I have the mindset of always preferring to do things for myself. Part of that mindset is my reluctance to pay money for a service I can do myself and part of it is my innate stubbornness. Sometimes this is a good quality to have and sometimes it is a character flaw. Either way, the trait was very much in evidence when I decided to make this soup.

The recipe isn’t technically difficult and the ingredients aren’t hard to find. But it did call for 24 ounces of pre-cut, fresh butternut squash. Well, my aforementioned trait (or flaw) asserted itself and I decided to buy a whole butternut squash and cut it up instead of spending extra money for the pre-cut version. But as I spent the time and effort peeling, seeding, and cutting up the squash, I wondered if it was really worth it to do it myself when I spent more time on the recipe than I would have if I had used the already prepped ingredient. And I wondered if it was really less expensive to do it myself when I was discarding about 1/3 of it into the compost bin.

Certainly, on the time front, pre-cut is the quicker and easier way to go, no question about it. On the other hand, pre-cut butternut squash costs about twice as much as the whole version, even with what gets discarded. It all comes down to whether you have more time or more money! Whichever way you go, this soup recipe is delicious!

Butternut-Leek Bisque

Butternut-Leek Bisque (adapted from cookinglight.com)  Time Required: 1 hour Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 large leeks, sliced and rinsed
• 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed and drained
• 3 cups vegetable stock
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 24 ounces fresh butternut squash (about 2 1/2 pounds whole butternut squash)
• 3 thyme sprigs
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt, divided
• 6 tablespoons sliced almonds, toasted
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

Prep the veggies first!

Directions:

Heat the oil in a large stock pot over medium heat. Add the leeks to the pot and stir often, until they are tender, about 5 minutes.

Cook the leeks in the oil.

Add the quinoa and cook, stirring constantly, until the quinoa is toasted, about 3 minutes.

Toast the quinoa.

Add the stock, salt, squash, thyme, bay leaf, and pepper to the pot. Increase the heat to high and bring the soup to a boil. Cover the pot and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook it until the squash is very tender, about 15 minutes. Discard the bay leaf.

Add the squash, broth & seasonings to the pot.

Remove the pot from the heat and add 1/2 cup of the yogurt to the soup when the squash is tender. Using a wand blender, process the soup until it is smooth.

Add the Greek yogurt and blend the soup.

Ladle the soup into bowls, top the bowls with the remaining yogurt and the almonds and garnish it with the parsley.

I love the flavor the leeks contribute to this butternut soup!

I want more of this soup!  ~Linda

Butternut-Leek Bisque (adapted from cookinglight.com)  Active Time: 20 Minutes, Total Time: 40 Minutes, Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 large leeks, sliced and rinsed
• 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed and drained
• 3 cups vegetable stock
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 24 ounces fresh butternut squash
• 3 thyme sprigs
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt, divided
• 6 tablespoons sliced almonds, toasted
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

Directions:

Heat the oil in a large stock pot over medium heat. Add the leeks to the pot and stir often, until they are tender, about 5 minutes. Add the quinoa and cook, stirring constantly, until the quinoa is toasted, about 3 minutes. Add the stock, salt, squash, thyme, bay leaf, and pepper to the pot. Increase the heat to high and bring the soup to a boil. Cover the pot and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook it until the squash is very tender, about 15 minutes. Discard the bay leaf.

Remove the pot from the heat and add 1/2 cup of the yogurt to the soup when the squash is tender. Using a wand blender, process the soup until it is smooth. Ladle the soup into bowls, top the bowls with the remaining yogurt and the almonds and garnish it with the parsley.