Butternut Squash Soup Shooters
Velvety roasted squash soup served in shot glasses - a warm sip of autumn
- 2 lbsbutternut squash(peeled, seeded, cubed)
- 1yellow onion(quartered)
- 4 clovesgarlic
- 3 tbspolive oil
- 4 cupschicken or vegetable broth
- 0.5 cupheavy cream
- 0.5 tspground nutmeg
- 1 tspkosher salt
- 0.25 tspwhite pepper
- crème fraîche(for garnish)
- pepitas(toasted, for garnish)
Soup can be made 3 days ahead and refrigerated. Reheat gently before serving. Garnish just before serving.
- 1Preheat oven to 400°F
- 2Toss squash, onion, and garlic with olive oil on rimmed baking sheet
- 3Roast until caramelized and tender, about 40 minutes, stirring once
- 4Transfer roasted vegetables to large pot, add broth
- 5Bring to simmer and cook 10 minutes
- 6Blend with immersion blender until completely smooth
- 7Stir in cream, nutmeg, salt, and pepper
- 8Taste and adjust seasoning
- 9Ladle into shot glasses or espresso cups
- 10Garnish each with small dollop of crème fraîche and a few pepitas
Roasting is essential - it caramelizes the squash's sugars. For silkier texture, strain through fine-mesh sieve after blending. A touch of maple syrup can enhance sweetness if squash is bland. Keep shooters warm in a low oven until serving. Use a squeeze bottle for clean crème fraîche dots.
Butternut squash soup has Native American roots, as squash was one of the Three Sisters crops alongside corn and beans. The soup shooter presentation emerged from 1990s catering trends, transforming comfort food into elegant party fare. Roasting the squash rather than boiling intensifies its natural sweetness.