This seasonal Roasted Winter Squash Soup with Kefir Olive Oil Drizzle comes from renowned chef, author and wellness enthusiast Seamus Mullen. It’s nourishing perfection for any winter occasion.
Ingredients
- 2 cups Lifeway Organic Organic Plain Whole Milk Kefir
- 4 cups butternut or kabocha squash, peeled and cubed into 1” pieces
- 2 shallots, thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, whole
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 sprigs thyme
- 1 dried chili
- 1/4 cup champagne or white wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup + 4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Zest of one lemon
- 6 cups vegetable stock*
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
- Pre-heat your oven to 400° F. In a large roasting pan, combine squash, shallot, garlic, bay leaf, thyme, dried chili and season with salt and pepper. Add vinegar and 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Lightly toss and roast in the oven until tender and cooked through, about 35 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, remove and discard the bay leaf, dried chili and thyme. Transfer to a blender and blend with vegetable stock until smooth. Once smooth, with the motor running, blend in 1 cup of kefir and ¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil. Adjust seasoning to taste and set aside.
- In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine remaining kefir with lemon zest, ¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper and set aside.
- Serve in warm soup bowls with a drizzle of the seasoned kefir sauce.
- While store bought vegetable stock works, we like to use this recipe for homemade vegetable stock.
