Give Butternut Squash Soup A Brighter Flavor With A Squeeze Of Citrus

Bringing that brightness to your soup

To create a well-balanced butternut squash soup, start by preparing your favorite roasted butternut squash soup recipe as you normally would. You can choose to make a purée from scratch, enhancing the flavor with aromatics such as onion, garlic, and ginger, along with spices like paprika, cumin, and coriander. Alternatively, you can use a pre-packaged option (it might be helpful to check which canned soups are the best and worst choices at the grocery store).

In either case, add your citrus near the end of the cooking process, just before incorporating cream (if desired) and allowing it to simmer. If you're using store-bought soup, you can do this while it's heating up. The goal is to warm the soup after adding the juice so that the citrus flavor is subtle, yet still provides a bright lift. For a recipe serving six, about half a lime's worth of juice should suffice.

That said, butternut squash is very receptive to citrus flavors, and you can even emphasize this aspect. Lime is an excellent choice, but orange also pairs beautifully, especially with other complementary ingredients like ginger. A hint of cayenne or smoky ancho chili can add a nice kick and depth, and you can finish the dish with citrus zest, fresh herbs, or your finely chopped chives. Ultimately, this vibrant orange seasonal soup will stand out beautifully in the bowl.