A few weeks ago, we got a new veggie in our CSA box: a red kuri squash. Have you ever seen one? Since we had no experience cooking with them, we decided to try the recipe that came in that week’s newsletter.
This soup was pretty easy to make, required no other difficult-to-find ingredients, and turned out very delicious! It is vegan but still very hearty, with a wonderful smooth and creamy texture punctuated by the beans and spinach. We ate it over a few nights, first with grilled cheese, then with quesadillas, and last with garlic bread.
We hope you try this one and enjoy it!
Red Kuri Soup with Spinach and White Beans (print here)
recipe adapted from Terra Firma Farms CSA newsletter
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry cannellini or other white beans (or 1 can beans)
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 bay leaves
- (8 cups vegetable stock, if using canned beans)
- 1 red kuri squash
- ½ pound spinach leaves
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Fresh lemon wedges, for serving
Directions
If using dry beans, soak them in water overnight. Drain and rinse, then cook in 8 cups salted water with the garlic and bay leaves, until the beans are tender. If using canned beans, cook the garlic and bay leaves in vegetable broth for at least 30 minutes, and rinse the beans and set aside.
While the beans or broth are cooking, cut the squash in half, then cook face down on a baking sheet at 350˚ for about 40 minutes (timing will vary, depending on the size of your squash). When the cut side is browned and bubbling, remove the squash and let it cool. Scoop out and discard the seeds and pulp, then scoop the orange flesh into to the soup. You’ll ideally want about 4 cups of squash flesh.
When the beans are ready, use a slotted spoon to remove them and reserve them. If you used canned beans, they’ll still be separate. Remove and discard the bay leaves. You should now have a pot of broth and garlic cloves; add to it the squash and cook it for about 5 minutes. Let it cool until it’s safe to use your blender (be careful if yours is glass), then puree in batches. Return the pureed broth and the beans to the pot to reheat.
Roughly chop the spinach and add it to the pot, then turn off the heat. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve with lemon wedges to squeeze in the lemon juice.
Leftovers
The soup keeps extremely well in the fridge for a few days and will taste delicious reheated. We didn’t freeze any, but would love to hear how it turns out if you do.
The Leftovers Project 