, and a perfect rainy weeknight dinner.
Ingredients:
- 1 Tbsp. coconut or extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1/2 a small head of cabbage, chopped (heaping 2 cups)
- 3 cups cubed butternut squash (sweet potato would be good too)
- 3 cups low sodium vegetable broth
- 1 tsp. cumin
- 1 tsp. cocoa powder
- pinch of chipotle powder or cayenne pepper
- 2 cups cooked, black beans (about one can, rinsed and drained)
- salt to taste
- avocado, for garnish (optional)
- cilantro, for garnish (optional)
// tortilla crispies //
- 3 corn tortillas
- scant 1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp. sea salt
In a heavy bottomed pot, warm the oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and saute until just beginning to brown, about 6-8 minutes. Add the garlic, cabbage, squash and broth. Turn the heat down to a gentle simmer, cover the pot and cook for about 15-20 minutes for the vegetables to cook. Add the spices and the beans and stir. Let everything continue to cook another ten minutes for the flavors to blend. Salt to taste. At this point, I did a few pulses with my immersion blender through the soup, because I wanted to thicken up the broth a bit. This is optional, but makes it seem a bit thicker. You could alternatively, run just a bit of the soup through a blender or food processor, and add it back in to the pot. OR a sprinkle of cornmeal will help thicken it as well.
For the tortilla crispies, preheat the oven to 375'. Stack them and slice into thin matchsticks. Spread on a baking sheet, dirzzle with the oil, sprinkle the salt and toss gently to coat. Spread them in a single layer on the baking sheet and bake for about 10-15 minutes until they are light brown and crispy, giving the pan a shake halfway through.
Garnish each both with some diced avocado, a handful of chopped cilantro and some of the tortilla crispies! (We only added the tortilla crispies, mostly out of laziness. I'm sure it's even more delicious with the extra garnishes.)
Recipe from the Sprouted Kitchen